US-based healthcare technology company GE HealthCare is set to invest $138m in the expansion of its contrast media fill and finish manufacturing site in Carrigtohill, Cork, Ireland.
The new facility, built on the company’s existing manufacturing site, will allow the manufacturing of 25 million additional doses of contrast media each year, by the end of 2027.
Contrast media are injectable diagnostic imaging agents used to enhance the visualisation of organs, blood vessels and tissues during medical imaging.
The new 3000m2 facility will be designed to support both established and pipeline products.
It includes solution preparation vessels, multi-functional powder handling systems, a new filling line and autoclaves, with advanced automation systems underpinning production.
Once completed, the facility’s additional capacity will address the increasing demand, while offering flexibility and resiliency across its contrast media production network.
GE HealthCare pharmaceutical diagnostics (PDx) segment president and CEO Kevin O’Neill said: “As an industry leader we have a responsibility to help meet the growing global demand for contrast media from healthcare providers and their patients.
“This new facility demonstrates our broader commitment not just to address future demand, but also to increase resiliency and security of industry supply for customers.”
According to GE HealthCare, demand for iodine-based contrast media is expected to double in the next decade, driven by ageing populations and rise in chronic disorders.
Last year, the company’s Carrigtohill facility, along with other fill and finish sites in Shanghai, China, and Oslo, Norway, supplied more than 100 million doses of contrast media.
GE HealthCare said that all stages of its contrast media manufacturing, from the API development to finished product, follows Good Manufacturing Practices.
With more than 4000 employees worldwide, its PDx business also develops, and supplies radiopharmaceuticals used across Neurology, Cardiology and Oncology clinical pathways.
IPS-Integrated Project Services is leading the project development with construction works starting in February 2025 and is expected to create more than 250 construction jobs.
IDA Ireland executive director Michael Lohan said: “This is the latest of GE HealthCare’s investments in its Cork site which has been producing vital pharmaceuticals for over 30 years.
“The continued growth and development of the site is testament to its commitment to serving patients and to Ireland’s leadership and support for the pharmaceutical industry.”
GE HealthCare Ireland site leader and managing director Eugene Barrett said: “This expansion strengthens our longstanding presence in Cork, where we have a highly skilled team, access to leading talent in the pharmaceutical industry, strong distribution links around the world and a great partnership with IDA Ireland.
“First doses from our new facility are expected by the end of 2027 and we are proud of the impact our site will continue to make for patients around the world.”
