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ABRAXIS BioScience Opens New Mfg Complex in PR Abraxis BioScience Inc Construction of Comprehensive Cancer Center Labs Begins University of Puerto Rico (UPR) President Antonio García Padilla, Esq. stated today that the Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) Laboratories` construction start-up is `another significant step` that advances a leading initiative for cancer research in Puerto Rico. García Padilla, who is also CCC Board of Directors President, explained that the old Biomedical Building is being remodeled using the most modern and competitive techniques in research infrastructure; it will create a 40,000 square-foot space for the research laboratories and an additional 11,600 square-foot space for support services. García Padilla noted that the construction start-up is another significant advancement in the development of UPR`s CCC, which will contribute to the generation of new protocols and medicines to better serve our community. The CCC will be the first one in the US to focus its research on the Hispanic population. In addition, it will address such questions as the genetic mechanisms at work in the development of cancer, the effect of lifestyles on the risk of cancer, and preventive strategies—all within the Hispanic populations` cultural framework. MD Anderson Cancer Center Pharmaceutical Development Program Executive Director Dr. Gabriel López-Berestein indicated that the CCC laboratories will also promote the development of clinical treatments based on research. `Future clinical treatments will depend on the basic knowledge of the behavior of tumors and these laboratories open the doors so that this knowledge can be generated in Puerto Rico. They also open the doors to generate and attract expert cancer researchers, and to retain them in Puerto Rico,` expressed López-Berestein, who is part of the CCC Board of Directors. The $18.7 million project will be completed in the next 18 months. Besides doing cancer research, scientists in the new buildings will also conduct population studies and keep statistical data in a cancer registry. The CCC can establish collaborative agreements related to cancer research with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, such as the design and start up of clinical studies leading to the development of new cancer medicines. UPR and the MD Anderson Cancer Center have a signed cooperative agreement, financed by the National Institutes of Health, to strengthen the training of scientists and doctors in Puerto Rico to attend this illness. PIA-PR Members MerckSharpDohme, Lilly and Schering-Plough have also joined this effort of paramount importance for the pharmaceutical industry and Puerto Rico. The Comprehensive Cancer Center of the University of Puerto Rico is a public corporation, created by Law #230 of August 26, 2004 and affiliated to the University of Puerto Rico. Pharma-Bio Serv Inagurates New Facs in Dorado, PR PIA-PR Affiliate M Lilly del Caribe Marks Opening of Puerto Rico’s First Biotech Plant World-class facility creates 600 new jobs -- Eli Lilly & Company celebrated on October 19 the start of operations at its new manufacturing facility, one of the world’s largest biotech operations. The plant will provide 600 new jobs and additional capacity to produce life-saving medicine for people with diabetes. The new facility, part of Lilly’s $1.2 billion investment in Puerto Rico this decade, manufactures the active ingredient in Humalog®, a biosynthetic human insulin that is derived from recombinant DNA and used worldwide in the treatment of diabetes. “This site was fully operational just four years after groundbreaking—a major team accomplishment and one that all of Lilly’s global management is proud of. It was made possible by the dedication and skill of our employees, our ties with the community, and our strong working relationship with local and state government and regulatory agencies,” said Lilly (PR) Manufacturing Operation President Seamus Malone, Ph.D. Joining Lilly officials for the dedication of the new plant today were Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá, Economic Development and Commerce Secretary Ricardo Rivera; Carolina (PR) Mayor José Aponte de la Torre; and Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO) Executive Director Boris Jaskille. `This facility represents one more example of why Puerto Rico is Biotech Island. We fully support Lilly`s operations in Puerto Rico and will continue to make doing business here a pleasure. Puerto Rico has been a global leader in manufacturing pharmaceutical products for more than 40 years. Our unique combination of incentives, skilled workforce, strong infrastructure and excellent business climate provide us the necessary tools to become a global leader in biotechnology as well,” said Acevedo-Vilá, who stressed that since assuming office, he has made growing the Puerto Rico biotechnology sector a priority of his economic development plan. The new biotech plant includes more than a half-million square feet of space, including a development laboratory, warehouse, and quality-control labs. Since breaking ground in July 2002, Lilly has constructed the buildings, and tested and qualified more than 30,000 pieces of specialized equipment; established all quality-control