Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited has broken ground for a new production facility at its existing Grange Castle site in Ireland.

The investment was announced last December. Takeda’s existing footprint at the Grange Castle site will be expanded with the construction of a new standalone, high-containment production facility dedicated to manufacturing its oncology product, Ninlaro (ixazomib), which is indicated for treating multiple myeloma.

The construction of the plant, which begins in June 2017, will be managed by Project Management Group with more than EUR 40 million ($45 milllion) investment in total. The plant is scheduled to be completed in the second quarter of FY 2018 and become operational to commence shipment of secondary packaged product in the second half of FY 2018.

The new production facility will house the drug substance, drug product, primary and secondary packaging and quality-control processes. The investment will create approximately 40 new jobs over the next two years.

Ninlaro, an oral proteasome inhibitor, was approved in November 2015 by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy, It was approved by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in March 2017 and launched in May 2017 and has also been approved by the European Commission. Takeda has submitted applications for approval of the drug to multiple other regulatory authorities

Source; Takeda Pharmaceutical