Portuguese pharmaceuticals manufacturer Hovione is to create 20 new jobs with a multimillion euro expansion of its manufacturing facility in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork.
Hovione offers pharmaceutical customers services for the development and manufacture of new drugs. The investment almost doubles the capacity of its spray drying facilities in Ireland, which is a process that converts, in a single step, a liquid feed into a powder during drugmaking.
The technology is especially important for inhalable therapies and oral medications with low bioavailability, enabling more effective treatments.
Hovione chief executive Jean-Luc Herbeaux said the expanded facility “further strengthens Hovione´s position as the global contract development and manufacturing organisation of choice for spray drying development and manufacturing services”.
“It also underscores our commitment to bringing first-in-class technology and world-leading manufacturing services to Irish shores,” he said.
“Ireland provides a superior environment for pharmaceutical manufacturing, and we are delighted to be a part of it.”
IDA Ireland chief executive Michael Lohan said: “Since operations began here 15 years ago, Hovione has made a significant contribution both locally and nationally through employment and investment alike.”
Hovione was established in Portugal in 1959. It is a privately held company with plants in Portugal, New Jersey, and Cork, as well as Macao and Taizhou in China. The company established an operation in Ireland in 2009, acquiring a former Pfizer site in Ringaskiddy. It now employs close to 300 people at the facility.
This latest investment follows the recently announced spray drying capacity expansion at the company´s New Jersey site.
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