Eisai Inc. Opens $100 Million Parenteral Facility in Research Triangle Park
The 65,000-square-foot facility will serve as Eisai’s global commercial manufacturing and drug development site for intravenous drug products in support of the company’s global clinical development programs, including those for oncology. Eisai invested approximately $100 million in the new facility, which encompasses aseptic processing suites, laboratories and other support functions. The new operation is designed to handle and process highly potent compounds utilizing state-of-the-art isolator containment technology.
“Eisai is committed to developing novel anti-cancer agents and other treatments as part of its human health care (hhc) mission to satisfy unmet medical needs and contribute to the health and well-being of people worldwide,” said Haruo Naito, President and CEO, Eisai Co., Ltd. “The opening of this new facility marks a major milestone in our history and will support the advancement of important new therapies for patients, especially those who are battling life-threatening illnesses.”
The company has several global drugs in development including compounds being evaluated for breast cancer, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, and melanoma. Most recently, Eisai submitted simultaneous regulatory applications for approval of an investigational agent being evaluated as a potential treatment for locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer, to agencies in Japan, the United States and the European Union. If and when approved, this agent may be the first oncology product manufactured at Eisai’s new parenteral facility.
The new site will complement Eisai’s existing 190,000-square-foot operation, which is utilized for the commercial manufacturing of oral solid dose products as well as the formulation and development of compounds for use in clinical trials. The exceptional growth of the company has led Eisai to expand its presence in North Carolina for the third time since 2001. In addition, a separate $22 million central utilities building was opened in 2008 to supply power, steam, chilled water and compressed air to the existing operation, new parenteral facility and for future expansions.
“Constructing this new facility at our current location has allowed for the seamless integration of our production and research and development operations,” said Hajime Shimizu, Chairman and CEO of Eisai Inc. “Furthermore, North Carolina’s highly skilled workforce, as evidenced by our capable and dedicated employees, has helped Eisai become the successful company that it is today and will continue to help propel our business in the future.”
Eisai Inc.
Eisai Inc. was established in 1995 and is ranked among the top-20 U.S. pharmaceutical companies (based on retail sales). The company began marketing its first product in the United States in 1997 and has rapidly grown to become a fully integrated pharmaceutical business with fiscal year 2009 (year ended March 31, 2010) sales of approximately $3.9 billion. Eisai’s areas of commercial focus include neurology, gastrointestinal disorders and oncology/critical care. The company serves as the U.S. pharmaceutical operation of Eisai Co., Ltd.
Eisai has a global product creation organization that includes U.S.-based R&D facilities in Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina and Pennsylvania as well as manufacturing facilities in Maryland and North Carolina. The company’s areas of R&D focus include neuroscience; oncology; vascular, inflammatory and immunological reaction; and antibody-based programs. For more information about Eisai, please visit www.eisai.com.
Eisai Co., Ltd.
Eisai Co., Ltd. is a research-based human health care (hhc) company that discovers, develops and markets products throughout the world. Through a global network of research facilities, manufacturing sites and marketing subsidiaries, Eisai actively participates in all aspects of the worldwide health care system. Eisai employs approximately 11,000 employees worldwide.
Eisai Inc. Media Suzanne Grogan, 201-746-2083 or Investors Dave Melin, 201-746-2924