Pharma firm’s facility to treat rare disorders will create 50 jobs

A niche pharmaceutical company, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, has announced that it will be creating 50 jobs in Ireland with the establishment of a new facility to treat ultra-rare disorders.

The company is expanding its global presence with the opening of a new office and laboratory facility in Dublin in conjunction with the company’s decision to establish a global supply chain facility in Ireland.

The Irish facility will supply soliris (eculizumab) to patients suffering with two severe and life-threatening ultra-rare disorders PNH and aHUS.

The company’s expanding Irish workforce will also manage the supply of additional Alexion medicines to patients following regulatory approvals for a series of anticipated launches of new therapies over the next several years.

Executive vice president and chief global operations officer at Alexion Stephen Squinto said the company had chosen Ireland for its new facilities due to the workforce. “Ireland’s government and universities have an unparalleled commitment and robust partnerships with regard to education and training for pharmaceutical manufacturing, quality assurance, quality control and supply logistics. For these reasons, as we continue to expand our global supply chain and quality team, we are very pleased to come to Ireland for its highly skilled and educated workforce,” he said.

Alexion is involved in the emerging biophama industry which is seen as being the next wave of medical development following the boom in synthetic drugs that saw Ireland benefit from a pharma boom in the 90s.

CEO of IDA Ireland Barry O’Leary said that this is the cutting edge of the pharma industry.

“BioPharma companies like Alexion are currently developing the ‘next generation’ of medicines. BioPharma differs from more traditional pharmaceutical methods in that it derives the final product from living organisms. This activity represents the cutting edge of innovative drug development and requires skilled, highly qualified staff.”

Minister for Jobs Richard Bruton said that the Action Plan for Jobs was key to securing investment in Ireland.