UP to 50 jobs will be created over the next five years in Galashiels as pharmaceutical company Kyowa Kirin International expands its headquarters.

The news comes as KKI reports a record turnover of £251m for 2016 - growth of 13 per cent over 2015 revenues of £222m.

The company, who were formerly known as ProStrakan, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Japan-based Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co Ltd, the research-based life sciences company, with special strengths in biotechnologies.

KKI has acquired a 10 year lease for the 10,000 square feet building adjacent to its existing headquarters in Galashiels Business Park.

And it has gained planning permission for the construction of a link building that will create a combined total footprint of 35,000 square feet.

The 40 per cent increase in office space will allow the company to increase its workforce from 150 to 200.

Office manager Lucy Alkin-Young said: "We've been growing so fast that we were simply running out of room in our existing head office, so the expansion is being welcomed by the whole team.

"Our extended facility will provide us with a headquarters that is appropriate for an international pharmaceutical company."

Once construction of the link building has been completed, KKI plans to refurbish its existing headquarters building.

Work is due to be complete by the Autumn of 2017.

Dr Tom Stratford, president and CEO of KKI, told the Border Telegraph: "This development underlines our commitment to Galashiels and to Scotland as an excellent location from which to operate a truly international pharmaceutical business.

"The business is growing at pace and we are proud of what we have achieved since joining Kyowa Hakko Kirin in 2011.

"Our turnover has grown from £105m to £251m in that time, overall staff numbers have more than doubled to stand at almost 600 today and we recently filed for European approval of the first of Kyowa Hakko Kirin’s pipeline products.”

KKI’s property advisers for the project are Eric Young & Co, with design work being undertaken by design consultants, Cubit3D and project management by PMP.

?