Craigavon-based pharmaceutical company Almac is likely to create up to 60 new jobs following the expansion of its pharmaceutical development services.
With the completion of the initial phase of a £6.5 million project, the firm has created a new 13,400 square feet formulation development facility including two new analytical laboratories.
The additional staff will be employed in analytical and formulation development roles as well as other indirect support roles.
As the new facility builds to full capacity over the next 2-3 years, it is anticipated that the additional staff will be employed in analytical and formulation development roles as well as other indirect support roles.
The new facility will primarily focus on the development of tablet and capsule formulations for new drugs which are in the early stages of development and which have not yet reached the market. The new facility will enable greater speed in formulation and process development, by creating an environment where development work can be progressed quickly and efficiently, free of many of the constraints usually associated with drug manufacturing.
This is possible because the drugs produced are prototypes which are used only to develop the formulation and manufacturing process and are not for human use.
John McQuaid, VP. Technical Operations, Pharma Services, said:
“As the new facility effectively doubles our current pharmaceutical development capacity, recruitment of experienced skilled staff has already started. As 2013 and the facility’s capacity progress, further jobs will be advertised.”