Irish software firm Candidate Manager has announced a partnership with one of the leading US recruitment websites, Careerbuilder.com.

The announcement was made during the Enterprise Ireland trade visit to the east coast of the United States, which is being led by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin.

Candidate Manager's software will be offered to Careerbuilder client companies to enable them to screen and analyse job applicants. Careerbuilder.com attracts 22 million unique visitors per month and lists on average 300,000 job vacancies from 25,000 employers. It is owned by a consortium which includes newspaper publisher the Tribune Company and Microsoft.

Candidate Manager entered the US market two years ago and its clients include Berkshire Bank, YMCA, American Power Conversion and the Home Nursing Agency.

EirGen Pharma, a Waterford-based pharmaceutical research and development company, also announced details of its second link with a US peer yesterday.

The deal will see it develop three products for US group Three Rivers Pharma. On Wednesday, the firm announced a similar deal with Corepharma.

The two firms will enter into a profit-sharing agreement based on the net earnings obtained from sales of these products.

The current US market for the three products is valued at over $2 billion and Three Rivers is forecasting annual revenues of $200 million for the products.

EirGen currently employs 12 people and specialises in research and development of drugs for the treatment of cancer.

Another Irish firm whose success in the US was highlighted yesterday was Leading Edge Group. The provider of training in lean management practices has had its curriculum for healthcare workers accredited by the University of Denver.

Enterprise Ireland also held a technology investment forum yesterday to tie in with the trip. The event saw five Irish start-ups, which are seeking to raise $5 million in funding, present to an invited audience of New York venture capitalists.