Allergan to expand manufacturing site in County Mayo

Allergan has announced plans to expand its Irish development and manufacturing capabilities through a $350 million (228.2 million pounds) investment in its County Mayo site.

The pharmaceutical company will be making major additions to its Westport facility in order to strengthen its production pipeline for the multipurpose therapy Botox, as well as to provide a manufacturing base for next-generation biologic products.

It will result in the creation of around 200 new jobs over the next four years, as well as hundreds more indirectly during the construction phase.

This builds on Allergan's existing strong support for the Irish economy, investing an average of $25 million in capital expenditure per annum during recent years.

Barry O'Leary, chief executive officer of regional development agency IDA Ireland, said: "This announcement is a welcome endorsement of Ireland's record with the development and manufacturing model and represents a further boost for the vibrant pharma chemical sector here."

Allergan has seen major sales increases in recent months thanks to the ongoing success of Botox, which was recently approved as a therapy for urinary incontinence among patients with multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injuries.