Regeneron plans to expand Irish biomanufacturing site again

Regeneron has applied to build a three-storey facility as part of a reported €200 million ($228 million) expansion at its Limerick site.

Biopharma firm Regeneron has applied for a 10 year permission to add a three-storey 10,200 m² administration and laboratory building with associated plant and equipment to its manufacturing site in Ballycummin, Limerick, Ireland.

The firm is also hoping to convert a temporary induction/training center and facility workshop to permanent use, as well as build a carpark, Limerick City and County Council planning records state. Jacobs Engineering Ireland has been contracted as the architect for the planned work.

Image: iStock/Manakin

The proposed block will have a capacity of 400 to 600 personnel, the planning documents state, indicating that by 2020 over 1,450 staff could be working at the site. During construction, up to 500 workers will be employed.

According to the Irish press, Regeneron is looking to pump €200 million into the project, though company spokesperson Ella Campbell refused to confirm the potential investment, telling BioProcess Insider the firm is “not providing further details at this time.”

The decision whether or not to grant Regeneron permission for the expansion will be made on March 3, 2019.

From computers to biologics

Regeneron acquired the site in Limerick from Dell Computer Corporation in 2014, and swiftly converted it into its Industrial Operations and Product Supply (IOPS) bioprocessing campus.

The firm originally planned a $300 million investment with 300 jobs for delivery by the end of 2016, but in 2015 announced an additional investment of $350 million to support its portfolio of biologics.

Two years later, and the firm announced plans to invest a further $100 million to construct several additional manufacturing suites to increase drug substance production capacity.

“Regeneron, a leader in the Biopharma industry, set up in Limerick in 2014 and has quickly expanded with the support of my Department and IDA,” Ireland’s then minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, said in 2017. “It is great news for Limerick and the wider region.”