Pharmaceutical

DPT Laboratories Ltd. of San Antonio, a developer, manufacturer, packager and distributer of over-the-counter and prescription skin-care products for pharmaceutical companies, is in the process of completing a $5-million, 32,000-sf R&D facility housing additional chemistry labs and accommodating 75 scientists. The building will both support DPT's contract manufacturing operations, as well as provide expansion space for the company's live-cell therapy research.

Orix Real Estate Equities of Chicago is planning to build Washingtonian South, a two-building, 350,000-sf Class A office complex and parking structure in Gaithersburg. Located on a 7.4-acre site in the mixed-use Washingtonian Center business park, the development will be marketed to health and life science tenants. Construction is slated to begin in the fall.  

Idec Pharmaceuticals is planning a five-building, 470,000-sf biotech factory in Oceanside. The $500-million complex, with a 90,000-liter biologic manufacturing capacity, will be sited on 60 acres and will be comparable in size to Disneyland.

Eli Lilly and Co. has selected the Raleigh office of Suitt Construction Co. to provide construction management services, including site development and utility installation, for a $425-million insulin manufacturing facility in Prince William County, Va. Construction will begin later this year.

The fourth floor of EmeryStation North is being converted by Wareham Development into laboratory facilities where 30,000 sf of the Emeryville building will house flexible lab and office space. Initial construction costs for the facility ranged from $200 to $250 per sf, with an additional $150 to $250 for conversion to lab space. The conversion began in January 2002 and is slated for completion at the end of the summer.

Advancis Pharmaceutical has broken ground on a lab, office, and manufacturing facility for drug development in Germantown. Advancis, based in Germantown, expects the 62,000-sf facility to reach completion in early 2003.

Targacept, an R&D product development spin-off from R.J. Reynolds, has moved into its new 44,000-sf headquarters and research facility in Winston-Salem. Located in the Piedmont Triad Research Park, the new building will enable Targacept’s employee base to increase from its current 56 to 78 by year-end.

Dynport Vaccine, a joint venture between DynCorp and pharmaceutical company Porton International, has broken ground on a three-story office in Frederick.  Dynport Vaccine, the prime systems contractor for the Department of Defense’s vaccine acquisition program, will use the facility to develop biodefense vaccines for FDA production and licensing. The building will consolidate four facilities, as well as providing Department of Defense office space.

Wyeth-Ayerst Pharmaceuticals has initiated the second phase of construction on its five-building Collegeville expansion. The $220-million project was designed by The Kling Lindquist Partnership of Philadelphia and is being built by Barclay White Skanska USA of Blue Bell, Pa. The 720,000-sf development consists of four four-story administrative buildings and a 1,060-space, three-story parking garage with additional surface parking available for 1,000 cars.

Idec Pharmaceuticals of San Diego broke ground on the first phase of a $1.25-billion large-scale manufacturing project on May 30. The first phase, totalling 470,000-sf in five buildings, is part of a planned three-phase, 1.3 million-sf new products manufacturing development. The first phase is scheduled for occupancy in November 2004.

TheraSense of Alameda, Calif., is doubling its facilities with the lease of 64,000 sf of build-to-suit space adjacent to its existing building in Alameda. TheraSense will invest $3-million in tenant improvements for the facility, which will expand the sales and manufacturing capacity for TheraSense's diabetes blood-testing kits. TheraSense plans to add 50 employees to its current 400-person staff when the new space is completed in April of 2003.  

Viral Antigens is developing a 2,500-sf biologic manufacturing facility attached to the company's existing Memphis facility. After eighteen months of planning and construction, the final certification of the $2.5-million contract factory will begin. The plant will manufacture proteins and other products, providing clean-room production for smaller biotech companies and researchers still in Phase I development.

Durham-based Trimeris is considering consolidating operations with a campus in Research Triangle Park. Although other sites are in the running, Trimeris is eyeing 40 acres owned by JDS Uniphase of California as a possible corporate headquarters location. A developer is drawing up plans for the project. Trimeris is currently developing an HIV treatment drug.

Netherlands-based pharmaceutical company Diosynth is planning a two-phase purchase of 91.3 acres in Research Triangle Park (RTP) with plans to add over 300,000 sf of new manufacturing space. Diosynth's purchase of the first 40 acres will be completed this summer, with an option at year-end on the remaining land. Now occupying 30,000 sf of Cary lab and office space and 110,000 sf of RTP manufacturing space, Diosynth currently has 600 Triangle employees.

Shire Laboratories is seeking a Montgomery County location for a planned large-scale manufacturing facility. The expansion may also include lab and office space. Currently operating out of 45,000 sf in Rockville, Shire Laboratories is an advanced pharmaceutical drug delivery company owned by Shire UK.