Biopharma Ipsen Ireland investing €27m to expand its Blanchardstown site

French biopharma company Ipsen Ireland is investing €27 million in its Blanchardstown, Dublin, site, the second expansion for the site this year.

The investment will allow the company to scale production of vital treatment for patients with rare, life-limiting conditions.

The new investment brings to €52 million the total the company has invested in expanding its manufacturing capacity in Ireland. In June, Ipsen announced a €25 million investment in its Irish operations.

That investment funded the introduction of new equipment to enable more efficient and sustainable production processes. That will in turn lead to a significant increase in Ipsen’s production of a vital ingredient for one of its leading cancer treatments next year.

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The company, which began manufacturing at the upgraded facility in recent weeks, employs 165 staff at the plant

“Our cumulative investment of €52 million in Ipsen’s Irish manufacturing site this year will enable our team of 165 in Dublin to significantly scale its production of vital and innovative treatments as we move forward into 2022,” said Tim Shanahan, head of site in Dublin for Ipsen Ireland.

“The Irish market plays a significant part in Ipsen’s international network, and we are committed to continued improvement and growth of our activity here, with the constant goal of delivering better treatment for patients who deserve better care and quality of life.”

The French company, which has maintained an Irish base for 30 years, has annual sales of about €2.5 billion. Listed on the stock exchange in Paris, it employs 5,700 workers worldwide. Staff at its Dublin site work in research and development, manufacturing and also on the commercial side of the business.