Industry News

Rohm and Haas, based in Philadelphia, plans to consolidate its chemical operations in Lower Gwynedd, where the company currently has a 600,000-sf lab. After closing its facility in Bristol Township, Rohm and Haas will invest $20- to $25 million to relocate 175 Bristol employees to Lower Gwynedd and construct a second building at that 140-acre site.

Enanta Pharmaceuticals Inc. is moving its headquarters in fall 2001 to 45,000-sf in Watertown, Mass. Enanta utilizes peptide morphing to develop antiviral drugs and currently has 56 employees.

Three universities in the Triangle have plans for new genomics facilities, faculty, and equipment. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has targeted $245 million for genomics development. North Carolina State University is investing $300 million in genome science initiatives and plans to build three new buildings. Duke University has budgeted $200 million for construction of four new facilities, one of which is the Center for Human Disease Models, a facility housing more than 36,000 cages.

BioSmart Excelerator, a 30,000- to 50,000-sf intermediate incubator for mezzanine bioscience companies, is being planned for Montgomery County, Md., by the former director of Maryland’s Technology Development Center, Duc Duong. Once funds are raised, BioSpace Development of Pittsburgh will design the facility. Duong will build nine more second-stage incubators in the next 10 years if the original concept is successful.

The University of San Diego broke ground in May 2001 on the new four-story, 150,000-sf Science and Technology Center. The $47-million building will contain state-of-the-art labs, a vivarium, a greenhouse, aquariums, an astronomy deck, and a large conference area. San Diego architects Carrier-Johnson designed the facility, which is being built by Rudolph/Sletten. Completion is anticipated by 2003.