APC co-founder Mark Barrett discusses Ireland’s pharma landscape, the speed at which medicines are now moving and why it’s so hard for life science companies to get started. Ireland is a significant powerhouse when it comes to the pharma industry. According to IDA Ireland statistics, it’s the third largest exporter of pharmaceuticals globally, with nine of the top 10 of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies established in Ireland – and .
Ahead of his appearance at the on 26 September, SiliconRepublic.com spoke to Mark Barrett, co-founder and group CEO of APC and VLE Therapeutics, a group of Irish multinational companies that specialise in the research, digitalisation and manufacture of medicines. He said the country has built up huge credibility in the manufacturing and development of medicines.
“Obviously, there’s the underlying tax efficiency, but I think that has dissipated. I think that the prevalent reason they come is for the value chain that Ireland has created, and that’s found in talent,” he said. “I think being on the doorstep of Europe [helps], but also being accessible to the US and Asia, all within a working day is very favourable too so I think Ireland is doing very well.
” , born out of a friendship between Barrett when he was studying chemical engineering under Prof Brian Glennon. “We were very passionate about how to design medicines for manufacture and how to accelerate that through innovation. And I guess Brian and I had a pass.