Bristol Myers Squibb’s Cruiserath Biologics site based in Dublin, Ireland, has won the Project Execution category at the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) 2020 Facility of the Year Awards (FOYA). The award recognizes innovation in facilities serving the regulated healthcare industry. The factory, optimized for rapid product changeover and future use as a multi-product facility, will support Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) in meeting growing global demand for its medicines. Jacobs provided architecture, engineering, construction management and turnover services for the world class biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility.
 
In 2015, biopharmaceutical manufacturer BMS engaged Jacobs to reimagine its existing active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) plant in Dublin, Ireland, to enable large-scale production of its vital immuno-oncology medicines.
 
Jacobs was tasked with creating a facility of the future for the $1 billion Multi-Product Cell Culture (MPCC) facility. At the time, the project represented the largest pharmaceutical project being undertaken in Europe, with more than 2,200 people on site at peak. The project’s fast-tracked 26-month delivery commanded collaboration from Jacobs’ global network of expertise across Ireland, the U.S. and India, working around the clock to meet the ambitious schedule.
 
The complexity, scale and speed of execution required game-changing project delivery. A detailed and robust project execution plan was developed to address challenges, monitor progress and ensure project success. The facility was delivered within budget, applying state‐of‐the‐art project delivery techniques and tools, and achieving an impressive safety record during the 6.5 million hours worked. The facility was also awarded LEED Silver certification for its sustainability performance in respect of design, construction and operation. 
 
“With growing demands for its immuno-oncology medicine, Bristol Myers Squibb needed to build a facility for the future,” said Koti Vadlamudi, senior vice president, advanced facilities, Jacobs. “The project is a huge success for Jacobs, Bristol Myers Squibb, and ultimately the many patients that rely on these medicines produced in the Dublin campus.”
 
The facility met the design intent to be a flexible, multi-product manufacturing operation able to produce biopharmaceuticals for human therapeutic use. The project repurposed an existing site to design and construct a new manufacturing facility, global laboratory, offices, cafeteria, utility and warehouse buildings as one functional campus. The facility is now in commercial operation, having recently received regulatory approval from both the FDA and the European Medicines Authority.
 
Commenting on the award, Noel Heaney, Cruiserath biologics general manager and executive director, EU biologics, BMS, said, “Cruiserath’s campus represents the largest ever capital investment for the company and is the first Bristol Myers Squibb biologics manufacturing facility in Europe. We set out with a vision to build a world class Biopharma Campus and state of the art facility, and to receive this highly coveted external and industry recognition indeed signifies we are well on our way.”