Arklow, Co. Wicklow (Ireland) and Paris (France) - 6th December 2019 – Servier, an independent international pharmaceutical company, today celebrated its 30th anniversary of manufacturing at its Arklow site, with the support of Ireland's inward investment promotion agency, the IDA, a non-commercial, semi-state body promoting foreign direct investment into Ireland through a wide range of services. The celebration was led by Minister for Health Simon Harris, Ambassador of France in Ireland, H.E. Stéphane Crouzat, and senior leaders from the Servier Group and IDA Ireland.
"Through this event, we are celebrating 30 years of Servier Group's long-term commitment in Ireland, demonstrating Servier's excellence in the production of its medicines," said Pierre Venesque, Executive Vice President Industry of the Servier Group. “With a strong industrial footprint, wherever we are in the world, we provide patients with medicines of the same quality and therapeutic effectiveness."
Arklow, the largest production facility outside France for the Servier Group[1]
Servier (Ireland) Industries Ltd. was established in 1989 and is located in Co. Wicklow. It is now the largest production facility outside France for the Servier Group. Servier Arklow, which has special know-how in manufacturing of oral solid dosage, is diversifying its activity towards the production of highly potent drugs.
The Arklow plant has grown steadily from 12 employees producing 1 million boxes in 1989 to a site of 450 employees producing 160 million boxes in 2019 and exporting to more than 100 countries worldwide. The site is central to the manufacturing of 42 semi-finished products treating indications in the cardiovascular, metabolic, chronic venous disease, and central nervous system areas. Since its creation, 200 M€ has been invested in the Arklow site by the Servier Group.
Augustin Blanc, General Manager of Servier Arklow, declared: “Today I am very proud and happy to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Servier Arklow site. I would like to thank all our staff on site, who are engaged every day in providing patients around the world with quality medicines. Patients are counting on us and we are committed to continue along this path.”
Leading the celebration, Minister for Health Simon Harris, declared: “Today, you are celebrating 30 years of manufacturing here in Arklow. I want to thank you for your dedication to this area. I also want to acknowledge the important role of IDA, which has worked proactively in supporting Servier over the last 30 years, as well as other developments throughout Ireland. You opened your doors in 1989, and you have grown from strength to strength with 450 people working at the site here. I hope you continue to grow and I look forward to the next 30 years!"
Michael Lohan, Head of Lifesciences & Strategic Property IDA Ireland added:
“I would like to congratulate Servier on this significant milestone as they celebrate 30 years of manufacturing in Arklow, and their long-term commitment to Ireland. Servier can be assured of our continued support as they work toward future milestones.”
A new offer in high potency product manufacturing with the launch of InnoONE (Innovative High Potent Drug Product).
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Pharmaceutical Industry in the Irish economy:
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Approximately 25% of drugs in development worldwide are classified as highly potent, with this percentage expected to grow over the coming years. This type of product requires specific conditions to be manufactured, to ensure the safety of the operators and the safety of the product.The pharmaceutical market continues to evolve, with much R&D focusing on more specialized medicines, eg, oncology which requires the use of highly potent compounds.
Servier Arklow has more than 10 years of experience in producing highly potent level 4 products (OEB4). In response to this demand, and in line with Servier’s ambition to become a key player in oncology, Servier Arklow has invested, in 2019, 5 M€ in a new, state-of-the-art, high containment manufacturing facility that enables the site to produce the highest level of potency, meaning OEB5 products.
This new facility offers manufacturing services including granulation, tablet compression, tablet coating, packaging, and analytical services, along with all support services needed to produce the highest potent drugs (EOB5). Through the InnoONE brand, Servier Arklow offers innovative high potent drugs to external partners.
A responsible site
Integrated in projects with schools, charity associations, and the local chamber of commerce, Servier Arklow focuses on developing an ambitious CSR strategy, gaining ISO 14001/50001 certifications on energy and environmental management, and the National Standards Authority of Ireland certification "Excellence Through People". The site also devotes its efforts to CSR through further electricity reduction projects, a zero waste to landfill result since 2013 and focuses on the well-being and safety of its employees.
A site that is part of Servier Industry
Arklow is one of Servier's production sites with 16 sites worldwide and 3000 employees.
To ensure the quality of Servier drugs, the Group has chosen to internalize the design and manufacture of the majority of its drugs and to control all the links in our chain of distribution. This way, 98% of the active substances[2] of Servier drugs are manufactured in-house. The quality of industrial drug production and patient safety are at the heart of Servier's requirements. Servier complies with the strictest international quality and traceability standards throughout the chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing processes to guarantee Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
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About Servier in Ireland
Servier has had a presence in Ireland since 1974, adding a manufacturing facility in 1989 located in Arklow. The company recently integrated a CDMO capability in Arklow focused on highly potent drugs. 100 000 Irish patients benefit from a Servier innovative treatment every day.
About the Servier Group
Servier is an international pharmaceutical laboratory run by a Foundation, with its headquarters in Suresnes in France. With a solid international footing in 149 countries and revenues of €4.2 billion in 2018, Servier employs 22 000 people around the globe. Wholly independent, the Group reinvests 25% of its income (excluding generics) into Research and Development and ploughs all its profit into its growth. The Group attributes its growth to an incessant quest for innovation in five fields of excellence: cardiovascular diseases, immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, cancers and diabetes, as well as its development of high-quality generics. Servier also offers e-health solutions in addition to its medicinal products.
For more information visit www.servier.com
Press contacts Servier Group:
Sonia Marques: sonia.marques@servier.com – Tel. +33 (0)1 5572 4021 / +33 (0)7 8428 7613
Jean-Clément Vergeau: jean-clement.vergeau@servier.com – Tel. +33 (0)1 5572 4616 / +33 (0)6 7956 7596
Press contacts IDA Ireland:
Sarah Nolan - Assistant Media Relations Executive IDA Ireland _ sarah.nolan@Ida.ie - +353871017336
Andrea Driver- Assistant to the General Manager – Administration - +353 (0)402 20 800