US medical technology company Cerenovus is to create at least 30 specialised jobs as part of a €50 million investment at its Galway plant over the next three years.
The company, which is part of the Johnson and Johnson group, specialises in neurovascular care. The Galway plant is a research site for stroke where it is developing a portfolio of medical devices to treat the condition.
Ischemic stroke, caused by clots in vessels that block blood supplied to the brain, accounts for 87 per cent of all strokes, reportedly affecting one million patients every year in Europe.
In Ireland, about 7,500 people have a stroke each year, while one third of all strokes happen in people under 65 years of age. Stroke is the biggest cause of acquired disability and the third biggest cause of death in Ireland.
Cerenovus recently completed the expansion of its Galway site, which now features a stroke simulation laboratory, and expanded prototype development and testing capabilities within the facility.
The office space has also been expanded to include meeting and collaboration areas, as well as a space to facilitate team and physician collaborations with a focus on research, innovation, and product development.
Physicians having options
Michael Gilvarry, general manager of Cerenovus Galway, said: "Stroke can be a devastating event for patients and their loved ones, and recovery depends on physicians having options to treat patients effectively and efficiently in the hours after their stroke.
“Our work at Cerenovus is focused on providing devices that change the trajectory of stroke, to protect patients from stroke-related disabilities. We develop devices using our unique capabilities simulating the underlying diseases that cause stroke.
"We work closely with universities and academics, including strong collaborations locally with GMIT and NUI Galway. We are committed to developing differentiated solutions based on physicians' real-world experience of unmet medical needs.
“Leading physicians from around the world travel to Cerenovus in Galway to support the development of devices used in the endovascular treatment of strokes, simulating real-life stroke scenarios.
“This investment will allow us to continue to conduct breakthrough research and push the boundaries of technology to put even better tools in the hands of physicians that make stroke treatment faster, easier, and even more effective.”
More than 30 new specialised roles are expected to be created at Cerenovus Galway as a result of the investment. The company currently has a workforce of more than 90 people in specialised roles at the Ballybrit site.
