Susan Atkinson, of PPD cutting the ribbon of the company's clinical supplies facility in Athlone in January 2015.

Pharma firm PPD set to add 50 new jobs in Athlone

Pharmacutical company PPD has announced plans to add approximately 50 new jobs as part of the latest expansion of its operations in Athlone.

When the expansion is complete, the company is expected to employ almost 200 people at its facility in the IDA's Athlone Business & Technology Park in Garrycastle.

In a statement issued today (Thursday), PPD said it had expanded its laboratory operations in Athlone, adding 400 square meters (4,300 square feet) of new laboratory space for analytical testing of biopharmaceuticals and inhalation devices.

“The expansion of the Athlone good manufacturing practices (GMP) lab represents our ongoing investment in the continued growth of our contract research operations in Ireland and around the world to provide our clients with best-in-class laboratory services and state-of-the-art facilities and instrumentation,” said David Johnston, Ph.D., executive vice president of global laboratory services for PPD® Laboratories.

“Our ability to deliver global scientific, technical and development expertise with expanded laboratory capacity enables us to meet the growing demand for these services in Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.”

The company opened its Athlone facility in 2010 and said that, when this expansion is complete, it will employ nearly 200 people at the facility, including Ph.D.-level scientists, analytical laboratory staff and other clinical development professionals.

PPD Laboratories maintains another GMP lab in Wisconsin, in the US, which offers the same services as the Athlone lab. In total, PPD employs more than 1,300 people in its global GMP operations.

Jobs Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor welcomed the company's announcement, saying: 'PPD has been a valuable member of Ireland’s business community, and particularly the Athlone region, since opening its world-class facility in 2010.

“Through this facility and the people it employs here, PPD plays an important role in maintaining the economic vitality of our Midlands region and developing the scientific, analytical, clinical and logistical skills of the professionals who support the biotech and pharmaceutical sectors in the Midlands life sciences cluster.”

Barry Heavey Ph.D., IDA Ireland’s head of life sciences, also 'warmly welcomed' the expansion of the company's operations here.

“This is another important investment for a regional location, and IDA looks forward to working with PPD to ensure continued success and development,” he said.