Regeneron announces an additional $350 million investment and 200 new jobs in Limerick by end-2017

Raheen site will be largest capacity biopharmaceutical production facility in Ireland.

The company acquired the former Dell Computer facility in Limerick and achieved planning approval in April 2014 for its first IOPS site outside of the US. When the investment was initially announced in December 2013, a $300 million investment with 300 jobs was planned for delivery by the end of 2016. With this expansion of scope, the Limerick IOPS campus will house the largest-scale bulk biologics production facility in Ireland.

With approximately 300 full-time employees, 200 contingent workers and 550 construction workers in place, recruitment is underway to bring on additional full-time, high-end specialist jobs in commercial manufacturing, process sciences, quality assurance/control and various support functions for scientists, chemists and technicians. At peak, 1200 contractors were onsite to support development.

Leonard S. Schleifer, President and CEO of Regeneron, said: "With a growing portfolio of marketed medicines and an innovative pipeline rooted in cutting-edge science and technology, Regeneron is one of the fastest-growing global biopharmaceutical companies. The Limerick facility will play an essential role in ensuring Regeneron delivers on our mission to consistently and repeatedly bring new medicines to patients with serious diseases."

Dan Van Plew, Senior Vice President and General Manager of IOPS at Regeneron, said: "The entire community has gone out of its way to welcome us and help us create the momentum we need to build this site. Our people — your countrymen — have done something remarkable. In less than 2 years we have brought a dormant building back to life, and are well on our way to building a complex, high-quality facility in industry-leading time. Our hundreds of current employees, contractors and trades people are top notch. The decision to create 200 new full-time roles and invest an additional $350 million in Limerick was an easy one to make because of our hiring and trades experiences over the last two years. Regeneron is an exciting company with excellent career opportunities. We are growing, and we need talented people to join us in creating something truly special here in Limerick."

Regeneron's 400,000-sq ft, state-of-the-art biologics production facility in Limerick is now operational with the first production line on track to enter validation before year end 2015. Regeneron has worked closely with the Department of Jobs and IDA Ireland on the development of its operations in Ireland.

In addition to IOPS' significant operations in Limerick, Regeneron also has a growing multi-functional team in Dublin supporting its business in Europe. Regeneron's total headcount in Ireland is expected to approach 550 by the end of 2017.