First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has revealed £1.5 million of funding is available for a pharmaceutical company to expand their plant in Irvine.

GlaxoSmithKline is extending their facility to meet growing demand, with more than £200m invested at their sites in Irvine and Montrose since 2013.

It it thought the scheme will create 55 extra new jobs.

The company will receive a Scottish Enterprise Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) grant to extend their Potassium Clavulanate (Clav) Plant, which produces penicillin.

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Speaking at the facility's opening today, 22 February, Sturgeon said: "GSK is a global leader in the development of medicines and a great example of a highly innovative company that is benefiting from what Scotland has to offer as an attractive location of choice for global life sciences companies."

Sir Andrew Witty, GSK CEO, added: "We're delighted to be opening a new facility in Scotland, where we have a long-standing commitment to manufacturing, which will continue in the near and distant future. The impact of this new facility will be felt here and abroad, with more antibiotics produced for people in countries where this sort of medicine is desperately needed."

(LM)