BioPharmaChem Ireland urges Government investment

March 07, 2019 Addressing the Institute of Chemical Engineers Dinner in Cork, Ibec’s Director of BioPharmaChem Ireland (BPCI), Matt Moran urged Government to prioritise investment in the manufacture of Advanced Therapeutic Medicinal Products or ATMPs such as cellular and gene therapies.

He said: “These products will present new opportunities to cure a range of diseases in the future. They present a whole new paradigm for the manufacture and supply of medicines. Currently it is only possible to administer these products in a clinical setting on a one to one basis. At some stage though it will be necessary to be able to manufacture such products in an industrial setting. This presents significant challenges and it is important that, as a centre for the manufacture of Biopharmaceuticals, Ireland positions itself in this arena.

“Ireland should dedicate efforts to build such capability and Government could invest in this via its Disruptive Technologies Fund. BPCI would strongly recommend this.”
Mr. Moran noted that back in the mid 1990s BPCI had urged the Government of the time to prioritise Biotechnology – the explosion of investment in this - €10 billion in the last 10 years- has vindicated this approach.

Mr. Moran concluded by saying that given the rapid changes taking place in healthcare Ireland cannot afford to be complacent and needs to continually invest in the next wave of technology if it wishes to retain its position as a global leader in biopharma.