systems; and, recruited and trained employees. Lilly’s commitment to people with diabetes spans more than eight decades. In 1923, the company partnered with the discoverers of insulin to produce it in large quantities for the first time. Called Iletin®, this product was the world’s first treatment for diabetes and saved countless lives. Lilly again made history in 1982 with Humulin®, the world’s first human health product to be made using recombinant DNA technology. Lilly’s investment in the new biotech operation is a continuation of its heritage in diabetes care, and an investment in the future of people with the disease. The World Health Organization predicts that the number of diabetes patients will grow from 171 million today to more than 366 million by 2030. In the United States, diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death, and an estimated 17 million Americans suffer from the disease. According to the American Diabetes Association, Puerto Rico has one of the highest rates of diabetes in the world, with more than 450,000 of its 4 million residents diagnosed with the disease. The new biotech site is one of several Lilly manufacturing operations in Puerto Rico. Another plant in Carolina makes tablets and capsules, including Cymbalta®, while a site at Mayagüez provides support services. In addition, a Lilly chemical synthesis plant in Guayama is in the final phases of preparing to make active ingredients for Lilly products, including duloxetine for Cymbalta®. Volumen 10/ Issue 11/November 2006 Novartis Announced Plant Expansion in Humacao Novartis has begun construction on its most recent expansion, a $36 million project to be completed by the end of 2008 that will establish in Puerto Rico a Packaging facility for the Novartis OTC division`s family of Thin-Film products. Novartis (Humacao) General Manager Carlos Ceinos, who announced the expansion, explained that it will add 80 new employees at the Humacao facility and increase the payroll by $2.7 million. He added that the investment includes the construction of a new 50,000 square-foot space, as well as renovations to the existent 2,300 square-foot space. The total investment in the facility is $22 million with an additional investment in machinery and equipment of $14 million. Ceinos noted that the manufacturing of Thin-Film products employs innovative technology and requires highly skilled technical and professional personnel. `This investment will speed the development and commercialization of products that are key to the company`s growth. Novartis is committed to Puerto Rico and the successful growth of our operations on the island. We are grateful for the opportunity to participate in the Industrial Incentives program of the government of Puerto Rico and appreciate Fomento`s (the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company`s) support during the development of this project,` stated Ceinos. Volumen 12/ Issue 2/February 2008 LifeScan Inaugurates New Aguadilla Plant On December 13, 2007, LifeScan, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, inaugurated its new Aguadilla plant where it will manufacture the OneTouch Ultra® brand of test strips used by diabetics to monitor the level of glucose in their blood. The new manufacturing facility represents an investment of about $75 million and the plant is expected to employ approximately 350 persons once full production is achieved in 2010. The plant currently employs about 135 persons. Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá participated in the inauguration activities, accompanied by Economic Development and Commerce Secretary-elect Bartolomé Gamundi and Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO) Executive Director Boris Jaskille. LifeScan was represented at the event by LifeScan Worldwide Operations Vice President Todd Kinser and LifeScan Executive Director of Operations (US and PR) Eduardo Báez. “Our government will continue to facilitate and promote investments in high technology industries to create the good jobs that Puerto Rico needs and, by so doing, continue to position ourselves as the Bio-Island,” said the Governor. Báez said that LifeScan was able to meet its target startup date in Aguadilla thanks to the help it received from various government agencies in speeding up the process of granting permits. He specifically noted the support received from PRIDCO, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority and the Aqueduct and Sewers Authority. Báez also praised the company’s workers for their hard work to ensure the plant was ready to begin operations on time. He noted that one key factor in the decision to establish the new plant in Puerto Rico was the existence here of a pool of skilled workers with experience in the manufacture of glucose monitoring test strips. The test strips are an integral part of the OneTouch® glucose monitoring system that LifeScan manufactures and distributes to help diabetes patients manage their disease. The company also manufactures blood glucose meters, lancing devices and diabetes management software. More than three million people around the world use LifeScan’s products regularly. LifeScan has been operating in Puerto Rico since 1989 when it opened its first manufacturing plant in San Germán. A Johnson & Johnson company since 1986, LifeScan is headquartered in Milpitas, California, with test strip manufacturing operations located in Inverness, Scotland and in Puerto Rico. Volumen 12/ Issue 1/January 2008 Lilly del Caribe Plant Investment World Class Facility I Volumen 11/ Issue 9/September 2007 LifeScan to Expand Operations in Puerto Rico
