16th September 2015
Minister for Minister for Skills, Research and Innovation Damien English today announced that Nexvet Biopharma (Nasdaq: NVET), a veterinary biologics developer, has secured a dedicated biologics manufacturing facility in Tullamore which will lead to the creation of up to 30 new roles over the next year. The project is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation through IDA Ireland.
BioNua Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nexvet, will run business operations at the 20,000 square foot facility, which was previously devoted to producing human biopharmaceuticals. The facility has historically operated under an Investigational Medicinal Products License and a cGMP Manufacturing License from Ireland’s Health Products Regulatory Authority and is equipped with cGMP grade clean rooms, water for injection, purified water, and clean steam generation systems. The manufacturing facility is supported by analytical and development laboratories.
Key elements of the transaction are as follows:
- BioNua Limited will pay €1.75 million to secure the manufacturing assets within the facility;
- BioNua Limited has entered a 10-year lease on the facility, with an option to purchase the building
“The opportunity to assume full control of our manufacturing is compelling, as existing manufacturers may face regulatory uncertainties regarding the manufacture of human and veterinary products in the same facility. Securing this facility at a fraction of its replacement cost reduces this uncertainty and will significantly lower our development expenses and ultimately our cost of goods,” said Dr. Mark Heffernan, Chief Executive Officer of Nexvet.
“Securing this facility is part of our strategic plan for building a vertically integrated biopharmaceutical business in animal health. Our commitment to manufacturing demonstrates our long-term view for these products in this growing industry. We're excited to join a growing cluster of biopharma developers and manufacturers in Ireland. The Irish Government has shown a strategic focus on this industry as exemplified by their investment in the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT), with which Nexvet has strong ties,” concluded Dr. Heffernan.
Minister for Minister for Skills, Research and Innovation, Damien English TD said: “Jobs are growing in every region of the country - at the heart of our jobs plan is accelerating that employment growth. Recently we launched the Midlands Jobs Plan, aimed at building on the progress we’ve made in that region. Biopharma is a sector where Ireland has major strengths and massive potential, and today’s announcement that Nexvet is establishing a new facility in Tullamore and creating up to 30 new jobs is a great boost for Tullamore and the entire midlands region. I wish Mark and his team every success with this important project.”
Welcoming the news, CEO of IDA Ireland Martin Shanahan said: “Over 50 percent of Ireland’s exports come from the pharmaceutical sector, making it a significant employer and growth driver for the Irish economy. Specialty pharmaceutical developers and biomanufacturers are an ideal fit for Tullamore, which sits at the heart of the Irish life sciences cluster. We look forward to the successful integration of BioNua into the local community.”
BioNua will hire up to 30 staff and invest in state-of-the-art disposable biopharmaceutical technologies, which have a number of advantages over traditional bioprocessing infrastructure including improved adaptability to product demand, reduced risk of contamination, and a reduction in required capital expenditure.
About Nexvet (www.nexvet.com)
Nexvet is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on transforming the therapeutic market for companion animals, such as dogs and cats, by developing and commercializing novel, species-specific biologics. Nexvet’s proprietary PETization™ platform is designed to rapidly create monoclonal antibodies (“mAbs”) that are recognized as “self” or “native” by an animal’s immune system, a property Nexvet refers to as “100% species-specificity.” Nexvet’s product candidates also build upon the safety and efficacy data from clinically tested human therapies, thereby reducing clinical risk and development cost.
Nexvet is leveraging diverse global expertise and incentives to build a vertically integrated biopharmaceutical company, through conducting drug discovery in Australia, clinical development in the United States and biomanufacturing in Ireland.
About BioNua (www.bionua.ie)
BioNua is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nexvet Biopharma plc based in Tullamore, Ireland, operating a 20,000 square foot facility which will focus on the manufacture of biopharmaceutical drug substance for clinical trials and commercial products.
Further information:
Company
Mark Heffernan, CEO
Irish office telephone: +353 (1) 901 0339
Nexvet Biopharma plc
National Institute for Bioprocessing
Research and Training
Foster’s Avenue, Mount Merrion
Blackrock, Co. Down, Ireland
IDA Ireland
Ellen Lynch,
Regional Press, Communications & PR Executive
+353 87 4112084
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