Up to 250 jobs are to be provided at the PPD pharmaceutical company, which is opening a new drug testing laboratory in Co Westmeath.
50 of those jobs are now coming on line at the new Athlone facility, which will continue the co-ordination of clinical trials for some of the world's top drug manufacturers.
It is over 14 months since the North Carolina firm announced plans to open a new analytical testing laboratory in the IDA's Garrycastle Business and Technology Park.
This morning, Taoiseach Brian Cowen will meet senior management at the new plant.
The company has already recruited lab support staff from graduate pools at Athlone IT.
It will add the remaining jobs over the next four years in a facility that will conduct testing for clinical and commercial drug development.
Today's opening is timely after last Friday's announcement of the Postbank closure.
Many of that company's 260 staff were based at a customer contact centre in Co Westmeath.
