NEWS OF THE WEEK BIOMANUFACTURING
GENENTECH TO BUY BIG BIOGEN PLANT BIO COMPLEX Genentech will use this plant in Oceanside, Calif., to make a new cancer treatment.
Sale highlights the diverging fortunes of two biotechnology firms
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crease its manufacturing muscle with the acquisition of a just-built biopharmaceutical plant in Oceanside, Calif, from rival Biogen Idee. The purchase, for about $408 million in cash, will increase Genentech's bioreactor capacity by 35% and reinforce its role as the world's largest biologies manufacturer. For Biogen, the sale is yet more fallout from the voluntary withdrawal of the multiple sclerosis treatment Tysabri in February af-
ter a patient in a clinical trial died of a rare neurological disease. Biogen had high hopes for the drug, which FDA approved last fall under an accelerated approval process, and expected to make it in the California plant. But following the withdrawal, the company says it can meet its foreseeable production needs from existing facilities in Cambridge, Mass., and Research Triangle Park,N.C. Genentech plans to use the plant to make the cancer treatment Avastin, which FDA approved in February 2004. Genentech anticipates offering jobs to 330 of the plant's 430 employees and hiring 2 0 0 additional em-
AWARDS
NSF HONORS TEACHING SCHOLARS Agency recognizes those who achieve success in both education and research Chang
Stacy 12
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ties to chemistry are among the seven educators honored last week by the National Science Foundation as Distinguished Teaching Scholars. The scholars will each receive grants worth up to $300,000 for continuing their research and education activities or branching out into new fields. "The awards are NSF's recognition ofaccomplishments by scientists and engineers whose roles as educators and mentors are con-
sidered as important as their groundbreaking results in research," NSF Director Arden L. Bernent Jr., says. The educator honorées include Angelica M. Stacy, who is professor of chemistry and associate vice provost for faculty equity at the University of California, Berkeley; Robert P. H. Chang, professor ofmaterials science and engineering at Northwestern University; and Evelyn L. Hu, professor of electrical and computer engineering and of
ployees by the end of next year. Christopher J. Raymond, a biotech stock analyst at Robert W. Baird & Co., has been warning of a production capacity shortfall at Genentech. In a report to clients, he says the Oceanside purchase should resolve the problem for 2007, although he is waiting to hear how the firm will meet demand in 2006. The plant purchase announcement triggered a stock price decline at Lonza, a Swiss contract manufacturer, which some observers had expected to be tapped by Genentech to produce Avastin. Lonza already makes Genentech's Rituxan cancer drug under contract. Lonza isn't commenting on the purchase. Last week, the company announced plans to invest more than $ 10 million to expand its clinical-scale biomanufacturing capacity in Slough, England. It also reaffirmed ongoing projects that will significantly expand biopharmaceutical production in Portsmouth, N.H., and Visp, Switzerland.—MICHAEL MCCOY
materials at UC Santa Barbara. Stacy synthesizes and characterizes solid-state materials with novel electronic and magnetic properties. She has developed a number of chemistry courses, including one in which undergraduate and graduate students teach elementary school students. Chang is involved in plasma science and technology, diamond research, high-temperature superconductivity, and carbon nanotubes. Chang directs the nation'sfirstCenter for Learning & Teaching in Nanoscale Science & Engineering. Hu investigates nanoscale structures and fabrication processes. NSF says she plans to apply her grant to the development of teams of undergraduate and graduate students to create courses on science, economics, and the sociology of innovative technologies.—SOPHIE R0VNER WWW.CEN-0NLINE.ORG
