Some of the world's most recognizable generic pharmaceutical product manufacturers are now employing the GL-AMS (Global Artwork Management System) from The Perigord Group. Dublin-based Perigord was the first of four life sciences-related companies visited by Healthcare Packaging editor Jim Butschli Aug. 20 - 22 during an exclusive trip to Ireland supported by Enterprise Ireland .
The pharmaceutical sector represents, "between 40 and 50 percent of our business today and that figure continues to grow," says Alan Leamy, the company's managing director. GL-AMS, introduced in the U.S. during Interphex, held earlier this year in Philadelphia. GL-AMS creates a central online storage area that provides a single point of proof for artwork used for packaging materials such as cartons, labels, inserts, and leaflets, allowing users to develop consistent branding across multiple stock-keeping units and at multiple global locations. This can help speed product to market, and help companies with verification tasks.
At the time of Healthcare Packaging's visit, a major producer of generic pharmaceuticals using GL-AMS was unable to reveal details about the packaging artwork management system due to a recent takeover of its business. Stay tuned for more details on that application, and other recent visits.
Ireland's life sciences sector remains healthy
Meanwhile, Ireland's life sciences sector continues to do well, with Enterprise Ireland serving as the government agency responsible for the development and promotion of the indigenous business sector. Ireland's Industrial Development Agency (IDA), a government agency that helps secure new investment from overseas, notes that foreign investment in Ireland's pharmaceutical sector began more than 40 years ago, with Bristol-Myers Squibb being the first to locate in the country in 1964.
IDA's Web site says, "The pharmaceutical sector makes an enormous contribution to the generation of wealth in the Irish economy and has experienced significant growth in recent years as evidenced by the following statistics:
• €29.7 billion exports (40% of total manufacturing exports)
• Currently 13 of the top 15 companies in the world have substantial operations in Ireland.
• Six out of 10 and 12 out of 25 of the world's top-selling drugs are produced in Ireland, including Lipitor and Zocor. Products are manufactured for global markets.
In late April, Enterprise Ireland noted that Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin announced the establishment of Fountain Healthcare Partners, a Dublin-based life science venture capital fund dedicated life science Fund to be established under the Enterprise Ireland Seed and Venture Capital Scheme 2007-2012. The Fund will invest from €0.5m to €7m per company, with an emphasis on the specialty pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices and diagnostics sectors. [HCP]
