Opko and Search Optics to create 300 jobs in Dublin and Waterford

It was a good day on the jobs front yesterday with 300 new positions announced by two US companies in Dublin and Waterford.

Healthcare firm Opko, headquartered in Miami, said it would create 200 highly-skilled roles over the next five years in Waterford.

The group, a medical test and medication company focused on diagnostics and pharmaceuticals, announced plans to expand the EirGen Pharma facility in Westside Business Park and to establish a new product development centre in the Waterford Business and Technology Park.

EirGen, which focuses on the development and commercial supply of specialised oncology products for global markets, was acquired by Opko last year for $135 million (€120 million).

Opko, whose diagnostics business includes Bio Reference, the third-largest clinical laboratory in the US, said as well as expanding EirGen’s facility, it also intends to establish an R&D centre with manufacturing capabilities for new sterile fill finish and dry powder inhalation products.

EirGen Pharma was established in 2005 by former executives of IVAX Pharmaceuticals, Patsy Carney and Tom Brennan.

Commenting on the expansion, Opko's chairman and chief executive Phillip Frost said the investment underpinned the company's strategy to establish Ireland as a centre of excellence for R&D and supply chain activities.

Digital marketing

Separately, digital marketing firm Search Optics said it would create 100 jobs in Dublin. The announcement was made as the company officially opened its new European, Middle Eastern and African (EMEA) headquarters, in Fumbally Square, off Clanbrassil Street, in Dublin.

Established in San Diego, California in 1998, Search Optics provides an integrated digital marketing platform, primarily used by car manufacturers such as Ford, Jaguar and Honda.

The company said that with the opening of a new office in Ireland, it expects to be able to grow market share in EMEA.

“EMEA is a region that is ripe for growth. It will benefit extensively from the digital marketing technology and hands-on expertise we bring to the marketplace. We are dedicated to providing real results for our clients, backed by local employees in Ireland, and, with our new EMEA home in Dublin supporting us geographically, economically and culturally, we are excited to join the Irish business community,” said chief executive David Ponn.