Industry News

Sutter Solano Medical Center is planning a new outpatient care facility in Fairfield, Calif. The not-for-profit community hospital will also improve its Vallejo hospital's emergency department. Sutter Solano is a member of the Sutter Health network, which has planned to invest $3.5-billion in healthcare facilities through the next fifteen years.

Viral Antigens is developing a 2,500-sf biologic manufacturing facility attached to the company's existing Memphis facility. After eighteen months of planning and construction, the final certification of the $2.5-million contract factory will begin. The plant will manufacture proteins and other products, providing clean-room production for smaller biotech companies and researchers still in Phase I development.

Cephalon is seeking 100 acres on which to locate a research and office complex that could eventually total up to 1,000,000 sf. Currently housed in 160,000 sf in West Chester, Cephalon's research and administrative operations employ 400 workers. The biotech company prefers to remain in the Philadelphia area, but is also considering locations in Collegeville, Montgomery County, and in northern Delaware. Cephalon has contracted the local office of Julien J. Studley Inc. to provide site selection and planning services.

San Jose-based semiconductor equipment maker Novellus Systems is expanding its Tualatin, Oregon, operations with the opening of a 382,000-sf plant. Located on a 58-acre campus, the factory will manufacture products for chipmakers to produce advanced integrated circuits, including Novellus' copper metallization and damascene dielectric deposition tools.

TheraSense of Alameda, Calif., is doubling its facilities with the lease of 64,000 sf of build-to-suit space adjacent to its existing building in Alameda. TheraSense will invest $3-million in tenant improvements for the facility, which will expand the sales and manufacturing capacity for TheraSense's diabetes blood-testing kits. TheraSense plans to add 50 employees to its current 400-person staff when the new space is completed in April of 2003.