Galway medical-tech company Aerogen plans to hire an additional 500 staff after its ground-breaking aerosol inhaler was used to spearhead China’s booster programme.
Shaped like a coffee cup, the inhaler is the first of its kind to deliver a vaccine directly into the airways, removing the need for injections.
“We have probably doubled our workforce to 500 over the past three years, and will probably do the same again over the next three years,” said chief executive, John Power.
Earlier this week, China announced it was relaxing the most severe elements of its controversial zero-Covid policy.
Mr Power maintains his firm – recently named Ireland’s Technology Exporter of the Year at the Asia Matters Business Awards – played a ‘significant’ role in this.
He said the absence of a needle in China’s new booster programme, using the Dangan-based firm’s technology, means greater numbers, especially the elderly, are now willing to get a booster.
Approved for use in 11 of China’s 31 provinces, it also uses just a fifth of the vaccine compared with the amount needed by the hypodermic method. The deal to deliver booster doses developed by Chinese vaccine company CanSinoBio is worth “tens of millions” to Aerogen - and Mr Power expects additional orders as European drug firms begin to show an interest.
“The more people you can convince to get vaccinated, the better chance you have of containment [of the virus].
“This is seen as a pretty significant step on the route to China opening up. It could really be a game changer.”
Reflecting on his company’s latest honour, presented at a black-tie ceremony in Dublin, Mr Power said doing business in China presented “unique” challenges.
“The important thing is you have got to be well-partnered in China. In our case, CanSinoBio are a publicly listed company – they are regarded as leaders in vaccine science in China and internationally.”
The Asia Matters Business Awards are organised every year by leading Irish thinktank, Asia Matters. “The Government has stated that it wants two-way trade with Asia to reach €100billion by 2025,” said Asia Matters’ chief executive, Martin Murray.
“The quality of this year’s entrants to our awards shows that goal is certainly achievable.”
