Amgen to divest ex-Horizon aseptic plant by 2026

After a “regular review of its global operations” the firm will divest the Waterford facility by 2026. The business will be gradually transferred to its 37,000-square-meter aseptic operations facility in Dún Laoghaire, located 11 km south of Dublin. 

The Waterford site was a part of Ireland-based Horizon Therapeutics, which Amgen acquired in 2023 for about $27.8 billion. The acquisition added 12 marketed medicines, a pipeline of over 20 development programs, and more than 2,000 employees globally. The Waterford facility was going to support Amgen’s rare inflammatory disease therapies Tepezza (teprotumumab), Krystexxa (pegloticase), and Uplizna (inebilizumab). 

“After careful evaluation, we plan to divest the Waterford site to a new owner by early 2026,” a spokesperson for Amgen told BioProcess Insider.   

“We do not anticipate any impact on our workforce during this period. We are actively working to identify a buyer who can maintain operations at the site but is also committed to supporting the community and retaining jobs. Moving forward, we will shift long-term production responsibilities to our facility in Dún Laoghaire and other locations within our global manufacturing network.” 

Amgen bought the Dún Laoghaire plant in 2011 to support formulation, fill, lyophilization, and packaging. In 2021, the firm invested $100 million in the facility adding a vial filling line. The site includes a bioprocessing suite, laboratories, and a warehouse. 

The company has alerted more than 100 employees of its planned movement; however, the spokesperson highlighted that Ireland will remain a “key part of the firm’s future.” 

“Our top priorities during this transition are ensuring patients continue to receive their medicines and supporting our Waterford colleagues. We currently employ over 1,250 people in Ireland, have invested over $1 billion in local manufacturing facilities, and we are committed to supporting STEM education in the country through the Amgen Foundation,” the spokesperson added. 

Recently, the firm opened a drug-product facility in New Albany, Ohio for $365 million. The 270,000 square-foot expansion would support assembly and packaging for its medicines and create 400 jobs. The facility is expected to be operational by 2027.  

Additionally, Amgen opened a technology and innovation facility in Hyderabad, India in August 2024. The site is said to accommodate 3,000 employees and will be operational from the fourth quarter of 2024.