Lilly Announces $200 MILLION Carolina Operations Expansion At its ribbon-cutting ceremony on December 20, 2005, Lilly del Caribe Inc. inaugurated new facilities at the company`s operations in Carolina, a $200 million investment for new laboratory facilities and a specialized capsule manufacturing unit. The fill-finishing manufacturing process for the anti-depressant Cymbalta® is carried out at this six-story facility, which is an expansion of the PR-1 Plant. In addition to Cymbalta, PR-1 does the fill finishing for Zyprexa, Evista, Symbyax, Cialis and Strattera. Cymbalta®, which inhibits serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake in the brain, is FDA approved for the treatment of major depression in adults. It is also the first and only treatment approved by the FDA for the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. “For Lilly, this ceremony represents not only the inauguration of new facilities, it also marks and strengthens Lilly`s commitment to Puerto Rico and its people,” said Lilly del Caribe President Seamus Malone, who added that “For four decades, we have invested in and developed not only first-in-class products, but also Puerto Rican professionals who have grown with Lilly. Our Puerto Rico work force is one of the best worldwide, both within Lilly and within the entire industry. This is our way of saying thank you to Puerto Rico, which has always given us the opportunity to develop our operations on a par with its communities.” Lilly has manufacturing operations in three locations on the island – Carolina, Mayagüez and, more recently, Guayama. The facilities are part of over $750 million in investments by Lilly in manufacturing operations in Puerto Rico over the past five years. This year Lilly is celebrating its 40th Anniversary in Puerto Rico. PR-1, the first Lilly plant on the island was established in 1965 in Carolina. In total, Lilly employs approximately 1600 people in manufacturing on the island and approximately 110 at its sales and marketing office in San Juan. Lilly, a leading innovation-driven corporation, is developing a growing portfolio of best-in-class pharmaceutical products by applying the latest research from its own worldwide laboratories and from collaborations with eminent scientific organizations. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Lilly provides answers – through medicines and information – for some of the world`s most urgent medical needs. Additional information about Lilly is available at its web site (www.lilly.com). Volumen 10/ Issue 1/January 2006 Merck PR Inaugurates $300 Million Expansion--Barceloneta Facility Company also announces pilot of new manufacturing production system –Merck Sharp & Dohme, Puerto Rico Operations announced on November 16 the inauguration of a $300 million facility at its Barceloneta plant thus retaining 200 local jobs. Along with this announcement, Merck presented the results of a pilot manufacturing initiative that will serve as a model for the company`s worldwide operations. Known as `Merck Production System` (MPS), this project has already demonstrated strong potential to increase significantly the company`s manufacturing efficiency, and its competitiveness. Both announcements were made during a visit to Puerto Rico by the company`s top executives, including Merck Manufacturing Division President Willie A. Deese, who stated, `Merck selected Puerto Rico for these initiatives because of its strategic importance for the company`s operations. We are extremely proud of the contributions of the many people involved in both of these projects that will help to enhance the efficiency and productivity of our manufacturing operations.` Puerto Rico Operations Vice President Daneris Fernández added, `We are extremely proud of this achievement that reflects the talent and capacity we have to compete in the global economy. With these accomplishments, Merck Puerto Rico lays the groundwork for a full transformation of our production process, to help us reach our goal of being the most trusted and competitive supplier of medicines in the world.` Merck Puerto Rico manufactures many of the company`s most important medications, representing 35% of Merck`s total sales. Merck & Co. Inc. is a global, research-driven pharmaceutical company dedicated to putting patients first. Established in 1891, Merck discovers, develops, manufactures and markets vaccines and medicines in more than 20 therapeutic categories. The company devotes extensive efforts to increase access to medicines through far-reaching programs, which not only donate Merck medicines but also help deliver them to the people who need them. In addition, Merck publishes unbiased health information as a nonprofit service. For more information, visit Merck`s Internet site (www.merck.com). Volumen 9/ Issue 12/December 2005 AMGEN Obtains FDA Approval for Bulk Manufacturing Plant Continuing with its $1.2 billion expansion project in Juncos Volumen 9/ Issue 9/September 2005 UPR Mayagüez Launches Biotech Research Center The