Shire had big ambitions when it built a $400 million biologics plant in Ireland it said would help achieve its “ambition of becoming the world’s leading biotechnology company.” Well, Shire no longer exists. It was absorbed into Japan’s Takeda, which now intends to sell the plant with 200 employees.
The company said in an emailed statement that a review of manufacturing facilities after its $60 billion buyout of Shire found it had excess capacity, so it decided to “divest its biologics facility in Dunboyne.” It said it intends to sell the nearly-new plant as a going concern and does not intend any layoffs.
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Takeda said it is shopping the facility around and, given the capabilities of the plant and its workforce, is confident it will be “an attractive asset” to a buyer.
"Day-to-day operations at the facility will continue at pace as Takeda continues to commission and validate the facility, ready the site for a buyer and prepare the team for the future delivery of products for patients," Takeda's statement says.
The company pointed out it will keep other facilities in Ireland, including its site in Grange Castle near Dublin.
It last year opened a $42.8 million plant at the Grange Castle site to produce its oral multiple myeloma drug Ninlaro. Takeda also is investing about $30.5 million on a standalone modular cell therapy facility and adding about 70 jobs at the site for the production of a novel stem cell therapy.