Aerie Pharmaceuticals to Establish Athlone Manufacturing Plant
Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced on Monday that they have entered into a lease agreement with IDA Ireland to establish a new manufacturing plant in the recently-constructed 2,650 square meter IDA Advanced Technology Building in Athlone, Ireland.
Aerie has commenced equipment ordering and will begin internal construction immediately. Estimated project-wide construction and equipment costs are expected to total approximately $25 million (excluding ongoing labor-related and lease expenses), of which approximately $16 million is expected to be spent in 2017. If approved, commercial product supply of Rhopressa from the plant is expected to be available by 2020.
The Athlone facility will house Aerie’s first manufacturing plant, which is expected to produce commercial supplies for Aerie’s current product candidates, Rhopressa and Roclatan. If approved, these products are expected to offer the first new mechanisms of action for treatment of patients with glaucoma in some 20 years.
“We have now achieved another milestone in executing our stated long-term strategy,” Aerie Chief Executive Officer Vicente Anido, Jr. said. “As we prepare for commercialization, it is increasingly important that we ensure greater independence regarding our finished product sourcing while also meaningfully reducing our future product costs. We are grateful to our IDA colleagues in Ireland for their cooperation throughout this process and the incentives that we have been granted.”
Aerie has commenced equipment ordering and will begin internal construction immediately. Estimated project-wide construction and equipment costs are expected to total approximately €25 million (excluding ongoing labor-related and lease expenses), of which approximately €16 million is expected to be spent in 2017. If approved, commercial product supply of Rhopressa from the plant is expected to be available by 2020. The company will initially create up to 50 new jobs in sterile manufacturing, quality, engineering and other support capabilities.
“The Midlands is a fantastic place to invest, and Aerie’s choice to locate its manufacturing facility in IDA Ireland’s new building there is particularly welcome,” Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Mary Mitchell O’Connor said. “As we pass the 200,000 mark for people employed in overseas companies in Ireland, we need to continue to ensure a good spread of jobs throughout the regions.
