The future of more than a thousand medical company jobs in the Highlands has been secured by a £9.5 million project, the Scottish government has said. LifeScan, a Johnson & Johnson-owned company, manufactures devices for diabetics at a plant in Inverness.

The site will become the base for all research and development of the US giant's blood glucose monitoring work. The £9.5 million investment involves up to £2.8 million from public agency Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).

Announced during First Minister Alex Salmond's trade visit to the US, the project is expected to secure about 1,100 existing jobs and create 19 new posts. LifeScan is one of the biggest private employers in the Highlands.

Mr Salmond said: "We are already at the forefront of diabetes research and this commitment to LifeScan in Inverness is a further demonstration of the fact that this Highlands base will continue to be a leader in cutting-edge research.

“The research and development money will create new highly-skilled, well-paid jobs and will build on Scotland's reputation for supporting economic growth and innovation.”

Alex Paterson, chief executive of HIE, said the agency was delighted to have worked closely with LifeScan over several years.

He added: “The decision to have the diabetes research and development effort in our region, attracting staff from across the world, is a resounding vote of confidence in our capabilities in the life sciences sector.”