MSD Ireland has confirmed the construction of a new facility at its existing site following a successful planning application process with Carlow County Council.

The new, state-of-the-art facility will be a first of its kind globally, focussing on the production of next generation oncology biologics. Currently employing almost 530 staff, MSD Carlow opened in 2008 as MSD’s first vaccines facility outside of the US. Construction on the site and hiring for open positions will commence immediately, with the intention of starting the new manufacturing operations in 2025.

The proposed facility will employ an additional 100 permanent staff in addition to the 700 roles created during construction. When operational, the new roles will include highly skilled jobs in quality, operations, engineering, supply chain and technical support.

Marie Martin, Site Lead at MSD Carlow, said: “We are very excited to see our Carlow site continue to grow and develop. Since we first opened our doors in 2008, our site has become integral to MSD’s global manufacturing operations, continuously punching above our weight to drive innovation to make a positive impact for people and patients, from MSD Carlow to the world.

“The demand for MSD’s range of vaccine and biologics products has continued to grow since 2008 and this new facility will play a pivotal role in ensuring we can continue to sustain future supply to meet medical needs. The talent and commitment of our team is unmatched in the industry and we’re very proud to see our operations and our team continue to expand.”

Mary Buckley, Executive Director, IDA Ireland said: “MSD’s continued commitment to Ireland is most welcome. Investments such as this strengthens our country’s position as a global destination for manufacturing excellence in vaccines and biopharmaceuticals. Winning investment for regional locations across Ireland remains a key focus for IDA. This new state of the art facility, an expansion to MSD’s established Carlow site, demonstrates once again that the South East region is an attractive location for FDI. We look forward to continuing to support the MSD team in Carlow and across all its sites in Ireland.”

Mairead McCaul, Managing Director of MSD Ireland (Human Health) and Head of MSD Ireland country leadership team, said: “We are delighted to be able to announce this further expansion of MSD’s footprint in Ireland which comes on the back of a number of significant investments in our facilities across Ireland in recent years. MSD’s continued investment in Ireland is due to continued access to highly skilled employees as well as collaborative partnerships with Government and Third Level institutions.

“The decision to further invest in Carlow is a real testament to the talent of the current Carlow team and MSD Ireland’s wider employee base and reinforces MSD’s commitment to Ireland, further strengthening our 50-year legacy here. The construction of this additional facility will only add to our ability to be able to offer current and future employees a truly unique experience across our sites in Ireland, offering an opportunity to experience all elements of pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturing within Ireland while pursuing a purposeful career that helps make a difference to patients the world over.”

Tánaiste & Minister for Enterprise Trade & Employment, Leo Varadkar said: “MSD has played an incredibly important role in helping Ireland become a world leader in life sciences and already employs over 2,800 people here. Today’s announcement, that the company is creating a further 100 new jobs in its Carlow site, is another fantastic day in MSD’s 50-year history here. The Government is committed to creating good, long-term jobs in all parts of the country, working towards full employment where everyone who wants a job, has one, in the county of their choice. MSD has made a really significant contribution to that goal, with facilities in Tipperary, Cork, Meath, Carlow and Dublin. The very best of luck to the team with this latest expansion.”