MSD — driving the future of biopharma in Ireland
Mairead McCaul, Managing Director, MSD Ireland (Human Health),
For 130 years, MSD has been developing medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases. As part of our mission to help improve lives across the world, MSD has continuously positioned itself at the forefront of research helping to tackle many of the world’s most complex health challenges, from infectious diseases such as Ebola and HIV, to cancer and, most recently, Covid-19.
Ireland has been a pivotal part of MSD’s network since 1978, when the company opened our first flagship site in Ballydine, Co Tipperary. Today, we employ more than 2,700 people across six sites in Tipperary, Cork, Carlow, Dublin, and Meath and, in addition, operate substantial human health and animal health businesses. Together, our Irish sites manufacture approximately 50% of MSD’s top 20 products, with a combined annual turnover that ranks us as one of Ireland’s top 20 companies.
We have invested hugely in the Irish market and our Irish sites are highly regarded by our colleagues across the globe for their technical advancement and innovative culture. As we continue to grow from strength to strength, our team of 2,700 innovators across Ireland continue to go above and beyond to future-proof our processes, enhance our ways of working, and drive our outputs forward, shaping the future of research and manufacturing from MSD Ireland to the world.
Future proofing our ways of working in the context of Covid-19
The last two years have been immensely challenging for people and businesses across Ireland and the world. Operating within a completely new environment, we had to reimagine our approach to work and collaboration, urging our teams to carry out work remotely wherever possible.
With a relentless focus on innovation across all that we do and our commitment to patients always firmly in mind, our Irish sites not only successfully adapted to the changing environment but went above and beyond to leverage it as an opportunity to improve performance, efficiency and eliminate wasted time and movement far beyond what could have ever been imagined 10 years ago.
Leveraging the latest in remote working collaborative tools, digital asset management technology, applied analytics, and predictive modelling, our sites were able to digitalise their operations to a new level over the course of the last two years. Our learnings during the pandemic have re-shaped our approach to work and collaboration and will sustain our business as our Irish sites continue to grow and diversify.
A case study for global innovation: BioNX at MSD Dunboyne
As part of our continuing investment in Ireland, in 2019 we announced the acquisition of a new site in Co Meath, MSD Dunboyne. As MSD’s first single use commercialisation facility, the site now plays a key role within our global network.
Successfully integrating to our operations during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, MSD Dunboyne takes a highly innovative approach to pharmaceutical manufacturing, with state-of-the-art, single-use technology that provides a unique opportunity to work on a range of medicines to better adapt and respond to patient needs across the world.
Adding to the MSD Dunboyne site, last September we started construction for a new, first-of-its-kind research and manufacturing facility, the Biologics Innovation Acceleration facility, better known as BioNX.
Co-located on the original Dunboyne site, the BioNX facility will be a premier, cutting-edge European and global hub for scientific advancement within our global MSD network and beyond, supporting an innovative new approach to developing and launching MSD’s future biologics medicines.
The new BioNX facility is expected to create approximately 140 new jobs by 2025, with recruitment efforts already strongly underway.
Inventing for Life
All across Ireland and at the heart of everything we do, is an unshakable commitment to making a difference —for our employees, for our communities and for the people across the world who rely on our products.
Through a people-focussed approach, as a business we have been able to navigate the challenges Covid-19 has presented, finding new ways to better support our employees throughout these unprecedentedly challenging times. Rolling out robust and enhanced employee wellbeing, mentoring, coaching, and onboarding programmes to respond to the new environment, we were able to maintain a people-first stance across all levels of our business to make sure employees felt equipped and empowered both personally and professionally.
With a 50-year-long presence in Ireland, our commitment to our communities is also a vital part of our culture, and something we were keen not to lose sight of during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Our Irish sites worked hard over the past two years to identify projects we could support within our local communities and beyond to help support local and national causes.
Looking forward, we will continue to listen and adapt to the needs of the people at the core of our organisation: our employees, our communities, and always most importantly, the people and patients all over the world who depend on our products.
