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Released May 31, 2021 | GALWAY, IRELAND
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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--Pfizer Incorporated (NYSE:PFE) has announced that Ireland will be the second global manufacturing base for its COVID-19 vaccine, Comirnaty.
The company said it plans to invest about 40 million euro (US$49 million) and employ an additional 75 staff at its Grange Castle plant in Dublin. Industrial Info is tracking the project to add COVID-19 vaccines fill and finish equipment to produce the mRNA drug substance, the essential active ingredient in the vaccine. The move makes Grange Castle, which employs more than 1,700 people, the only other global location for substance production outside of the company's flagship plant in Andover, Massachusetts.
The news comes at the same time that Pfizer and its vaccine partner, BioNTech (NASDAQ:BNTX), have signed off on a new deal with the European Commission (EC) to supply Europe with an additional 1.8 billion doses of Comirnaty. The deal covers the provision of 900 million doses starting this December through to 2023 and the option for another 900 million doses on request. The companies already have committed to supplying 600 million doses to Europe this year. The Grange Castle decision comes on top of a 300 million-euro (US$351 million) pledge last November to upgrade and expand three Irish manufacturing sites--Grange Castle, Newbridge and Ringaskiddy. That money will add another 300 jobs to bring Pfizer's Irish workforce to more than 4,000 staff. The Irish sites manufacture a wide range of medicines and vaccines in the areas of arthritis, inflammation, cancer, anti-infectives, haemophilia, pain and stroke. For additional information, see November 12, 2020, article--Pfizer Investing $351 Million in Irish Pharma Plants.
"This is a very significant moment for Ireland and for our Grange Castle site," said Paul Duffy, vice president, Pfizer Global Supply. "We are immensely proud to be able to play a part in manufacturing Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine. Since last year, Pfizer, in partnership with BioNTech, has worked tirelessly to expedite the development, approval and scale-up of our COVID-19 vaccine. The company has continually expanded manufacturing capability and external partnerships to deliver increased doses to the world to help defeat this devastating pandemic."
The decision was welcomed by Ireland's Taoiseach, Micheál Martin: "This is a historic announcement, which builds on the extraordinary success story of Pfizer's over 50-year manufacturing presence here in Ireland. As we rapidly step up vaccine rollout in Ireland, in Europe and across the globe, today's news is a fantastic development that will see Ireland fully play its part in this generational challenge."
A spokesperson for the company, speaking to BioProcess Insider, added: "Pfizer is now bringing on additional European-based facilities to be a part of the global Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine supply chain network and Grange Castle will contribute to the worldwide supply of the vaccine. The Grange Castle facility will produce mRNA drug substance. Given the extensive technical transfer process, on-site development, equipment installation and regulatory approvals needed for the sites, we expect the facility will be brought onto the network by the end of 2021."
Industrial Info reported recently that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) had fast-tracked new manufacturing capacity for the leading approved COVID-19 vaccines in order to overcome a bottleneck in supplies. For additional information, see April 5, 2021, article - Europe Clears Extra COVID-19 Manufacturing Sites to Boost Supplies.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities. Follow IIR on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn.
The company said it plans to invest about 40 million euro (US$49 million) and employ an additional 75 staff at its Grange Castle plant in Dublin. Industrial Info is tracking the project to add COVID-19 vaccines fill and finish equipment to produce the mRNA drug substance, the essential active ingredient in the vaccine. The move makes Grange Castle, which employs more than 1,700 people, the only other global location for substance production outside of the company's flagship plant in Andover, Massachusetts.
The news comes at the same time that Pfizer and its vaccine partner, BioNTech (NASDAQ:BNTX), have signed off on a new deal with the European Commission (EC) to supply Europe with an additional 1.8 billion doses of Comirnaty. The deal covers the provision of 900 million doses starting this December through to 2023 and the option for another 900 million doses on request. The companies already have committed to supplying 600 million doses to Europe this year. The Grange Castle decision comes on top of a 300 million-euro (US$351 million) pledge last November to upgrade and expand three Irish manufacturing sites--Grange Castle, Newbridge and Ringaskiddy. That money will add another 300 jobs to bring Pfizer's Irish workforce to more than 4,000 staff. The Irish sites manufacture a wide range of medicines and vaccines in the areas of arthritis, inflammation, cancer, anti-infectives, haemophilia, pain and stroke. For additional information, see November 12, 2020, article--Pfizer Investing $351 Million in Irish Pharma Plants.
"This is a very significant moment for Ireland and for our Grange Castle site," said Paul Duffy, vice president, Pfizer Global Supply. "We are immensely proud to be able to play a part in manufacturing Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine. Since last year, Pfizer, in partnership with BioNTech, has worked tirelessly to expedite the development, approval and scale-up of our COVID-19 vaccine. The company has continually expanded manufacturing capability and external partnerships to deliver increased doses to the world to help defeat this devastating pandemic."
The decision was welcomed by Ireland's Taoiseach, Micheál Martin: "This is a historic announcement, which builds on the extraordinary success story of Pfizer's over 50-year manufacturing presence here in Ireland. As we rapidly step up vaccine rollout in Ireland, in Europe and across the globe, today's news is a fantastic development that will see Ireland fully play its part in this generational challenge."
A spokesperson for the company, speaking to BioProcess Insider, added: "Pfizer is now bringing on additional European-based facilities to be a part of the global Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine supply chain network and Grange Castle will contribute to the worldwide supply of the vaccine. The Grange Castle facility will produce mRNA drug substance. Given the extensive technical transfer process, on-site development, equipment installation and regulatory approvals needed for the sites, we expect the facility will be brought onto the network by the end of 2021."
Industrial Info reported recently that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) had fast-tracked new manufacturing capacity for the leading approved COVID-19 vaccines in order to overcome a bottleneck in supplies. For additional information, see April 5, 2021, article - Europe Clears Extra COVID-19 Manufacturing Sites to Boost Supplies.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities. Follow IIR on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn.
