Abbott Announces R&D Investment in Clonmel for Continued Development of Cardiovascular Devices
Global healthcare company Abbott has announced further investment in its cardiovascular Research and Development Centre based at its Vascular devices site in Clonmel, County Tipperary, Ireland. Abbott is the world leader in drug-eluting stents.
Both R&D and manufacturing of Abbott’s new vascular technologies to treat complex heart disease take place at its Clonmel site. The Irish R&D team spent three years developing the company’s market-leading stent, XIENCE Sierra, which is being used worldwide in patients who, because of the nature of their disease, might not previously have been suitable for minimally invasive surgery. Abbott’s manufacturing plant in Clonmel manufactures its XIENCE family of stents, including XIENCE Sierra, for global use.
The continued major investment programme in its R&D centre in Clonmel, supported by the Irish government through IDA Ireland, comes as Abbott celebrates 75 years in Ireland this year. Over the next three years Abbott will invest €37.8 million in an R&D programme focusing on the discovery, innovation and development of a number of projects, including next generation drug eluting stents, as well as coronary and endovascular balloon technologies.
Tánaiste & Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar TD said: “Abbott was one of the first US companies to establish operations in Ireland and is one of our largest med-tech employers, with six manufacturing sites and three corporate services operations throughout the country. The announcement reflects Abbott’s ongoing commitment to Ireland. It is also a tribute to the management and staff of Abbott’s vascular division in Clonmel, who have played a pivotal role in the global success of Abbott’s XIENCE Sierra stent. I congratulate the Irish and global teams on this investment.”
Deirdre Mullins, site director, Abbott in Clonmel, said: “Our market leading XIENCE stents were developed in Clonmel and today’s announcement places us at the vanguard of Abbott’s global research efforts in cardiovascular treatments. We are very proud that the life changing technologies we design and manufacture in Clonmel are saving lives in Ireland and across the world.”
CEO of IDA Ireland Martin Shanahan said: “Abbott has demonstrated real commitment to its Irish operations in its 75 years here, investing and expanding its operations and growing jobs across its manufacturing and shared services sites, employing over 4,000 people in Ireland. The economic and jobs benefit of Abbott’s longevity here is substantial. I congratulate the Irish and global teams on this investment and wish Abbott continued success in its operations here.”
Over 90,000 Irish people have heart disease and it is one of the most common causes of hospitalisation in people aged over 65 in Ireland. Dr Colm Hanratty, Consultant Cardiologist at Mater Private Network Dublin, is a pioneer in the treatment of patients with complex cardiovascular disease and broadcasts operations all over the world, sharing his knowledge and skills with consultants across the globe.
He said; “Drug eluting stents revolutionised the treatment of cardiovascular disease. But we are starting to see more complex cases. As people get older, the arteries narrow, they become twisted and there is a build-up of plaque. Abbott’s XIENCE Sierra stent is a feat of engineering that means we can treat previously untreatable patients.”
Dr Diarmuid Meagher, Director of Research and Development, Abbott, explains that the engineering team worked closely with Dr Hanratty and the global interventional cardiology community to understand the challenges that were impacting successful cardiovascular interventions. “We adapted the XIENCE design to develop a stent for older and more complex patients which was smaller, more flexible and physically stronger. Its sophisticated navigation makes it easier to manoeuvre through challenged arteries and obstacles and it’s now being used in 90 countries around the world.”
