Pharmaceutical

Rigel Pharmaceuticals has plans to relocate from 65,000 sf of lab space at the Britannia Pointe Grand Business Park to a new two-building lab facility at Slough Estate’s 22-acre Shearwater development in South San Francisco. The new buildings, which will total 140,000 sf, will begin construction this year. Rigel, whose focus is fluorescent gene marking, anticipates relocating to the new complex in 2002. Completion of the entire seven-building, 570,000-sf Shearwater development is anticipated by summer 2004.

Schering-Plough plans to renovate and expand its mixed-use pilot plant and lab buildings at its campus in Union, consolidating several research groups currently spread throughout the existing 35,000-sf building. Renovations will include a new chiller plant, new entrance and loading dock, new mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, and control systems throughout the building. Renovation of exterior cladding to permit more natural light in labs and support spaces, and replacement of existing floors with concrete slabs will also be part of the project.

Dow Chemical Co., based in Midland, Mich., is planning to transform a 55,000-sf facility previously occupied by Collaborative Group Ltd.’s Biotechnology Services Division into a large-molecule drugs contract manufacturing plant to serve the biotech industry. The facility will have a 50,000-liter capacity. World-wide, the capacity to produce large-molecule drugs stands at about 380,000 liters, with a critical shortage of capacity anticipated by 2005.

Wyeth-Ayerst has commissioned Ewing Cole Cherry Brott of Philadelphia in collaboration with Fluor Daniel to provide architecture and engineering services for a new vaccine development center. The building will consolidate the company’s vaccine development centers currently located throughout the United States, reducing product development and manufacturing cycle time. It will include development process labs, analytical labs, various levels of biocontainment space, a research library, conference center, offices, and an employee cafeteria.

ARAMARK today announced that it has completed the acquisition of ServiceMaster Management Services, the facility services business of ServiceMaster.

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals is planning a new 16-researcher R&D lab for pharmaceutical synthesis in Richmond's Virginia Biotechnology Research Park. Over the next five years, Boehringer plans to invest $2.5 million in the facility. Based in Germany, Boehringer's U.S. headquarters are in Connecticut.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals has occupied a new 190,000-sf biotech office and lab building in Cambridge. Designed by Somerville-based Arrowstreet Inc., the facility was developed by Lyme Properties LLC.  

 Merix Bioscience Inc. has allocated $39.5 million of private financing to complete a 20,000-sf cell processing facility that will support the company's progress into Phase I clinical trials for its cancer vaccine.

Enanta Pharmaceuticals Inc. is moving its headquarters in fall 2001 to 45,000-sf in Watertown, Mass. Enanta utilizes peptide morphing to develop antiviral drugs and currently has 56 employees.

Merck & Co. Inc. has selected the Boston office of Bovis Lend Lease to provide construction management of the Merck Research Center in the Longwood Medical Area. The 12-story, 390,000-sf facility is slated to open in 2004 and will house biology and chemistry labs, a 285-seat auditorium, administrative offices, a six-level below-ground parking structure, and space for mechanical equipment.  

Biovail Corp., a Mississauga, Ontario-based pharmaceutical company, has moved into its own 37,000-sf facility in the Southport Business Park in Morrisville on July 20. The company has nearly quadrupled its facility space as part of an expected company-wide expansion in the next two years. Biovail now develops and markets its own brand of pharmaceutical products.

Biopharmaceutical firm Locus Discovery Inc. is leasing 50,000-sf of lab and office space in Blue Bell. Based in West Windsor, N.J., the high-tech drug design company will be relocating approximately 25 staff members to the facility in two stages, to be completed by the end of August. Initially only 25,000-sf will be utilized, with expansion into the entire space to follow in the next three years.

Xoma Ltd., a Berkeley-based biopharmaceutical firm, has planned a $25 million expansion of its existing protein-manufacturing factory. The larger facility will allow Xoma to accommodate more contract work from biotech companies.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. has contracted construction firm Barclay White Skanska Inc. of Blue Bell to build a 145,000-sf, $41-million lab in New Brunswick, N.J.

Wyeth Ayerst Laboratories Inc. completed its Office and Technical Center in Malvern, Pa., in March 2001. The St. Davids, Pa.-based pharmaceutical firm contracted architect The Kling Lindquist Partnership of Philadelphia to design the three-story, $63-million, 350,000-sf facility. Barclay White Skanska U.S.A. of Blue Bell, Pa., acted as general contractor.