Pfizer to begin vaccine production in Dublin

Pharmaceutical manufacturer Pfizer will begin production of a component of its Covid-19 vaccine at its facility in west Dublin.

The company said it will produce the mRNA drug substance for the BioNTech vaccine at its Grange Castle facility.

Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin said the move would put Ireland "at the heart of the EU's fight against the pandemic".

He said it would involve a $40m (£28.25m) investment.

Seventy five jobs will also be created through the development.

In a statement, Pfizer said it and its partner in the vaccine BioNTech had enhanced the vaccine's supply chain.

The company said enhancements included an expansion of existing facilities, adding more suppliers, and contracting manufacturers around the world to produce the vaccine.

"As such, Pfizer is now bringing on additional European-based facility to be a part of the global Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine supply chain network and Grange Castle (Ireland) will contribute to the worldwide supply of the vaccine.

It added that it expects the site to "be brought onto the network by the end of 2021".

The company's vice president for global supply, Dr Paul Duffy said: "This is a very significant moment for Ireland and for our Grange Castle site. We are immensely proud to be able to play a part in manufacturing Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine".

On Tuesday, the European Union's drugs regulator said the Pfizer Covid vaccine could now be stored at fridge temperature for much longer than it previously recommended.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said that once the vaccines thawed, unopened vials could be kept in the fridge for up to a month.

The previous storage requirements for Pfizer vaccines have made them harder to use in some parts of the world.

Earlier this month Canada authorised the use of the Pfizer vaccine for children between the ages of 12 and 15, becoming the first country to do so for that age group.