Actavis has entered the Irish market this week, with plans to create up to 25 new local jobs over the next five years and to launch over 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.

Actavis Ireland Managing Director Tony Hynds:
“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, and offer a reduction of up to 60% on the cost of drugs.”

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

“The strength of our product pipeline means we can not only offer more choice to doctors, pharmacists and consultants, but a high quality alternative to big brand names with identical ingredients at a far cheaper price to the Health Service Executive and the Irish consumer” He continued, “On just six of the 20 new products we plan to launch this year, there is the potential to save over EUR22 million.”

“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 on Monday. It was made available for prescription from 9th March, on day one when the patent for Gemcitabine expired in Ireland.