The main Pharmaceutical activities carried out in Ireland are Research and Development, Global Business Service Centres, High Value Manufacturing, Headquarters and IP Management and Supply Chain Management.
Biotechnology encompasses all aspects of the industrial application of living organisms and/or biological techniques. It is a collection of technologies that capitalise on the attributes of cells and biological molecules, such as DNA to work for, us. The primary Biotechnology Activity carried out in Ireland is Research and Development. Ireland has experienced massive growth in the Biotechnology sector in the last decade.
Merck and Co. Inc is a global healthcare company ranked no. 8 in the world for pharmaceutical sales. Merck Sharp and Dohme has three sites in Ireland carrying out both R&D and high end manufacturing. In 2007 global R&D expenditure by Merck amounted to $4.88 billion. What activities does Merck and Co. carry out in its Irish sites?
GSK, the world’s second largest pharmaceutical and healthcare company, has 4 sites in Ireland. The company has a major research collaboration with UCC and their most recent investment announcement of €250 million on its Cork site includes a facility to produce the active ingredient for a new oral treatment for advanced breast cancer. How has Ireland evolved to a strategic global new product introduction and business development location for GSK?