University of Puerto Rico - Mayagüez Campus (UPR-M) will be a key player in the new Biotechnology Center for Research and Training in Bioprocesses to begin construction this summer in Mayagüez. This center responds to the pharmaceutical and biotech industry`s need to train its labor force to develop and implement research that will improve its manufacturing and engineering bioprocesses. A team of experts from the island`s academic, private and public sectors designed and developed plans for the Biotechnology Center, a UPR-PRIDCO joint venture, and presented a joint proposal to the US Economic Develop Administration, which approved $2.5 million for the construction of the center on land to be contributed by PRIDCO. The project is a UPR high priority item. At the recent contract-signing ceremony, UPR President Antonio García Padilla noted the importance of this agreement. He pointed out that it provides the island an instrument for economic development based on Puerto Rican intellect, knowledge and skill, while stating, `Highly advanced societies are characterized by the close link between the economic development and general well-being of their residents and the degree of private and public - as well as academic - investment in leading-edge research.` He also added that investments in research projects `that highlight knowledge and proficiency as our most important asset, are a priority for Puerto Rico and our economic future plans must include support for benchmarking, quality research - in line with the most exacting worldwide criteria.` UPR-M Rector Jorge Iván Vélez Arocho underscored the campus` role in the project: `Our renowned educational and investigative tradition in the biotech field, and our close bond with its industry, will be further strengthened by the presence of this innovative biotechnology center on our campus. Without doubt, it will allow us to contribute additionally to the socioeconomic development of the island.` During this meeting, newly appointed PRIDCO Executive Director Marie Robert stated that, `...the Biotechnology Center will set the bases to ensure the island a place as a world-class competitor in the biotechnology industry.` And, DEDC Secretary Jorge Silva Puras added, `Puerto Rico`s economic transformation has begun and Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá (and) his economic development team, are fully committed to ensure for Puerto Rico the scientific infrastructure to drive a knowledge-based economy.` The Biotechnology Center of the UPR-M campus will give the island an additional competitive edge to attract major industry investments, such as those made by AMGEN, Lilly, Johnson & Johnson and Abbott.` In addition to the meeting participants already mentioned, the following persons also participated in the meeting: UPR Research and Technology Vice President Emma Fernández Repollet, US Public Works Administration Regional Director (Philadelphia) Eng. Phillip Saputo. The pharmaceutical industry was represented by the following general managers: Harry Rodríguez - Abbott; Madhu Balachandran - AMGEN; Ralph Díaz - Johnson & Johnson, and by PIA-PR Executive Vice President Agustín Márquez Veglio. Volumen 9/ Issue 2/February 2005 Janssen to Build New Facilities in Gurabo Janssen Ortho LLC, a Johnson & Johnson company, broke ground recently for a new manufacturing facility that will make medicines that use the new OROS® oral delivery system. J&J Manufacturing Operations Vice President Edgardo Fábregas said the new facility represents an investment of $52 million and will result in the creation of at least 30 direct jobs in its initial manufacturing phase. He added that the Gurabo plant will be the worldwide manufacturing source for pharmaceutical production using this technology. “Johnson & Johnson has acknowledged the productivity and strength of its Puerto Rico operations by choosing Janssen’s Gurabo plant as the site for this new expansion that utilizes state-of-the-art technology,” said Fábregas. According to Janssen General Manager Rafael Espinal, the Oral Osmotic or OROS® technology employs the osmosis process to provide precise, controlled delivery of the medication contained in extended release tablets. He said J&J acquired the OROS® technology from the ALZA Corporation, now a J&J company. Espinal said 100 indirect jobs will be employed during the construction phase. He added that the plant should be fully operational by the fall of 2007. Economic Development and Commerce Secretary Hiram Ramírez - who participated in the groundbreaking ceremony - said, “For over two decades, Puerto Rico in general and Gurabo in particular, have partnered with Janssen Ortho in evolving this manufacturing site. We have continued to adapt our business environment to the particular needs of the biopharmaceutical companies and Janssen Ortho has continued to commit investments, such as the one you’ve witnessed here today, in our land and in our people. Two generations of Puerto Ricans have participated in this endeavor and, given today’s announcement, several more generations will as well.” The Janssen plant began operations in 1981 and currently employs approximately 500 associates. Volumen 9/ Issue 1/January 2005 Ethicon Inaugurates Global Manufacturing Site Ethicon LLC has inaugurated a new manufacturing facility at its San Lorenzo