CERENOVUS, a leading MedTech company specialising in stroke research and care, has this week announced a €50 million investment in its Galway site, leading to 30 new specialised jobs at the Ballybrit facility.
The company, an emerging leader in neurovascular care and part of the Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices group, will make the investment in its research facilities in Galway over the next three years.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris attended the announcement of the investment in CERENOVUS Galway on Monday.
“This is a significant investment in Galway and a signal of Johnson & Johnson’s continued commitment to our growing research, development and innovation system here," Minister Harris said at the announcement.
“Here in Ireland, we have the tools and the talent to address the key challenges facing society and our people. Galway is now one of Europe’s premier MedTech hubs with one of the highest concentrations of medical technology companies in Europe. New, innovative, technologies and treatments like the ones that are being developed at CERENOVUS will make it possible to deliver better clinical outcomes and improve the quality of life for patients.”
CERENOVUS Galway is a world-leading research site for stroke and is at the forefront of developing a broad portfolio of innovative medical devices to treat this debilitating condition.
Ischemic stroke, caused by clots in vessels which 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, approximately 7,500 people have a stroke each year – and 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.
“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," said Michael Gilvarry, general manager of CERENOVUS Galway.
"Our work at CERENOVUS is focused on providing devices that change the trajectory of stroke, to protect patients from stroke-related disabilities. At CERENOVUS Galway, we develop devices using our unique capabilities simulating the underlying diseases that cause stroke. This is based on scientific research conducted under the umbrella of the CERENOVUS neuro thromboembolic initiative.
“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, working with our expert teams to implement further device innovations into the CERENOVUS stroke solutions. 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.”
The €50 million investment includes the recently completed expansion of the CERENOVUS Galway site, which now features a world leading 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.
More than 30 new specialised roles are expected to be created at CERENOVUS Galway as a result of the investment, drawing on talent from across Ireland’s MedTech sector and third level institutes. The company currently has a workforce of more than 90 people in specialised roles at the Ballybrit site.
For more information on the roles that are available in Galway, visit www.careers.jnj.com
