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Jameson sales increased by 15% last year

Sales of Jameson whiskey increased by 15 per cent last year, according to the full-year sales figures for its parent company Pernod Ricard.

Sales of the whiskey, which has been distilled in Ireland for more than 200 years, increased 12 per cent in volume terms over the 12 months to the end of June. The brand is owned by the Irish Distillers Group.

Jameson achieved growth in almost every region, increasing by 21 per cent in the US, where the good performance of Pernod Ricard's spirit brands helped offset a more difficult year for its wines.

The company made "good progress" in Ireland, according to a statement released yesterday. Overall, Pernod Ricard achieved sales of more than €6 million, an increase of 68 per cent on the year before.

Identigen to serve North America

Identigen, an Irish group that uses DNA-based solutions to trace the origins of meat from slaughtering to the consumers' plate, has set up a new unit to serve North America.

The division, which will be known as Identigen North America, will focus on commercialising its so-called traceback tracking system in the region, whose pork and beef market is estimated to be worth $80 billion (€63 billion.)

Identigen, which was spun out from the Institute of Genetics at Trinity College Dublin, hired Donald Marvin as president and chief executive of the new unit.

Persian Gold looks to Iran for gold

Persian Gold has made "significant progress" towards becoming a gold producer in Iran, shareholders in the company were told yesterday.

The firm's chairman, John Teeling, said it would start drilling on its Yazd gold prospect in September, with other gold projects also under evaluation.

Shares in Persian Gold gained 0.5p to close at 20p in London last night.

Flynn raises funds for United Drug

United Drug chief information officer Annette Flynn has raised €367,966 through the sale of 105,772 shares in the company.

Ms Flynn sold the stock on Wednesday at prices between €3.46 and €3.59. United Drug fell by one cent to close at €3.48 last night.

Donegal group appoints Vance

Donegal Creameries has appointed Geoffrey Vance as its new chairman, replacing Lexie Tinney.

Mr Tinney has retired, and Mr Vance has been on the board of Donegal Creameries since 1989.

Amarin enrols patients for trial

Neuroscience company Amarin has enrolled 240 patients for the European phase three trial of Miraxion, a drug used to treat Huntington's disease, ahead of schedule.

The study is being conducted at 27 neurology centres in Europe. Data analysis and reporting is on track for either the first or second quarter of 2007.

There is currently no Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved treatment for Huntington's disease.

Version 1 buys Prose in €1m deal

Irish technology consultants group Version 1 has bought the Dublin-based software company Prose in a deal estimated to be worth around €1 million.

The deal will increase the firm's revenues by 20 per cent to almost €12 million and boost the number of employees to 120 people.

Prose provides software packages, bespoke software and customer support services to around 50 clients in the Government, public, media, corporate and health sectors. The new entity will operate under the Version 1 brand.