WALTHAM, Mass., May 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN - News) officially began construction today on a $100 million Research and Development expansion at the company’s Waltham-based facility. Joining AstraZeneca U.S. President and CEO Tony Zook and AstraZeneca Executive Vice President of Global Discovery Research Jan Lundberg was Governor Deval Patrick.
The expansion of AstraZeneca’s research facility will accommodate up to 100 additional researchers who will join the more than 450 existing employees focused on discovering treatments for infectious diseases and cancer.
“This is the right investment at the right time, as hospital-acquired infectious diseases -- also known as superbugs -- are on the rise and cancer remains the third leading killer in the world,” said Tony Zook, President and Chief Executive Officer of AstraZeneca U.S. “This expansion is a strategic global decision to increase our capabilities at R&D Boston because Massachusetts gives us access to some of the leading scientific talent, potential partners and collaborators, and emerging science in a worldwide biotechnology hub.”
Since the opening of AstraZeneca R&D Boston, scientists there have discovered three potential drugs that are under development to treat different cancers including breast, ovarian, thyroid, and prostate cancer, and two novel-class candidate drugs to potentially treat serious incidences of skin infections, chronic bronchitis, and pneumonias.
“Today’s celebration marks a major milestone for R&D Boston, and our company as a whole. We have a remarkable team of researchers here in Boston that is focused on discovering novel agents for the treatment and cure of serious infections and cancer. This expansion will provide critical space to support future delivery in these two areas of breaking science and profound unmet medical need,” said Jan Lundberg, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Discovery Research.
Senator Kennedy, who was scheduled to attend the groundbreaking, had to remain in Washington to manage the Senate floor debate on the FDA Revitalization Act legislation that is set for a final vote Monday.
“Today shows that Massachusetts continues to remain the hub of life-saving scientific research,” said Senator Kennedy. “We have the most talented scientists, the best hospitals and universities, and I’m thrilled that with this new facility, AstraZeneca will be making strides against cancer and infectious disease right here in Massachusetts for years to come,” said Senator Edward M. Kennedy.
AstraZeneca R&D Boston Has Continually Grown since 1995
Construction of the 132,000-square-foot facility is scheduled to conclude by mid-2009. Upon completion, the total size of the AstraZeneca research facility will be 382,000 square feet. AstraZeneca first established a research presence in Boston in 1995. In 2000, the company opened its state-of- the-art research facility in Waltham, where it has continued to invest and expand, growing from 170,000 square feet to the current 250,000-square-foot facility.
The architect for the project is KlingStubbins, whose offices are based in Cambridge, Mass. and Philadelphia, Pa. Construction management is being provided by Bovis Lend Lease LMB Inc’s Boston office in association with The Richmond Group of Hopkinton, Mass. The design of the additional buildings will continue the theme created by famed Swedish architect Gert Wingardh.
AstraZeneca’s contributions in Massachusetts
In Massachusetts AstraZeneca supports many health and health advocacy organizations. AstraZeneca is especially proud of the most recent announcement of a $7 million donation to the AstraZeneca Hope Lodge Center in Boston.
To commemorate the company’s continued growth and commitment to Massachusetts and its people, AstraZeneca gave individual tree seedlings to participants of the groundbreaking event plus the more than 550 employees and community members in attendance.
About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of prescription pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare services. It is one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies with healthcare sales of $26.47 billion and leading positions in sales of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory, oncology and infection products. AstraZeneca is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Global) as well as the FTSE4Good Index.
In the United States, AstraZeneca is a $12.44 billion healthcare business with more than 12,000 employees. For nearly three decades, AstraZeneca has offered drug assistance programs side by side with its medicines, and over the past five years, has provided over $3 billion in savings to more than 1 million patients throughout the US and Puerto Rico. AstraZeneca has been named one of the “100 Best Companies for Working Mothers” by Working Mother magazine and is the only large pharmaceutical company named to FORTUNE magazine’s 2007 list of “100 Best Companies to Work For.” In 2006, for the fifth consecutive year, Science magazine named AstraZeneca a “Top Employer” on its ranking of the world’s most respected biopharmaceutical employers.
For more information about AstraZeneca, please visit: http://www.astrazeneca-us.com .
The statements herein include forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements and forecasts involve risk and uncertainty. For a discussion of those risks and uncertainties please see the company’s Annual Report/Form 20-F for 2006.
Source: AstraZeneca
