Lilly unveils Kinsale expansion
A pharmaceutical facility in Kinsale recently unveiled its new €720 million expansion. The Eli Lilly and Company facility began making medicines last year to meet demand for Lilly’s diabetes and obesity treatments.
The official opening of Lilly’s Kinsale manufacturing site expansion last Friday, marks the completion of the state-of-the-art project to help meet the demand for current and future treatments. The site employs a digital-first process that integrates continuous manufacturing technology to create a new manufacturing platform for creating complex peptides.
A spokesperson for the company said: “Ireland’s skilled workforce, regulatory environment and pro-innovation government policies have contributed to Lilly’s nearly fifty year presence in the country. In parallel with our manufacturing growth, Lilly’s Global Business Solutions centre in Cork has quadrupled employment levels since 2019, with more than 2,000 employees expected by the end of 2024, over half of whom are working in clinical research and development.”
Last Friday also saw Eli Lilly and Company announced a €900m expansion of its Limerick manufacturing site to increase production of biologic active ingredients for the company’s promising portfolio of treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.
Minister for Enterprise Trade & Employment Peter Burke TD said: “These state-of-the-art facilities will contribute to the treatment of diseases affecting millions of people across the world. They will also create hundreds of new jobs, directly and indirectly, adding to the thousands already employed in Ireland by Lilly.
“Eli Lilly and Company has made a huge commitment to Ireland for almost half a century and these announcements today further solidify their confidence in Ireland as a global leader in the biopharma sector. Thanks to the Lilly team for their continued investment in Ireland, which is greatly valued by the Irish Government, and I look forward to future collaboration over the next half a century, alongside our IDA colleagues.”
Edgardo Hernandez, Executive Vice President and President of Lilly Manufacturing Operations, said: “These investments will boost the production of some of our medicines, helping millions of people with diabetes, obesity and Alzheimer's disease live the healthiest lives possible. We won’t stop there – these state-of-the-art facilities will also be equipped to support our promising pipeline molecules of the future.”
IDA Ireland CEO Michael Lohan said the official opening in Kinsale “enhances the campus’ capabilities to create complex peptides. Since establishing in Ireland in 1978, Lilly’s operations here have been producing key healthcare products that have supported the 3 fight against several of the world’s most serious illness. I wish to assure Lilly of IDA Ireland’s continued partnership and wish them every success with the far-reaching outcomes of the investments.”