Athlone based Dunbar Pharma has been named Emerging Company of the Year at the BioPharmaChem Impact Awards 2026, hosted by BioPharmaChem Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland as part of the annual Impact Conference.
Athlone based Dunbar Pharma has been named Emerging Company of the Year at the BioPharmaChem Impact Awards 2026, hosted by BioPharmaChem Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland as part of the annual Impact Conference.
The award recognises Dunbar Pharma’s rapid emergence as an Irish pharmaceutical manufacturer focused on GMP-certified, plant-based cannabinoid active pharmaceutical ingredients, including dronabinol, and its role in building a new indigenous capability within Ireland’s life sciences sector.
The BioPharmaChem Impact Awards celebrate excellence across Ireland’s biopharma, pharmaceutical and chemical sectors, recognising companies that are contributing to innovation, competitiveness, sustainability, talent development and the continued strength of Ireland’s global life sciences reputation.
Leah Fletcher, Founder and CEO of Dunbar Pharma, said:
“We are absolutely honoured to be named Emerging BioPharmaChem Company of the Year. For Dunbar Pharma, this award is a recognition of the hard work, resilience and ambition of our entire team. We are building a highly specialised pharmaceutical manufacturing company from Ireland, with a focus on quality, compliance and innovation in cannabinoid-based medicines.
Ireland has a world-class reputation in pharma manufacturing, and we are proud to be contributing to the next chapter of that story as an indigenous company. This award gives our team huge encouragement as we continue to scale, serve international markets and develop a trusted Irish platform for pharmaceutical cannabinoid APIs.”
Dunbar Pharma is based in Athlone, Co. Roscommon, and has developed a specialist manufacturing and commercial platform for pharmaceutical cannabinoid ingredients used in regulated medicines markets. The company has been advancing its international strategy, including market development across Europe and the UK, while maintaining a strong focus on research, GMP standards, supply chain integrity and product quality.
The recognition comes at a time when Ireland’s BioPharmaChem sector continues to demonstrate significant global impact, with the sector surpassing €139 billion in annual exports. The awards highlighted both multinational and indigenous companies contributing to Ireland’s reputation as a trusted global centre for life sciences.
Other 2026 winners included APC & VLE – The Medicine Accelerator, Sanofi, Pfizer Ireland, Brightbeam, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine Ireland and Paul Duffy, who received the Outstanding Contribution to BioPharmaChem Award.
Ms Fletcher added:
“This recognition matters because it places Dunbar Pharma among the companies shaping the future of Ireland’s pharma sector. We are still an emerging company, but our ambition is significant. We want to build something of lasting value — for patients, for our partners, for our team and for Ireland.”
Media Contact
For further information, please contact:
Media Relations Email: comminications@dunbarpharma.ie
Phone: +353 (0)9064 35403
Web: www.dunbarpharma.ie
About Dunbar Pharma
Dunbar Pharmaceuticals (Mercury Rising Ltd.) is an Irish GMP manufacturer based in Athlone, Co. Roscommon. Dunbar Pharma is an Irish pharmaceutical company specialising in GMP-certified, plant-based cannabinoid active pharmaceutical ingredients. Based in Athlone, Co. Roscommon, the company is focused on developing high-quality, compliant cannabinoid ingredients for regulated pharmaceutical markets, with a particular focus on dronabinol and related cannabinoid-based medicines.