Horizon Therapeutics said that it has reached an agreement to purchase a drug product manufacturing facility from EirGen Pharma, an OPKO Health Company in Waterford, Ireland for $65 million.
Photo: Tim Walbert, chairman, president and CEO of Horizon
The facility, which is located in an IDA Ireland business park, includes a filling line and lyophiliser, or freeze dryer, that can be used for both Horizon’s commercial medicines, including its rare disease biologics Tepezza, Krystexxa, and Uplizna, as well as its development compounds. In addition, there is adjacent IDA land available for further manufacturing and development expansion.
Horizon will work with Ireland’s Health Products Regulatory Agency and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to obtain licensure for sterile fill-finish manufacturing. It expects the first medicine approved for release in approximately two years.
As part of the transaction, approximately 40 EirGen employees will transfer to Horizon following the close of the transaction. Horizon intends to recruit 50 additional staff for the site in 2021 and 2022.
“With the successful Tepezza launch, ongoing Krystexxa growth and the growth of our marketed medicine portfolio and pipeline, it is the right time to add in-house manufacturing capabilities,” said Tim Walbert, chairman, president and CEO of Horizon. “Adding to our strong network of contract manufacturing organizations, this facility will also play an important role in our global expansion.”
The transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to close in the third quarter.
Author: Rare Daily Staff
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