As a growing biopharmaceutical company that makes medicines for mental illness and addiction, Alkermes is planning to expand its existing manufacturing facility in Wilmington to meet an increasing demand for its products. The expansion adds more than 90 new jobs to the existing 440-person workforce.

Based in Ireland, Alkermes is a global organization that develops innovative medicines designed to help millions of patients with serious, chronic diseases of the central nervous system, including schizophrenia, depression, opioid dependence, alcohol dependence and multiple sclerosis. In Ohio, Alkermes manufactures several medicines, including VIVITROL®, which is approved for the treatment of alcohol dependence and the prevention of relapse to opioid dependency following opioid detoxification.

Alkermes has seen the demand for VIVITROL® climb in response to the nation’s growing opioid epidemic. Company executives needed to increase production of the pharmaceutical drug, but were unsure whether to add production capabilities to their manufacturing facility in western Ohio or to their headquarters in Dublin, Ireland.

Alkermes chose to expand its operations in Wilmington to accommodate the increased production of VIVITROL®. In Ohio, Alkermes can leverage an available pool of engineering and manufacturing talent, access to world markets and a low cost of doing business.

“The expansion of our Wilmington facility is exciting,” said Kristen Parr, vice president and general manager at Alkermes. “We are committed to the patients we serve as well as the community of Clinton County, so we look forward to growing our existing workforce in order to meet the ongoing needs of patients.”