Alexion Pharmaceuticals Agrees to Acquire Site in Athlone to Create a Vialling Facility in Ireland
-Purchase of site expands Alexion's presence in Ireland and will provide further support for patients in Europe and around the world-
Dublin, Ireland: Alexion Pharma Ireland Trading, a subsidiary of Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., today announced that it has agreed to purchase a vialling facility in Athlone, Co Roscommon, Ireland. The closing of the acquisition is expected to occur during the first quarter of 2014. Alexion expects to invest to purchase, fit and improve the facility for its operations. The investment is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through IDA Ireland.
In July last year, Alexion announced plans to expand 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 acquisition of the facility in Athlone is part of the plan to establish global supply chain operations in Ireland.
Stephen Squinto, PhD, Executive Vice President and Chief Global Operations Officer at Alexion stated: "The acquisition of the Athlone facility is a sign of our commitment to growing our newly established global supply chain operation in Ireland. As we continue to grow and expand our operations to serve more patients, this facility will help us to provide life-transforming medicines to patients in Europe and around the world."
Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD said: "Pharmaceuticals is a key part of the Government's plans for jobs and growth, and in recent years we have targeted supports in particular at the generics and biopharmaceuticals areas where there is significant potential for growth. Today's announcement that Alexion, a global leader in this sector, is expanding its operations in Ireland and creating 40 jobs is very welcome news. With strong implementation of our plan I am confident that we can see further announcements like this in the coming months."
Barry O'Leary, CEO of IDA Ireland added: "Alexion is a highly innovative biopharmaceutical company and its decision to expand its activities in Ireland is very welcome. The facility in Athlone strengthens the life sciences cluster in the Midlands region. IDA Ireland continues to attract the leading players in the BioPharma industry with seven of the top ten global BioPharma companies having strategic operations here."
Alexion currently employs people at its Park West facility and is expanding its workforce in Ireland. Following the appropriate validation processes and regulatory approval, the Athlone facility will become Alexion's first company-owned vialling facility.
Recognised by Forbes Magazine as the second most innovative company in the world two years in a row, Alexion is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and delivery of therapies for severe and life-threatening rare disorders. Today, Alexion has more than 1,800 employees and operations in place to serve patients in nearly 50 countries around the world.
For further information, please contact:
John Byrne / Martha Kavanagh, Drury (Representing Alexion)
Tel: + 353 1 260 5000
Kevin Sammon
IDA Ireland
Tel: +353 876188564
Editor's note:
Alexion is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on serving patients with severe and rare disorders through the innovation, development and commercialization of life-transforming therapeutic products.
Alexion is the global leader in complement inhibition and has developed and markets a treatment for patients with PNH and aHUS, two debilitating, ultra-rare and life-threatening disorders caused by chronic uncontrolled complement activation. The treatment is currently approved in nearly 50 countries for the treatment of PNH, and in the United States, European Union, Japan and other countries for the treatment of aHUS.
Alexion is evaluating other potential indications for its marketed drug in additional severe and ultra-rare disorders beyond PNH and aHUS, and is developing other highly innovative biotechnology product candidates across multiple therapeutic areas.
Further information about Alexion can be found at: www.alexionpharma.com.