site that will make it a global market producer of sutures used for wound closures and cardiovascular surgery. `The expansion of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) subsidiary represents a capital investment of $5.6 million and the creation of about 300 new jobs,` said Ethicon LLC General Manager Rubén Cardona during the new facility’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. Economic Development and Commerce Secretary Milton Segarra, said the Ethicon expansion strengthens the island’s position as a world class competitor in the medical devices industry. Segarra said there’s no question that incentives are important in attracting new investments to the island, and added, “At the end of the day, what eventually convinces many companies to establish or expand operations here is the quality of Puerto Rico’s workers, not only because of their skills, but also because of their innovative minds and dedication to their jobs.” Meanwhile, Puerto Rico Industrial Co. (PRIDCO) Executive Director Hirám Ramírez pointed out that the medical devices industry is one of the island’s fastest growing industrial sectors and currently accounts for 15,000 direct jobs. Also participating in the ceremony was San Lorenzo Mayor José Román who noted that San Lorenzo has the lowest unemployment rate among all the municipalities in the eastern part of the island. Plant GM Cardona explained that with the new expansion, the Ethicon plant in San Lorenzo will be supplying the European market, in addition to its existing markets in the United States, Canada and Latin America. Until now, Ethicon has supplied the European market from its plant in Scotland. “The trust placed in us by our colleagues in the US fills me with pride,” said Cardona. “In effect, they are telling us that we have the technology, and the knowledge, to become the world’s top supplier of sutures.” Cardona added that the company is currently about halfway through the expansion process. He said, once the expansion has been completed in June 2005, the plant will have a total of about 1,300 employees. J&J established the San Lorenzo plant in 1988. The plant’s manufacturing operation consists of the assembly and packaging of suture and needles, Liga clips and absorbable hemostasis material. Volumen 8/ Issue 11/November 2004 IPR Pharmaceuticals Inaugurates Canóvanas Plant IPR Pharmaceuticals, Inc – a subsidiary of AstraZeneca PLC - inaugurated on March 8 the company’s $400 million plant in Canóvanas, centerpiece of its pharmaceutical operations on the island and global manufacturing site for AstraZeneca’s new cholesterol reducing drug Crestor. Over 400 new jobs have been created since the Canóvanas site was acquired by IPR more than five years ago, bringing the total number of IPR employees in Puerto Rico to over 900. In addition to the new Canóvanas plant, IPR also operates plants in Carolina and Guayama. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Governor Sila M. Calderón said the opening of the IPR Canóvanas facility demonstrated that Puerto Rico had strengthened its standing as a preferred site for high-tech investments, particularly in the area of pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. For his part, Sir Tom McKillop, AstraZeneca’s chief executive officer, said the company’s decision to make Crestor in Canóvanas for the global market is “evidence of the importance of our Puerto Rico operations to AstraZeneca’s global manufacturing efforts.” Other speakers were Dr. Barrie J. Thorpe, AstraZeneca Operations’ executive vice president, and Rubén Freyre, IPR Pharmaceuticals’ president and general manager. The Canóvanas plant recorded the fastest launches of a new product in the company’s history, putting Crestor into the hands of distributors within seven days of the product’s approval by the US Food and Drug Administration. McNeil C & S Pharmaceuticals Expands in Las Piedras On November 5, 2003, McNeil Consumer & Specialty Pharmaceuticals - a Johnson & Johnson company operating in Las Piedras, Puerto Rico - broke ground for the construction of new and expanded chemical laboratory facilities. The expansion will enable the company to employ new and emerging technologies to meet its future growth objectives. McNeil will bring to the Las Piedras site new technology that will generate approximately 200 new jobs in both manufacturing and laboratory operations, bringing total employment at the site to 745. Besides McNeil Consumer, Johnson & Johnson operates eight other healthcare product manufacturing operations in Puerto Rico, and three sales & marketing divisions, with a total employment of over 4,000. McNeil Consumer & Specialty Pharmaceuticals’ President Bill McComb, Operations Vice President Tom Lapinski and General Manager Oray Boston attended the groundbreaking ceremonies. McNeil Consumer & Specialty Pharmaceuticals will celebrate its twentieth anniversary in Puerto Rico in 2004. Volumen 7/ Issue 12/December 2003 Janssen holds $250 Million Plant Expansion Ground Breaking Ceremony Janssen Ortho LLC, a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary operating a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Gurabo, broke ground on August 19 , 2003 for a forthcoming expansion to be built at an estimated cost of $250 million. This expansion will generate approximately 