August 12, 2003
ROMNEY ANNOUNCES LIFE SCIENCES CLUSTER WILL CREATE 700 JOBS
Eight companies from Agawam to Boston plan to add jobs in the next three to five years
Governor Mitt Romney today praised the decision by eight Bay State life sciences companies to expand and create 700 new jobs in Massachusetts in the next three to five years.
Romney made the announcement surrounded by the CEOs and presidents of the growing companies who are attending the Drug Discovery Technology World Congress where the Governor delivered welcoming remarks to 6,500 attendees at the Hynes Convention Center this morning.
“This exciting and robust job expansion will reach cities and towns stretching from Fall River to Springfield,” said Romney. “Over the long-term it promises to provide a boost to both the state and local economies.”
Abbott Bioresearch Center of Worcester
Alkermes of Cambridge and Chelsea
AVANT Immunotherapeutics of Needham and Fall River
endoVia Medical, Inc. of Norwood
Ipsen of Milford
MicroTest Laboratories, Inc. of Agawam
Therion Biologics of Cambridge
ViaCell, Inc. of Boston
One of the companies, AVANT announced today that it will establish an 11,000 square foot process development and pilot manufacturing facility in Fall River to support the clinical development of its portfolio of bacterial vaccines.
MassDevelopment, the economic development entity for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and AVANT have worked closely together over the last several months to develop a financing framework that allows AVANT to establish its own manufacturing capability while remaining in the Commonwealth and creating new jobs.
“We are very pleased that AVANT is now able to move to the next level in terms of our corporate growth. With the assistance of MassDevelopment, we can now complement our research and clinical expertise with the capability to develop and manufacture our own products,” said Una Ryan, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of AVANT Immunotherapeutics.”
“Massachusetts is home to cutting-edge research and industries,” said Romney. “Companies locate and stay here to tap into an unparalleled R&D sector supported by nearly 120 colleges and universities, the highest concentration of academic institutions in the world.”
Robert W. Cunningham, President & CEO of endoVia Medical, Inc. said his company is developing the next generation of computer-assisted devices for Minimally Invasive Surgery. He credited the brainpower at our local hospitals and universities for the technology that has made his company so successful.
“Our company was founded on technology from local hospitals and universities, and we have developed technologies using a strong, skilled labor force of local engineers and technicians,” said Cunningham. “To decide to bring the contract manufacturing in-state and in-house seems a natural evolution, to continue to take advantage of that strong labor force.”
This job expansion announcement dovetails with the administration’s recently announced economic development campaign, called “Massachusetts: It’s All Here.” The initiative is a multi-million dollar marketing effort to retain and recruit businesses in Massachusetts. The campaign is primarily aimed at the fast-growing sectors in the state – biotech, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, new defense and plastics. The effort includes an integrated marketing campaign, a plan to call upon business within and outside the state poised for expansion, and a coordinated effort to make it easier for businesses to build facilities in Massachusetts. For more information visit www.massmeansbusiness.com.
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