Gaeltacht Company to Benefit from €17 Million Funding Announced by Minister Burke
Údarás na Gaeltachta warmly welcomes the announcement from Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke TD, and Minister for Further Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD, regarding €17 million in funding for two innovative projects. The Údarás is particularly pleased that one of its client companies, Sláinte HiTech Teoranta, is among the recipients.
The funding will enable Sláinte HiTech Teoranta and its partners to develop a groundbreaking treatment for brain damage in infants.
Neonatal Hypoxic Ischaemic Encephalopathy (HIE) occurs when a baby’s brain doesn’t receive sufficient oxygen during birth. Currently, the only available treatment involves cooling the infant to 33.5°C for 72 hours.
The research consortium will work on developing a new treatment called Can-Vas, a cell therapy designed to complement the cooling procedure. This innovative approach aims to:
- Extend treatment duration from 3 days to several weeks or months
- Minimize long-term complications
- Significantly improve quality of life for affected children and their families
Commenting on the announcement, Údarás na Gaeltachta Chief Executive Tomás Ó Siocháin stated:
“This substantial funding demonstrates the exceptional innovation standards being achieved by Gaeltacht companies in the life sciences sector. Sláinte HiTech Teoranta exemplifies how companies based in the Gaeltacht are spearheading pioneering developments in cutting-edge medical technologies.”
Sláinte HiTech Teoranta is based at na Tulaigh Business Park in the Connemara Gaeltacht. The company has developed specialized expertise in cell and gene therapy and has identified a market gap in supporting clients seeking to develop and commercialize new therapeutic solutions.