Pharmaceutical firm MSD has agreed a deal to buy the WuXi Vaccines manufacturing facility in Dundalk, Co Louth as part of its long-term plans in Ireland.
MSD said the deal is worth €500m and comes on the back of its recent announcement of a €1 billion investment across its sites in Carlow and Dunboyne, Co Meath, just last year.
MSD Ireland said that including this acquisition, it is planning to add about 1,000 jobs over the coming years across its eight locations in counties Carlow, Cork, Dublin, Louth, Meath and Tipperary.
The company has an Irish workforce of over 3,000 people across its various sites.
MSD and WuXi will now begin an official handover process which aims to be completed in the first half of the year.
The Dundalk site is a 15,520 square metre, three-story vaccine manufacturing facility featuring drug substance manufacturing, drug product manufacturing, and quality control labs for the supply of vaccine products for the global market,
It currently employs about 200 people on site.
MSD said today’s deal is a testament to a successful collaboration and long-standing partnership between both companies over recent years, which saw MSD and WuXi collaborating on site in Dundalk since 2019.
The Dundalk site will become part of MSD’s existing network of five large-scale pharma manufacturing, research and development sites across the country – MSD Ballydine, MSD Brinny, MSD Carlow, MSD Dunboyne and MSD Biotech, Dublin – and animal health and human health operations across two locations in Dublin.
“Our company’s continued ambition to expand MSD’s Irish footprint is a testament to the unique ecosystem around us, and in particular speaks to the passion, commitment and talent of our existing 3,000-strong workforce and what they have been able to accomplish for our global network – from MSD Ireland to the world,” Samantha Humphreys, Managing Director of MSD Ireland Human Health, said.
“I am very proud to be part of this exciting new chapter as we continue to expand, adding new capabilities and challenging ourselves to look at the health requirements of the future,” she added.
Sanat Chattopadhyay, Executive Vice President and President of MSD’s Manufacturing Division, said that MSD’s manufacturing footprint in Ireland is unparalleled.
“I am proud to oversee its continuous expansion, always looking to advance the future of health through innovation and acceleration in the service of people and patients around the world,” he said.
“The acquisition of this WuXi site in Dundalk will give us the opportunity to do just that: deliver for people and patients faster, looking at the health challenges of today and tomorrow,” he added.
Michael Lohan, CEO of IDA Ireland, said today’s acquisition and accompanying 150 new roles announcement by MSD Ireland is a huge testament to Ireland’s position as a global leader in the pharmaceutical value chain, continuously attracting strategically innovative investments to Irish shores.
“Our partnership with MSD Ireland spans nearly 50 years, and it’s exciting to see the company continue to both deepen and broaden its roots all across the country, expanding to its new location in Dundalk,” Mr Lohan added.
Taoiseach Simon Harris said today’s announcement is highly welcome news and is a tremendous vote of confidence in the people of Dundalk and Co Louth.
“MSD is a long-standing partner to Ireland and has shown an unwavering commitment both to the country and to its drive to innovate,” Mr Harris said.
“The acquisition of the Dundalk facility, along with the company’s plans to add 150 additional jobs to it, as part of an overall increase of 1,000 positions across its Irish operations in the coming years will play an important role in its development and delivery of innovative products that will improve the lives of millions of people around the world,” he stated.
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Peter Burke said the Government and the IDA have prioritised the life-sciences sector over many years and this latest development is a testament to the strength of the sector in Ireland.
“While the IDA’s mandate from Government is to attract and retain global blue-chip manufacturing companies to Ireland, I am acutely conscious of the potential that investments such as this by MSD in Co Louth have to also support strong spinoff opportunities for Ireland,” he said.