Monday 2 March 2026

Novo Nordisk has announced an investment of €432m in its facility in Monksland, Athlone. This tabletting facility will provide significant additional manufacturing capacity for current and future Novo Nordisk GLP-1 treatments. 

Gobal healthcare innovation  

The investment is a major strategic milestone for the company, which further reinforces Novo Nordisk’s long-term commitment to Ireland and global healthcare innovation. It provides Novo Nordisk with additional manufacturing capabilities for oral products, enhances supply, and allows Ireland to serve as a critical hub for servicing markets outside the US.  The investment will support the upgrade and retrofit of the existing facility, as well as enhancing Novo Nordisk’s capacity to manufacture oral GLP-1s. 
 
Enterprise minister Peter Burke said: “Today’s investment announcement is a vote of confidence in Athlone, the midlands and the skilled workforce we have worked hard to develop. It will help drive innovation, create highly skilled jobs and further strengthen Ireland’s pharmaceutical ecosystem.

"Ireland hosts nine of the top 10 global pharma companies, producing a significant portion of the world's most innovative drugs, solidifying our country’s role as a central hub for pharmaceutical manufacturing.”

Expanding its production capacities for oral products  

“With the investment in the Athlone facility, Novo Nordisk is expanding its production capacities for oral products, which will enable us to meet both current and future global demand outside the US,” added Kasper Bodker Mejlvang, EVP CMC and Product Supply, Novo Nordisk. “This investment, a historic milestone for Novo Nordisk in Ireland, marks our continued commitment to Athlone, Ireland and our highly skilled employees while allowing us to make a difference for millions of people living with serious chronic diseases.”  
 
Michael Lohan, CEO, IDA, said: ‘’This significant investment by Novo Nordisk demonstrates the strength of Ireland’s value proposition as location for innovation and underlines the importance of regional balance in driving sustainable economic growth. Athlone continues to prove its ability to attract large scale, high-value manufacturing projects, supported by a skilled workforce and collaborative ecosystem. This expansion reinforces Athlone as a vital contributor to Ireland’s life sciences sector and our long-term regional development ambitions.’’
 
The plant’s existing 260 employees will focus on delivering the highest-quality oral treatments to patients, in an efficient and environmentally sustainable way. The entire project at the site, covering 45 acres (18 hectares), will create up to 600 construction jobs. The construction projects, which have already begun, will be finalised gradually from the end of 2027 through 2028.