125 jobs in addition to the 450 currently existing at the Gurabo site. The project, by itself, will also generate around 450 new construction jobs. Governor Sila M. Calderón, Economic Development Secretary Milton Segarra and Gurabo Mayor José A. Rivera joined Janssen Ortho LLC executives and employees for the event, representing the many government agencies which contributed significant effort and resources to bring this project to fruition. The expansion includes the construction of a new multipurpose facility for pharmaceutical manufacturing. The new facility, expected to be operational by the end of year 2006, will incorporate state-of-the-art technology to make products for both domestic and international markets. Construction involves a three-story building and parking facilities. The remaining 110 acres will be equipped with the infrastructure required for the future establishment of other industrial facilities. This industrial park will have an internal road providing access to the various Janssen Ortho LLC facilities, both present and future. Janssen began a chemical and pharmaceutical operation in Gurabo in 1981. A significant expansion of pharmaceutical product manufacturing took place in 1999, which included new facilities for tablet production and a laboratory expansion. Among the products manufactured at Janssen Ortho LLC in Gurabo are Risperdal, Ultracet, Levaquin, Topamax and Reminyl. Besides Janssen Ortho LLC in Gurabo, J&J operates health care product manufacturing facilities in the town of Las Piedras, San Lorenzo, Manatí, San Germán and Cabo Rojo, and sales, marketing and general administration offices in Caguas. Johnson and Johnson operations in Puerto Rico are led by Edgardo Fábregas (VP Manufacturing Operations Latin América), Jorge Ros (Janssen Product Ortho LLC), Oray Boston (McNeil Consumer Healthcare), Oscar Devries (OMJ Pharmaceuticals), Francisco Aponte (Ethicon), Ramón Rijos (Ortho Biologics), Rafael Díaz (Ortho McNeil), Bill Renzo (Commercial), Margarita Hernández (Shared Services) and Luis González Argüeso (Corporate Public Affairs). Congratulations and best wishes!! Volumen 7/ Issue 9/September 2003 Eli Lilly Expands in Puerto Rico
Ortho Announces $45 Million Expansion in Manati Ortho Pharmaceutical, a member of Johnson & Johnson’s Family of Companies in Puerto Rico, and the Pharmaceutical Sourcing Group of the Americas (PSGA), recently celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony of its Oral Contraceptives (OC) facility’s expansion. A total of $45 million will be invested to upgrade its current facilities by consolidating oral contraceptive manufacture in Manatí. Construction on the 45,000 sq. feet expansion is expected to begin on the first week of June 2003 and end in July 2005. During the construction phase, 130 indirect jobs will be created while avoiding the loss of a significant portion of the 130 direct Manufacturing and Quality Assurance positions currently working at the Manatí OC site, and providing 30 additional positions over the next two year. This investment is an opportunity for Ortho Pharmaceutical to become the J&J Center of Excellence for potent compound manufacturing. J&J has been in Puerto Rico since 1963. “Presently, J&J has 14 operations in seven municipalities around the island and about 5,000 highly skilled employees,” said J&J Manufacturing Vice President for Puerto Rico and Latin America Edgardo Fábregas. AMGEN Announces Major Expansion `AMGEN, the world`s largest biotechnology company, has announced plans to invest $800 million over the next three to five years to create a biotechnology center for bulk manufacturing in Juncos, Puerto Rico,” said AMGEN Puerto Rico General Manager Emilio Rivera. The site will include: manufacturing plants for key biologics; full-testing, quality, analytical laboratories; a new syringe-line facility; high-speed packaging capability; warehouses; and, administration buildings. It is anticipated that the new center will create jobs for about 600 people over the next four years, increasing AMGEN`s island workforce to about 1,000 people; the current construction project now employs approximately 1,300. To help ensure the successful recruitment and education of staff, and as part of its commitment to the community, AMGEN has donated $100,000 for The AMGEN Biotechnology Learning Center at the University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez Campus (UPR-M). The center will be available to undergraduate students, high school teachers and professionals. AMGEN is a global biotechnology company that discovers, develops, manufactures and markets important human therapeutics based on advances in cellular and molecular biology. The company’s research and product development efforts are focused on helping patients in four critical areas: nephrology, oncology, inflammation and bone diseases, and neurology. Bristol-Myers Squibb Completes Mayagüez Expansion
