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Eli Lilly and Company announces initial €35 million capital investment at Biopharmaceutical campus in Kinsale

Eli Lilly and Company plans to develop cutting-edge technology for use in the manufacture of new wave of active pharmaceutical ingredients at Kinsale

Dr. John C.Lechleiter, chairman, president, and CEO, Eli Lilly and Company, announced today  that the company is set to invest €35 million in delivering a new hight-tech manufacturing facility at its Kinsale campus, using pioneering technology that has the potential to transform how medicines are made in the future.

The project will apply “Continuous Manufacturing Technology” to carry out the development and commercialisation of a number of Lilly’s small molecule pipeline products that are currently undergoing late-stage clinical trials.

The project implementation team, who have been working on this technology for a number of years to prove the concept, will seek to establish a fully operational facility by early 2017. This development will see the Kinsale site becoming the centre of excellence for continuous manufacturing for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) for Lilly worldwide.

This investment is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through IDA Ireland.

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD, who has met senior Lilly executives in their U.S. headquarters on a number of occasions since taking office, said: “Pharma is a key sector which we have targeted as part of our jobs plan, and winning investments from  major world-leading companies like Lilly brings enormous benefits to Ireland. Not only are the direct jobs of huge importance to a town like Kinsale, but the heavy investments made by major pharma companies like this create massive knock-on impact on the local economy, in the form of extra employment in supply and service companies. Today’s announcement of a further €35 million investment by Lilly is a great boost, and I wish Dr. Lechleiter and his team every success.”

Noting that Lilly celebrates 140 years in business next month, Dr. Lechleiter said,  “Since our Kinsale site was established 35 years ago, it has contributed significantly to the success of our company and has developed a strong reputation for delivery. This investment follows a major biotech investment program at Kinsale over the past eight years, which so far has resulted in an investment of €650m and the recruitment of 350 additional employees at the site”.

Commenting on the investment, Chris Langan, general manager at Kinsale, said, “Building on the strong technical capability already in place in Kinsale, the team is highly motivated to undertake this project as it offers a significant new opportunity for the site.  The company is amongst the industry leaders in the development of this technology, and it is an exciting project for everyone involved here at the site”.

Welcoming the announcement Martin Shanahan, CEO, IDA Ireland said, “Pharmaceutical companies such as Lilly continue to choose Ireland for a number of reasons. One of the main reasons is the world-class pharma infrastructure and skilled workforce in Ireland.  This investment demonstrates Lilly’s enduring commitment to Ireland.  It also further illustrates Ireland’s position as a leading location for the development and manufacture of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceuticals medicines”.

About Eli Lilly and CompanyLilly is a global healthcare leader that unites caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We were founded more than a century ago by a man committed to creating high-quality medicines that meet real needs, and today we remain true to that mission in all our work. Across the globe, Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. To learn more about Lilly, please visit us at www.lilly.ie

About Lilly in IrelandLilly has been in Ireland for over 35 years and now employs around 1,000 people in three operations; in Kinsale, Cork City and Dublin, involved in bulk pharmaceutical (API), biopharmaceutical manufacturing, financial shared services, marketing and sales.

Press Inquiries to:Brendan MurphyTeneo Strategy  Tel  +353 (1) 687 7716