A £2 MILLION investment by MicroPharm will see the company open new laboratory facilities for anti-venoms at Cilgerran, alongside their current base at Newcastle Emlyn – creating 15 new jobs.
Bosses say the rural area of west Wales is set to become a leading supplier of high-quality anti-venoms to Europe and Africa
The planned £2m expansion, supported by £150,000 from the Welsh Government, is expected to create 15 jobs and safeguard a further 14, bringing the total headcount to 51.
MicroPharm develops immunotherapy products to target infectious diseases and acute toxic conditions and currently produce two anti-venoms for the treatment of snakebites from the European common adder and the carpet viper in West Africa. It means that MicroPharm will become a leading supplier of high-quality anti-venoms to Europe and Africa, like Protherics UK Ltd, a BTG International group company based in Llandysul, who provide antivenin for North American pit viper envenomation in the USA.
The unique west Wales cluster includes Ig-Innovations Ltd, also based near Llandysul, which produces antibodies for supply to the research, diagnostic, biotech and pharmaceutical sector including MicroPharm, as well as direct sales.
Economy Secretary Ken Skates said: “It is a considerable achievement that this small area of rural west Wales is a world leader in what is an extremely specialised, highly competitive and highly valued field. It once again illustrates the breadth of expertise we have in Wales within the life sciences sector.
“MicroPharm is a key contributor to Wales’ expertise and I am delighted Welsh Government support will enable its planned expansion to go ahead immediately. The investment will provide the additional facilities required to meet the growing global demand for its products.
“This very important expansion project will further embed a specialist pharmaceutical R&D and manufacturing company in west Wales and provide opportunities for local people to access high quality jobs.”
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