800 construction jobs are expected to be created after Alexion Pharmaceuticals announced expansion plans in Ireland.

The €450m, four-year project, which will be constructed at Alexion's College Park site in Blanchardstown, is expected to create approximately 200 additional full-time jobs on completion.

Since first entering Ireland in 2013, Alexion has invested €130m in two facilities – a vial fill-finish facility in Athlone and a Global Supply Chain facility at College Park.

Phase 1 of the College Park facility, comprising Global Supply Chain HQ, laboratories, packaging and warehousing operations is expected to be operational by year-end. Approximately 560 construction workers are involved in the development of the current Athlone and College Park projects, and the planned expansion of College Park will also create over 800 construction jobs.

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Alexion has worked closely with the Department of Jobs and IDA Ireland on the development of its operations in Ireland.

Julie O'Neill, EVP Global Operations, said: "Alexion is pleased to progress the development of our College Park facility with a significant expansion that will now include our first biologics manufacturing facility outside the United States.

"This project further underscores our commitment to Ireland and is enabled by our ability to recruit highly competent and professional personnel to support the production and distribution of our medicine, Soliris, and our strong pipeline of biologics medicines.

"Alexion has a unique mission to develop life-transforming therapies for patients with severe and life-threatening ultra-rare disorders. We are already serving the very few patients in Ireland suffering from two very rare and devastating diseases; with this major expansion, our Irish operations, comprising biologics manufacturing, vial fill-finish and global supply chain, will be at the forefront of this vital work globally."

(CD/JP)