ELAN has opened a new research and development section at its Athlone campus, which will eventually employ 90 graduates.

"It will double the capacity for product development at Athlone and represents a total capital investment of around £9.4 million over the past four years by Elan Pharmaceutical Technologies (EPT).

It will cater for more than 30 projects including pain management, arthritis and blood pressure control.

"I would hope that when many of these projects have reached approval we will retain the manufacturing on our Athlone site," said EPT president, Mr Seamus Mulligan.

Development work on the recently announced research agreement with Wyeth Ayrest Laboratories for an IPDAS formulation of arthritis medication Lodine will take place in the new facility.

Elan's EPT division now employs more than 300 people in research and development in Ireland.

The new jobs will be aimed at science, pharmacy and engineering graduates.

The company, is one of the world's leading drug delivery and biopharmaceutical companies.

In the three months to the end of December 1996, it made after tax profits of $30.9 million (£19.3 million).

In the nine months to the end of December, after tax profits rose from $62.3 million to $87.3 million.

The new department was formally opened by the Minister for Enterprise and Employment, Mr Bruton, yesterday.