Novo Nordisk begins €400m Athlone facility upgrade for tablet production

Denmark-based pharmaceutical manufacturer Novo Nordisk will invest more than €400m to upgrade its facility in Athlone, County Westmeath, enabling tablet production for weight loss drug Wegovy at the Irish site, with construction work already underway and expected to continue until 2028.

BBC reported that the Athlone factory will produce tablets for markets outside the United States following approval of oral Wegovy for sale in America in January, with approvals expected on other markets soon. The investment marks expansion of manufacturing capacity at the established Irish facility as the company transitions from injection-only formats to include oral tablet production.

Kasper Bødker Mejlvang, executive vice president at Novo Nordisk, described the investment as a historic milestone marking continued commitment to Ireland and highly skilled employees in Athlone. The facility upgrade represents significant capital expenditure in pharmaceutical manufacturing infrastructure within Ireland's life sciences sector.

Ireland already serves as a major manufacturing base for Novo Nordisk's main rival in weight loss drugs. Eli Lilly manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredients for its Mounjaro and Zepbound drugs at its factory in Kinsale, County Cork, with those ingredients then air freighted to the United States, making Eli Lilly one of Ireland's largest exporters.

The Athlone project advances as Novo Nordisk faces increasing competition from Eli Lilly and the impact of patents expiring, with the company having recently cut jobs. Both Wegovy and Mounjaro work as appetite suppressants by mimicking a hormone called GLP-1 which makes people feel fuller, with Mounjaro also affecting metabolism and helping regulate energy balance.

The construction programme through 2028 will deliver upgraded facilities supporting tablet manufacturing processes, quality control systems and distribution capabilities required for regulated pharmaceutical production serving international markets.

Access complete project specifications and employment impact details for the Athlone facility upgrade.