/CNW/ – Today, Gilead Alberta ULC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD), officially opened the first of two new laboratory buildings at its Edmonton campus, and announced an additional $100 million investment to further expand and upgrade the site as the biopharmaceutical company broadens its pipeline of treatments in areas of unmet medical need.
“We are pleased to continue our growth here in Alberta, as evidenced by the significant investment and expansion announced today,” said Norbert Bischofberger, PhD, Executive Vice President, Research and Development and Chief Scientific Officer, Gilead Sciences. “Our facility in Edmonton is home to many leading scientists and researchers who are working to improve patient care around the world.”
Gilead Alberta’s two new laboratory buildings, including the one that opens today, will allow for close to 170 additional highly trained scientists in Edmonton and enable Gilead Alberta to expand to support the development and manufacturing of investigational drugs, supply active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) for clinical research programs and contribute to new product launch supplies in the areas of hepatitis C virus (HCV), HIV/AIDS and oncology. A second laboratory building is under construction and set for completion in the spring of 2016.
The additional $100 million investment at the campus will include the construction of a new process tower for the additional manufacturing of API, a maintenance facility, and upgrades to the existing site. The process tower will expand the capabilities of the operations in Edmonton to allow for the handling of more potent compounds.
Edmonton is home to Gilead’s largest operation in Canada, with more than 300 employees. In 2014, Gilead invested more than $100 million in research and development in Canada, almost half of that in Alberta. “Made in Canada” solutions include the Edmonton facility providing significant clinical trial quantities for Gilead’s global research, clinical trial supplies for HCV and HIV therapies and material for oncology research.
“The state-of-the-art research and development facility that opens today marks an important milestone for Gilead as it further increases its contribution to Alberta’s growing life-sciences industry,” said Dr. Robin Nicol, Vice President of Chemical Operations and General Manager, Gilead Alberta ULC. “As Gilead expands into new therapeutic areas, the additional laboratory space enables our process and analytical chemistry teams in Edmonton to make an even greater contribution to the development of life-saving therapies for patients.”
In Alberta, Gilead initiatives support the province’s advanced education system and not-for-profit sector such as the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology’s (NAIT) Chemical Technology program, the Industrial Internship Program at the University of Alberta and the Centennial Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the University of Alberta. Gilead staff also support and volunteer with many local programs across Edmonton, including the CapitalCare Foundation and the annual AIDS Walk for Life.
Source: Gilead Sciences
