German pharmaceutical Contract Development & Manufacturing Organisation (CDMO) Aenova has announced a significant expansion of its Killorglin facility in County Kerry, Ireland, positioning the site at the center of the company's particle engineering capabilities. The investment focuses on developing spray-dried amorphous solid dispersions and inhalation powders to address a critical challenge facing the pharmaceutical industry.
Addressing the Bioavailability Crisis
The expansion directly targets one of the pharmaceutical industry's most pressing challenges: improving bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. According to the company, these compounds constitute approximately 80% of all compounds currently in global research pipelines, making bioavailability enhancement a critical bottleneck in drug development.
"Bioavailability is crucial for new pharmaceutical active ingredients. Our new spray drying technology in Killorglin can help to address this issue and aid our customers bring their products to market faster," said Florent Bordet, Chief Scientific Officer at Aenova.
Advanced Manufacturing Capabilities
The Killorglin facility, operating under the name Temmler Ireland, will house laboratory- and pilot-scale equipment capable of developing formulations using Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) up to OEB 4 classification (>1 μg/m³). The facility has the capability to handle organic solvents and offers comprehensive spray drying services for amorphous solid dispersions.
Aidan Spillane, managing director at the Killorglin site, emphasized the facility's collaborative approach: "We collaborate closely with scientific researchers at the universities of Cork and Limerick."
Employment and Economic Impact
The expansion will create approximately 10 new positions across three key areas: research and development, pharmaceutical technology, and analytics. The facility currently employs 68 people directly, with additional downstream employment through service providers. Since its establishment in 1972 as Klinge Pharma, the site has maintained continuous operations through multiple ownership changes.
Temmler Pharma acquired the Killorglin site in 2007, and was subsequently acquired by Aenova Group in 2012. The facility now serves as part of Aenova's end-to-end CDMO services, supporting customers throughout the entire drug product lifecycle from pre-formulation and development to commercial manufacturing.
Strategic Positioning
The investment represents Aenova's commitment to strengthening its position in advanced pharmaceutical development. As Bordet explained, "As an end-to-end contract development and manufacturing organisation, Aenova supports its customers throughout the entire drug product life cycle, from pre-formulation and development to commercial manufacturing."
Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke highlighted the broader significance of the investment: "This investment is a strong vote of confidence in the southwest region's skilled workforce, world-class research partnerships, and thriving life sciences ecosystem."
The project receives support from the Irish Government through IDA Ireland, reflecting the strategic importance of pharmaceutical manufacturing to Ireland's economy. IDA Ireland CEO Michael Lohan noted that the facility "has continually fostered opportunities, investment, and employment in Killorglin" since 1972.
