Actavis starts its business in Ireland

Entering the Irish market last week, Actavis plans to create up to 25 new local jobs over the next five years and to launch more than 120 generic drugs in Ireland, with the potential to save millions of euro off the country’s annual health bill.

The new roles Actavis will create are in addition to 11 corporate employees currently based in Ireland.

“Over the next five years, we plan to rapidly expand our offering in Ireland in all channels – hospital-specific, prescription and over the counter medicines,” says Actavis Ireland Managing Director Tony Hynds.

The arrival of Actavis into the Irish market, Hynds said, came at a time when the country was struggling to meet the rapidly rising cost of healthcare.

“In Ireland, Actavis has established a team with deep expertise in the local industry, people who understand the nature of the market here, and has given them the backing of a vast global product pipeline,” Hynds added.

Actavis launched a generic cancer treatment drug, Gemcitabine, on the Irish market last Monday. It was made available for prescription from 9th March, on day one when the patent for Gemcitabine expired in Ireland.