The Athlone plant will produce an oral version of the weight loss drug Wegovy
Pictured at the announcement were Tom Quinn, Site Head, Novo Nordisk Production Ireland, Athlone, Dilek Dogan Gurluk, General Manager, Novo Nordisk Ireland, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke TD and Michael Lohan, CEO, IDA(Image: Barry Cronin)
Danish weight-loss drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk is set to expand its Irish facility with a multi-million-euro investment.
The company will begin producing an oral version of the injectable obesity drug Wegovy at its Athlone plant for markets outside the US, following the announcement of a €432 million investment.
An oral formulation of Wegovy, a GLP-1 weight-loss drug containing semaglutide and similar to Ozempic, was approved for sale in the US in January, where it had previously been available only as an injection. The drug is expected to gain approval in other markets soon.
The company said the Athlone plant’s existing 260 employees will focus on delivering the highest-quality oral treatments to patients, in an efficient and environmentally sustainable way.
The entire project at the site, covering 18 hectares, is set to create up to 600 construction jobs. The construction projects, which have already begun, will be finalised gradually from the end of 2027 through 2028.
An Ozempic needle injection pen(Image: Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“With the investment in the Athlone facility, Novo Nordisk is expanding its production capacities for oral products, which will strengthen our ability to meet both current and future demand, outside the US,” Novo Nordisk Executive Vice President, Kasper Bødker Mejlvang, said.
“This investment, a historic milestone for Novo Nordisk in Ireland, marks our continued commitment to Ireland and our highly skilled employees in Athlone while allowing us to make a difference for millions of people living with serious chronic diseases.”
Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke added: “Today’s investment announcement is a vote of confidence in Athlone, the Midlands and the skilled workforce we have worked hard to develop.
“It will help drive innovation, create highly skilled jobs and further strengthen Ireland’s pharmaceutical ecosystem.
“Ireland hosts nine of the top 10 global pharma companies, producing a significant portion of the world’s most innovative drugs, solidifying our country’s role as a central hub for pharmaceutical manufacturing. I commend Novo Nordisk on this milestone investment, which underpins Ireland’s robust competitiveness in the life sciences sector and is a testimony to the role the Midlands plays in pharma innovation in Ireland.”
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