Pfizer to expand Irish manufacturing sites

Pfizer has announced plans to expand its Irish manufacturing sites in Dublin and Cork as it seeks to ramp up production of advanced therapies for serious diseases.

The company will spend a total of $130 million (86.31 million pounds) on this initiative, with $100 million going towards the Grange Castle site in Dublin and the remainder being invested in Cork's Ringaskiddy facility.

At Grange Castle, the money will be used to create additional manufacturing capacity by expanding the unit that produces protein drug substances using mammalian cell culture biotechnology, thereby creating 250 jobs.

Meanwhile, Ringaskiddy will be expanded to develop specialist capabilities for the production of some of Pfizer's newest medicines in cancer and other future pipeline drugs.

Dr Paul Duffy, vice-president of Pfizer, said: "This additional scale and capability arising from these investments ensure both sites are well-placed for the future within the Pfizer global supply network."

Pfizer employs approximately 3,200 people at six sites in Ireland and has invested $7 billion in its operations in the country since opening the first facility in 1969.