Amgen to buy Pfizer plant

Amgen is to buy Pfizer's manufacturing plant in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, saving about 280 jobs at the plant.

The sale of the Pottery Road plant, which was due to close with the loss of 210 jobs, is expected to be completed in the second quarter of this year.

The plant has operated since 1970 under various owners. Pfizer last year merged with Wyeth and announced it planned to close the 17-acre facility.

Most of the almost 240 employees at the site will move to Amgen, while about 40 will remain employed by Pfizer under the terms of the agreement.

Amgen specialises in developing drugs for cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis and bone disease. The arthritis therapy Enbrel, made by Pfizer, at Grange Castle, last year recorded sales of $3.65 billion (€2.69 billion).

As part of the deal, Amgen will make Pfizer’s products at the facility for an interim period, while Pfizer will lease part of the facility from Amgen for an interim period.

“As we expand internationally, the Dublin site will help us deliver a growing supply of Amgen medicines for patients worldwide,” said Madhu Balachandran, senior vice president, Amgen Manufacturing. “We are impressed with the technical expertise and commitment to excellence demonstrated by the employees who work at the Dun Laoghaire site and look forward to welcoming them to Amgen’s global manufacturing team.”