Dunbar Pharma is strengthening Ireland’s specialist pharmaceutical manufacturing capability, moving from start-up to commercial-scale production of plant-derived dronabinol API and expanding supply into international regulated markets.

Founded around three years ago by CEO Leah Fletcher, Dunbar Pharma was established to address a gap in pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoid API infrastructure. The Athlone-based company has developed an EU GMP-certified manufacturing operation covering production, quality control, testing, stability and research and development.

The latest milestone is a supply agreement with IPS Pharma, a UK pharmaceutical service provider and licensed Specials manufacturer. As reported by Manufacturing Chemist, the agreement makes Dunbar’s WaterClear THC plant-derived dronabinol API available through the UK’s regulated Specials pathway, supporting pharmaceutical products including capsules, oral sprays and oily solutions.

For Ireland’s pharmaceutical sector, the development demonstrates how specialist manufacturing capabilities can build on the country’s established life sciences infrastructure. Dunbar manufactures its API commercially in Athlone under Health Products Regulatory Authority oversight, with validated processes and full batch traceability supporting supply to regulated pharmaceutical partners.

The company’s operating model also places technical capability at the centre of its growth. Dunbar maintains manufacturing, quality control and R&D activities in-house, giving the business direct oversight of production, analytical testing and product development while partnering internationally for commercial distribution.

The UK agreement follows Dunbar’s entry into Germany earlier in 2026, making Britain its second major European market in less than a year. Independent coverage by the Westmeath Independent also highlights the Athlone operation’s role in bringing plant-derived cannabinoid API into the UK pharmaceutical market.

The development highlights an important opportunity for Ireland’s pharma ecosystem. Alongside multinational manufacturing, specialist indigenous companies can create additional capabilities in emerging pharmaceutical categories by combining GMP infrastructure, regulatory expertise, technical talent and international commercial partnerships.

For the sector, Dunbar Pharma’s progress illustrates how specialist API manufacturing can create new routes into international pharmaceutical supply chains. Its Athlone operation demonstrates the potential to develop highly regulated production capability in Ireland while using the country’s established pharma ecosystem as a platform for European growth.

Source: Manufacturing Chemist / Dunbar Pharma / IPS Pharma / Westmeath Independent