Abbott Laboratories to Build Biotechnology Manufacturing Plant in Puerto Rico Abbott Laboratories announced plans to build an approximately $350 million biotechnology manufacturing plant in Barceloneta, Puerto Rico. This plant, is part of the company’s plan to ensure long-term production capacity for commercial biologic products. The first product to be manufactured at the new site will be HUMIRA (also known as D2E7 or adalimumab), the compound, under investigation for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), currently being reviewed by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products. This new plant will add an additional 104 acres to the existing Abbott Puerto Rico Operations site. Construction on the new plant will begin immediately. The expansion will create more than 200 new jobs, and more than 800 temporary jobs will be created as a result of construction-related activities. The new plant will use innovative biotechnology manufacturing and production technologies to produce multiple biologic products. The new plant expands the pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities of Abbott Puerto Rico Operations to include biotechnology with the existing technologies of fermentation and chemical synthesis. This decision reflects upon the world-class capabilities of our Puerto Rico operations, and is a testimony to the talent and skill of our local work force, said Abbott Puerto Rico Operations Divisional Vice President and General Manager Harry Rodríguez. We look forward to working with local educational organizations in the development and staffing of the new biologics plant. Abbott Puerto Rico Operations currently employs more than 2,300 people in addition to 168 employees at the Jayuya plant and 200 employees at the company’s commercial division (sales, distribution and marketing) in Carolina, Puerto Rico. The Abbott Commercial Office, that serves Puerto Rico and Caribbean markets, is led by PIA-PR Chairperson and Abbott General Manager Cynthia Anderson. Abbott Laboratories is a global, broad-based, healthcare company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceutical, nutritional, and medical products, including devices and diagnostics. The company employs approximately 70,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries. Volumen 6/ Issue 12/December 2002 Bristol-Myers Squibb inaugurates new Humacao Building Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) announced the inauguration of a $30 million new building at its manufacturing facilities in Humacao, to produce Plavix®, a drug for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The new, state of the art building has the capacity to weigh, compress, coat and package over a billion tablets a year. During the construction phase over 1,000 direct construction jobs were generated. Currently, there are 40 employees in its production phase. Plavix® is a prescription drug specifically designed for people who have had a recent heart attack, a recent stroke, or have poor circulation in the legs, which may cause pain (known as peripheral arterial disease or PAD). Plavix® is proven to help keep blood platelets from sticking together and forming clots, which helps keep the blood flowing. This can help protect patients from having another heart attack or stroke. The drug was approved by the FDA in 1998 and over 4.7 million people throughout the world have benefited from it. BMS started operations in Humacao in 1970 as a pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturing plant. In addition to Plavix® BMS Humacao currently manufactures the cardiovascular products Avapro®, Monopril®, Pravachol® and Corgard®; the anti-infectious products Zerit® and Azactam®; Serzone®, for the central nervous system; and, for the treatment of diabetes, Glucophage®. BMS employs over 600 people in its operations in Humacao. BMS has three additional manufacturing operations in Puerto Rico located in Barceloneta, Manatí and Mayagüez. Over all, BMS employs over 2,200 persons throughout the island. Worldwide, BMS is a $19 billions company that manufactures medicines and health related products, with the mission to extend and enhance human life by providing the highest quality, personal-care products. Volumen 6/ Issue 11/November 2002 Construction Begins on Lilly’s New Biotech Plant in Carolina, Puerto Rico:World-class $450 million facility to create hundreds of new jobs Hewitt, the largest multiservice consulting provider in the world and the largest benefits consultant in the U. S. with 75 offices in 34 countries, joined PIA-PR as an Affiliate Member. In Puerto Rico, Hewitt provides a myriad of consulting services to the pharmaceutical industry making their knowledge of the industry one of their most important assets. Their services cover many aspects of the human resources function, specializing in: Human Resources Strategy and Technology; Human Resources and Benefits Administration (Outsourcing), Organizational Transition and Change (Mergers & Acquisitions), Talent and Reward Strategies (Compensation Research and Design), Retirement and Financial Management (Plan Design, Accounting & Recordkeeping), Benefits Program Evaluation and Design (Consulting and Brokerage), and Employee Communications. PIA-PR welcomes Hewitt. Volumen 6/ Issue 8/August 2002 Pharmacia’s Investment in P. R. Continues to Grow With approximately 3,000 employees, three world-class manufacturing facilities and a sales and marketing division in Puerto Rico, Pharmacia Corporation is one of the island’s leading corporate citizens. The company continues to record impressive growth. Capital investment in Pharmacia’s three plants – in Arecibo, Barceloneta and Caguas – has totaled approximately $400 million