‘Miracle drug’ could lead to extra jobs

July 2003

MORE jobs at an Arklow pharmaceutical manufacturing company are a likely spin-off of one of its products being hailed as a wonder drug this week.

International studies on the drug Coversyl, manufactured by Servier Industries on the southside of Arklow, show that it produces a significant reduction in heart attacks and deadly heart disease.

The drug, used normally to treat blood pressure, is expected to be of great benefit in this country, which has the highest rate of heart disease of any European country.

Following the discovery of the new curative properties of the ‘miracle drug’, it is estimated that the lives of up to 100,000 people could be saved by using Coversyl.

A source said this week that if the drug ‘ takes off ’ as a result of the test findings, then extra production will be needed at the Arklow plant and that could mean extra jobs.

A study of more than 12,000 patients from 24 European countries found that those who took the drug over a period of four years cut the risk of death through heart disease by 11 per cent.