Member Article

Expanding biotech firm announces investment in Wrexham

A global biotech group today announced a further £multi-million investment in its UK manufacturing site at Wrexham.

Already this year, Ipsen has invested £10m in the site and is on course to increase its workforce by almost one quarter to more than 400, many in highly-paid jobs.

The French-owned firm, whose products sell in 115 countries worldwide, has manufactured and distributed medicines from Wrexham since 1995.

Its main product is Dysport, which is used to treat neurological conditions including cerebral palsy, spasticity and cervical dystonia.

Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns is due to visit the site today, during which the company will make three announcements:

An additional £22m investment to create a new campus to increase research and manufacturing, with a new high-speed packing line and a training academy for new recruits

Completion of a world-class pilot manufacturing plant to explore further opportunities in recombinant neurotherapeutics – one of the three areas of speciality alongside oncology and rare diseases

It has now gained approval from authorities worldwide to manufacture in a newly-built facility. The first batches of products made there will be distributed by the end of November

Ipsen is one of few companies to manufacture a product from cradle to grave at a single site. In Wrexham, it carries out research and development into new uses for its current range of products, manufactures millions of doses of product annually, packs and distributes around the world.

Secretary of State for Wales, Alun Cairns, is due to tour the global manufacturing and distribution hub this afternoon.

Ahead of the visit, he said: “The continued growth of Ipsen’s footprint in Wrexham demonstrates its continued commitment to North Wales and to its skilled workforce.”

Ipsen has additional plans to further expand the site in coming years, after its current campus investment is up and running.

Ipsen senior vice-president, biotech development and manufacturing, Aidan Murphy said:

“We are fortunate to work with a group of highly-skilled individuals across all parts of the organisation at Wrexham and know this expansion reinforces the site’s position as a state-of-the-art medicine manufacturing facility located here in the UK.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sam Harris .