The pharmaceutical company, Élan, has said it is going ahead with the recruitment of 40 extra staff at its plant in Athlone, Co Westmeath, despite today's huge fall in its share price value.
Shares in the firm fell by over 50% on the Irish Stock Exchange, wiping more than €1 billion off Élan's value.
The fall came with details of a third patient using the multiple sclerosis drug, Tysabri, contracting the rare and often fatal disease PML.
The company also said the controversy would not affect its current Irish workforce of over 550 people.
Tysabri is not manufactured in Ireland.
Sales of the drug were suspended in February after reports that two patients who had been taking Tysabri and another drug, Avonex, had got PML.
However, this third patient was using Tysabri but not Avonex. Medical experts say that the emergence of a third case all but rules out the return of Tysabri to the market.
Shares in the company were trading for €2.43 at 5pm today, having closed yesterday at €5.50.
