Biopharma firm Astellas announces major expansion in Tralee

At the announcement of a new investment at the Astellas plant in Tralee were IDA Ireland executive director Mary Buckley; Astellas Ireland head of international business Caroline Mullins; Suzanne Geraghty, Head of Astellas Dublin plant; Peter Carney, Astellas market access and Government Affairs lead Ireland; Ketsuya Kawasako, Astellas Ireland head of pharma manufacturing and president of Astellas Ireland Co; equality minister Norma Foley; IDA Ireland project manager Dee Moran; Louis Collins, head of Astellas Kerry plant; Ray O’Connor,IDA Ireland head of regions;, Emily Ging, head of pharma manufacturing finance; and Owen Moore, head of Astellas Tralee plant. Picture: Don MacMonagle

Astellas Ireland is expanding its biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility and recruiting for new jobs at the Kerry Technology Park in Tralee in an investment which will double drug product manufacturing at its Irish facility.

The project will create additional highly skilled roles across engineering, production, quality, logistics, and support functions by 2029. It follows the company’s previously announced €330m investment and a second Kerry facility. The new Kerry facility is scheduled to officially open the doors in early 2027.

The new investment announced on Monday will support the installation of a second aseptic filling line and associated manufacturing infrastructure, representing the next phase of development at the site. The project is supported by IDA Ireland.

Astellas is headquartered in Japan, and the Tralee facility will manufacture medicines for global markets. It will support additional products from Astellas’ development pipeline as they progress towards commercialisation.

Astellas Ireland president Tetsuya Kawasko-San said: “This expansion is a planned continuation of our original investment in Tralee. It enables us to build additional capability into the facility in a phased and disciplined way, responding to an evolving portfolio and patient needs while making the best use of the infrastructure already being developed. We greatly value the continued support of IDA Ireland and our local partners, and we look forward to building on that partnership as Tralee becomes an important part of Astellas’ global manufacturing network.”

IDA Ireland executive director Mary Buckley said the investment is a strong endorsement of Ireland’s position as a leading location for advanced life sciences and of the talent and partnership available in the South West region. "Building on the company’s €330m commitment to the site, this additional investment will create further highly skilled roles in Kerry and strengthen Astellas’ capacity to supply medicines for global markets."

Enterprise, Tourism, and Employment minister Peter Burke said the investment will strengthen the South-West's reputation as a location of choice for international investment and advanced manufacturing. "Astellas’ decision to further expand its Tralee facility is a strong endorsement of Kerry’s growing role in Ireland’s life sciences ecosystem," said Mr Burke.

"This investment demonstrates how regional locations can successfully attract and support complex, high-value manufacturing operations."