MSD to retain Takeda's 200 employees in takeover of Dunboyne facility
Healthcare company MSD has entered into an agreement for the acquisition of the Dunboyne manufacturing facility of Takeda Dunboyne Biologics Limited, a subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, it was announced today.
Subject to completion activities, including the engagement with the employees based at the site and final due diligence steps, the agreement will see the state-of-the-art, flexible manufacturing facility acquired as a going concern. Takeda will now embark upon a consultation period with approximately 200 employees of the Dunboyne site and the process is expected to conclude by mid-September.
In January 2020, Takeda announced its intention to divest of its Dunboyne Biologics facility. The divestment decision followed a strategic review of the Takeda global biologics manufacturing network, initiated following the acquisition of Shire, which identified that production capacity at Dunboyne would no longer be required. Takeda immediately commenced a divestment process to seek the most suitable buyer for the facility, as a going concern. Following an intensive sales process over the past months, Takeda has reached agreement with MSD to acquire the facility.
Thomas Wozniewski, Takeda Global Manufacturing & Supply Officer, commented: “We are pleased to announce the divestment of the Dunboyne Biologics plant to MSD who will retain all of our existing Dunboyne employees. In MSD, we believe we have found the most suitable buyer for the Dunboyne facility, offering a great perspective for our Dunboyne team. We sincerely thank the team in Dunboyne for its work and dedication in preparing this world-class facility for production. With operations in Baggot Street, Bray, and Grange Castle, Ireland remains a key country within Takeda’s global manufacturing network.”
Sanat Chattopadhyay, Executive Vice President & President, Manufacturing Division, MSD, commented: “We are delighted to have signed this agreement to acquire the Dunboyne Biologics facility and look forward to working with the team to support the next phase of this process. This facility will further expand our footprint in Ireland and support commercialisation of our existing and future pipeline of biologics products. The talent of the team in Dunboyne was a determining factor in our decision to acquire this facility and we look forward to welcoming our new colleagues to the broader MSD Ireland network, building on the progress they have made to date and, together, realising the potential of this facility for the benefit of patients in Ireland and globally.”
Susan Hynes, Site Lead, Dunboyne Biologics, commented: “This is a very exciting day for our employees at Dunboyne. Our dedicated team of champions has delivered a state-of-the-art biologics facility with leading edge technology ready to serve future MSD patients across the world. We believe the announcement today demonstrates the confidence that MSD has that the facility, capabilities and culture we have at Dunboyne will thrive in the new organisation and support long-term growth for the company. As we prepare for our long-term future in Dunboyne, we also look forward to further strengthening the close relationship the team already has with the local community.”