Some 280 jobs have been saved after Amgen revealed it is to buy one of the three manufacturing facilities in Ireland that Pfizer is looking to sell off.

The plant, in Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin, is a 37,000 square-metre facility with freeze dry product and liquid vial-filling operations. Under the terms of the deal, the majority of the employees at the site (approximately 240) will transfer their employment to Amgen and about 40 others will remain employed by Pfizer.

Amgen will manufacture Pfizer’s products at the facility for an interim period and the latter will lease a portion of the plant for a limited time. The US-based biotech major noted that it intends to develop the capability to formulate and fill its biological products at the site.__

Paul Duffy, vice president, primary care at Pfizer Global Supply, said the firm worked "determinedly" with IDA Ireland, the country’s investment promotion agency, to sell the facility. He added that "we continue to actively engage in exploring opportunities to divest our Loughbeg and Shanbally plants in Cork and remain focused on delivering successful outcomes". Madhu Balachandran, head of Amgen Manufacturing, added that “we are impressed with the technical expertise and commitment to excellence demonstrated by the employees who work at the Dun Laoghaire site".

Amgen spokeswoman Annette Condon told PharmaTimes World News that the company is not disclosing the financial terms of the deal but it represents a major scaling-up in Ireland of the largest biotech in the world. The firm presently employs about 25 staff at its offices in Santry, Co Dublin.