Medtronic, a global leader in medical technology, services and solutions, is to establish a new manufacturing facility in Galway that will manufacture the company’s medical device for the treatment of peripheral artery disease (PAD). The company announced that the decision to locate the new manufacturing facility in Galway was based on the existing high-tech capability and expertise at the site in drug-device combination products. Highly skilled professionals from other parts of the Medtronic organisation, approximately 100, who specialise in the areas of quality and manufacturing engineering, supply chain and production management, will be stationed in the new facility. The facility will have 20,000 square feet of space with 8,000 square feet dedicated to manufacturing and will cost approximately €13 million. The new facility will manufacture the market-leading IN.PACT® Admiral® drug-coated balloon (DCB) for the treatment of peripheral artery disease (PAD). PAD is a build-up of plaque in arteries throughout the body leading to reduced blood flow to the limbs, organs, and the brain. Patients with PAD are at higher risk for stroke and heart attack. Tony Semedo, senior vice president and president of the aortic and peripheral vascular business at Medtronic, said the investment showed Ireland’s importance to Medtronic’s overall growth strategy. “Since launching the IN.PACT Admiral DCB in the US market, it has quickly become the fastest adopted DCB technology. In fact, our global market leadership in DCB is driving the need to open the new facility here in Galway to provide more patients access to this highly efficacious and safe treatment option for peripheral arterial disease. “Our Galway operations and staff have very specific expertise in this area, which is the platform for this announcement. Once fully operational, this facility will be the only DCB manufacturing area of its kind in Medtronic worldwide. Our organisation is on an expansionary path, with a notable amount of this growth to be fuelled by products coming out of Ireland.” Medtronic continues to see additional synergies since the acquisition of Covidien. With the IN.PACT Admiral DCB U.S. launch the week following the acquisition, Medtronic was able to leverage the combined sales force to get this product to market faster. It has been specifically designed to meet the needs of the manufacturing process associated with the IN.PACT Admiral drug-coated balloon (DCB), which is used for the interventional treatment of peripheral artery disease (PAD) in the upper leg. This is a serious and common cardiovascular condition that affects more than 202 million people worldwide.