BMS to Construct a New Large-Scale Biologics Manufacturing Facility in Cruiserath, Ireland

Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) has announced plans to construct a new, large-scale biologics manufacturing facility in Cruiserath, County Dublin, Ireland, that will produce multiple therapies for the company’s growing biologics portfolio. Once completed, the new facility will significantly increase BMS’s biologics manufacturing capacity and play a central role in its global manufacturing network.

BMS has a robust and growing portfolio of approved and investigational biologic medicines across multiple therapeutic areas including oncology, virology and immunoscience. Biologic medicines are an increasingly important tool in the treatment of serious diseases and comprise more than half of BMS’s R&D pipeline.

“Our investment in this new facility reflects the strength of our business and the increasingly important role that biologic medicines will play in BMS’s future,” said Lamberto Andreotti, chief executive officer, BMS. “For 50 years, BMS has maintained a significant manufacturing presence in Ireland, and we look forward to building on that legacy through this significant expansion of our manufacturing capability.”

“I greatly welcome this investment by BMS, which is a huge boost to the Irish economy,” said Mr Enda Kenny TD, Prime Minister of Ireland. “I had the opportunity to meet with BMS, and I'm delighted they chose Ireland as the location for this large, state-of-the-art facility. Not only will 1000 construction jobs be created in the initial phase, but the facility will support up to 400 jobs for skilled professionals. The government has a plan to secure recovery so that Ireland can attract new jobs and investments such as those being announced today.”

The 30,000-square meter project will house six 15,000-L bioreactors and a purification area, as well as office and laboratory space. The plant will be built on the grounds of the company’s existing bulk pharmaceutical manufacturing plant.

BMS’s Board of Directors has approved initial funding that will support the first phase of the project. The full cost of the facility, expected to be finalized in the second half of 2015, is anticipated to be comparable to the approximately $900 million investment to construct and operationalise the company’s biologics manufacturing facility in Devens, Massachusetts.

Approximately 350–400 scientists, engineers, bioprocess operators, quality specialists and other skilled professionals are expected to work at the facility when construction is completed, and the construction programme is expected to create about 1000 jobs. The completion of the facility, including commissioning and validation, is anticipated to take approximately 4 years and is estimated to be operational in 2019.