GE HealthCare announced a $138 million investment to expand its Carrigtohill, Cork contrast media fill and finish manufacturing site in Ireland. A new facility on the grounds of the existing site will enable 25 million more patient doses per year of contrast media by the end of 2027, helping address growing global demand.
Contrast media are injectable diagnostic imaging agents used to enhance visualization of organs, blood vessels and tissues during medical imaging. Global demand for iodine-based contrast media, used in X-Ray, Computed Tomography (CT) and Interventional procedures is expected to double in the next decade, driven by aging populations and the increasing global prevalence of chronic disorders.
In 2024, the Carrigtohill facility, along with GE HealthCare’s other fill and finish production sites in Shanghai, Chin, and Oslo, Norway, supplied over 100 million patient doses of contrast media around the world.
The new 3,000-square-meter facility, which will support both established and pipeline products, will include solution preparation vessels, multi-functional powder handling systems, a new filling line and autoclaves, with advanced automation systems underpinning production. Once established, the additional capacity will cater for the growing global demand, while offering increased flexibility and resiliency across GE HealthCare’s contrast media production network for security of supply.
All stages of GE HealthCare’s contrast media manufacturing, from development of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) to finished product, adhere to Good Manufacturing Practices. With over 4000 employees globally, the PDx business also develops and supplies radiopharmaceuticals used to support diagnosis, monitoring and treatment selection across Neurology, Cardiology and Oncology clinical pathways. Across its portfolio, PDx enables four patient procedures every second globally.
Engineering firm, IPS-Integrated Project Services, will lead the project with enabling construction works starting at the Carrigtohill facility in February 2025, and over 250 construction roles expected to be created.