It was announced in Co Cork today that nearly 20 jobs are to be created in a research project to find new drugs to treat diseases affecting the stomach and intestine.
Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment Micheál Martin announced that GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), which is based in Currabinny is to establish the €13.7 million research project into gastrointestinal diseases in collaboration with Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC) in University College Cork.
The project is to be jointly supported by IDA Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland.
GSK researchers will work closely with the APC to identify new drugs for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome.
IDA Ireland said the project would create 19 jobs.
Mr Martin said: "This project represents a major breakthrough in the promotion of drug discovery research, which is a key target for IDA Ireland and SFI [Science Foundation Ireland], and builds on the Government's strategy to actively promote industrial-academic collaborations.
"Today's announcement clearly demonstrates how the Irish system, working together, wins strategic and significant R&D projects against world class international competition."
GSK, the second-largest pharmaceutical and healthcare company in Ireland, employs 1,600 people across four Irish operations in Cork, Waterford and Dublin.
The APC investigates mechanisms by which intestinal bacteria influence health and disease and is developing new therapies for lifelong debilitating gastrointestinal diseases such as gastroenteritis, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.