over the past two years, and investment is expected to continue in 2002. Meanwhile, full time employment increased by more than 200 last year and additional jobs will be created this year. The company’s Puerto Rico marketing division, located in Dorado, also is growing. Last year, Pharmacia was one of the fastest growing companies ranking in the top ten pharmaceutical companies. Pharmacia’s sales force for Puerto Rico and the Caribbean consists of more than 150 representatives. The company is experiencing a flourishing period in its sales history with the success of its best selling product, CELEBREX. Pharmacia manufactures and markets a strong portfolio of products in Puerto Rico, including: CELEBREX, the world’s leading arthritis medicine; BEXTRA and DYNASTAT for the treatment of arthritis and pain (the next generation of the Cox-2 family of drugs that began with CELEBREX); DETROL, the world’s leading branded therapy for overactive bladder; ZYVOX, the first in a new class of antibiotics; and, MIRAPEX. Pharmacia’s Puerto Rico plants are the global suppliers of the company’s largest selling product, CELEBREX, and plant expansions are underway to keep up with the growth of other products in the Pharmacia pipeline. Two new manufacturing facilities are under construction in Arecibo. One is a new, state-of-the-art, dry product facility; the other is dedicated to manufacturing NICORETTE. This facility will supply NICORETTE smoke cessation products for the entire U.S. market. At Barceloneta, the installation of new equipment to produce the active ingredient for CELEBREX is underway and a new production line has been added for DYNASTAT. At Caguas, another facility is under construction to support BEXTRA and other new products. In addition to manufacturing and job growth, Pharmacia is a major contributor to the island’s economy in its direct support of a number of local businesses. Goods and services bought from Puerto Rico suppliers totaled more than $75 million during 2001. As a demonstration of its continuing commitment to the communities in which it operates, Pharmacia was actively involved in local projects, contributing significantly to charitable causes in Arecibo, Barceloneta, Caguas and Dorado. Pharmacia – created in 2000 through the merger of Pharmacia & Upjohn and Monsanto/Searle – is among the world’s top ten manufacturers of pharmaceuticals. The company has 59,000 employees and operates in more than 60 countries. Pharmacia works hard to bring to people around the world innovative medicines and other products that save lives, enhance health and wellness, and create new health solutions for the future. Pharmacia is led in Puerto Rico by General Managers Anita Marchand (Caguas), Francisco Pascacio (Arecibo), Jaime Albors (Barcelonta), and Luis Brignoni (Commercial Office). AMGEN Initiates a Major Expansion in Puerto Rico At the AMGEN facilities expansion`s groundbreaking ceremony held on Wednesday, March 20 in Juncos, Puerto Rico, AMGEN General Manager Emilio Rivera announced the start of this far reaching project during which six additional buildings will be constructed: two buildings dedicated to bulk manufacturing, a laboratory to perform all product testing, a warehouse, an administration building and a utilities building. "With this project, we estimate that an additional 500 direct jobs will be generated. Once the construction is finished, we will have an estimated total of 1,000 workers at AMGEN`s Puerto Rico facilities. Also, an additional 2,000 indirect jobs will be generated during the construction and development phase," said Rivera. "Our objective is to consolidate operations through the integration of bulk manufacturing with the formulation, filling, and packaging of our products: Epogen®, Aranesp™, Neupogen®, and Neulasta™, added Rivera. "The support we received on this project from the government of Puerto Rico, through its agencies, has been extraordinary and crucial to the completion of the negotiation efforts between AMGEN and the government. We count on their cooperation and assistance through all phases of this investment," emphasized Rivera. Government officials attending the ceremony included: Governor Sila María Calderón, who emphasized the importance of the project as it will generate jobs and is a significant investment of capital on the island; Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DEDC) Secretary Ramón Cantero Frau; and, Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO) Executive Director William Riefkohl. PIA-PR was represented by Executive Vice President Agustín Márquez Veglio. Operating in Puerto Rico since 1992, AMGEN, whose corporate headquarters are in Thousand Oaks, California, is the largest biotechnology company in the world and the world leader in the development and manufacturing of important therapeutic products through cellular and molecular biotechnology. Key among its products are Neupogen®, which it is administered to cancer patients treated with chemotherapy to strengthen the immune system by increasing its white blood cells; and, Epogen®, which provides support to patients with renal problems and dialysis treatment to increase their hemoglobin. The AMGEN Puerto Rico facilities manufacture to meet the worldwide demand for AMGEN, Inc. products.
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