Biotechnology firm jobs boost for Waterford

A MAJOR Waterford employer, which has begun construction of a new €61 million manufacturing facility in the city, has received a boost that could translate into more jobs.

The Genzyme Corporation, which already employs 300 in Waterford, has received the green light to market a revolutionary muscle drug in the European Union, which could mean more jobs down the line at it’s new Waterford plant.

The drug, Myozyme, has just been approved by the EU for long-term enzyme replacement therapy in patients with Pompe disease, a debilitating, progressive and often fatal disorder affecting fewer than 10,000 people worldwide.

The product is the first treatment to be approved for the disease and one of the first for any inherited muscle disorder.

Genzyme has invested more than e200m and employs 300 people at it’s biotechnology plant in Waterford, which supplies the global market with Renagel, a phosphate binder used in the treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD) for patients on dialysis.

The products processed in Waterford are focussed on rare genetic disorders, transplants and immune diseases.

Myozyme is currently produced at two Genzyme facilities in the United States.

To meet the anticipated European and worldwide demand for the product, the company plans to extend Myozyme production to its new protein manufacturing facility in Geel, Belgium, and its new fill/finish facility in Waterford.

Genzyme has already begun work on a new €61m manufacturing facility in Waterford to support its oral products growth.

“This is an extraordinary moment for Pompe patients and their families,” said Henri A Termeer, the company’s chairman and chief executive.

“The effort to develop Myozyme has required the enormous commitment of many people throughout Genzyme and across the Pompe community, who have worked with a great sense of urgency and have overcome tremendous challenges.

“Our focus now is to ensure that Myozyme is available to all patients who need treatment,” he added.

Pompe disease manifests as a broad spectrum of symptoms. Patients typically experience progressive muscle weakness and breathing difficulty, but the rate of progression can vary depending on the age of onset and the extent of it’s effect on the body’s organs.