Astellas to implement green improvements at Irish manufacturing plant

Astellas is to make investments to improve the environmental credentials of its European manufacturing plant in Kerry, Ireland.

The pharmaceutical company has received approval to construct an 800 kW wind turbine power generator station which will generate 20 percent of the facility's electrical requirements, with building work set to commence in April 2011 and be completed the following January.

Meanwhile, planning applications have also been submitted for the development of a 1.8 MW wood chip boiler at the site, with Astellas hoping to have it up and running by April 2012.

The firm states that the combination of the two new systems will reduce the annual carbon dioxide emissions of the Kerry plant – which manufactures treatments such as Prograf – by more than 3,000 tonnes.

A statement from the company said: "Astellas places a high priority in its management activities upon measures designed to prevent global warming."

Last month, Astellas announced that it is partnering with Aveo Pharmaceuticals to develop and commercialise the new cancer therapy tivozanib in the EU and US.