June 20, 2000-- Amersham Pharmacia Biotech, one of the world's leading suppliers of technology for genomics and medical research, today officially unveiled a new ``genomics center of excellence'' at its Silicon Valley-based subsidiary, Molecular Dynamics.
The expansion will create approximately 200 new jobs, mostly in research and development along with support for commercial operations, bringing the total number of employees at the site to 475 people. Ron Long, CEO of Amersham Pharmacia Biotech, joined employees for a dedication ceremony and tour of the new facilities. The $5.8 million construction project and site improvement has nearly doubled the size of the company's facilities in Sunnyvale.
``The significant expansion of our site in California is indicative of the company's continued dedication to the field of genetic research and of the growth Amersham Pharmacia Biotech has experienced in its sequencing business,'' said Ron Long, CEO of Amersham Pharmacia Biotech. ``We are pleased about the positive economic impact for the local region, and proud that the cutting-edge technology produced here will further enhance our already substantial contribution to the world's healthcare.'' Amersham Pharmacia Biotech acquired Molecular Dynamics in September 1998.
The company's expansion in Sunnyvale, California is driven by its strategic location in the heart of the West Coast biotechnology industry. Development at the site will focus on continued innovation to the company's DNA sequencing and microarray technologies and programs. The new building houses a high-throughput DNA sequencing operation that mirrors facilities typical of private genomics companies and academic research institutions. It will provide an in-house proving ground for new sequencing technologies developed by the company's R&D teams.
The facility also will serve as an important resource for continuing Amersham Pharmacia Biotech's pioneering academic-biotech collaborations in the fields of ecology and conservation, two areas that historically have not fully benefited from the advances made in genetic research. Amersham Pharmacia Biotech recently joined with the Zoological Society of San Diego to sequence mitochondrial DNA from endangered species to learn more about the evolution of mammals and eventually develop better captive breeding techniques. The company also is working with researchers from the University of Delaware to sequence DNA from deep sea microbes that live in extreme conditions. Genetic information from these microbes may unlock new ways to clean up oil spills and develop new products that can withstand high temperatures.
``Given the success of our sequencing and microarray programs, Amersham Pharmacia Biotech has made a strategic decision to expand its genomics operations in California,'' said Peter Coggins, Vice President of Drug Discovery for Amersham Pharmacia Biotech. ``We will be aggressively hiring to fill positions within our research and development divisions.'' |
