Puerto Rico Breaks Ground on State-of-the-Art Biotech Facility

PharmaManufacturing.com
09/20/2006

Puerto Rico Governor Aníbal Acevedo-Vilá presided over a Sept. 20 groundbreaking ceremony for the Bioprocess Training and Development Complex at Guanajibo Industrial Park in Mayaguez. The Puerto Rico Biotechnology Alliance, a consortium of industry, government and academic leaders dedicated to advancing the growth of the biotechnology industry in Puerto Rico, sponsored the 28,751-square-foot, $12.5 million state-of-the-art facility. The new center aims to provide workforce development services and support corporate-sponsored research in biotechnology.

“The Bioprocess Training and Development Complex marks another milestone in our journey to becoming the optimal biotechnology destination.  Capitalizing on yesterday’s successes in manufacturing life sciences products, today we expand our reach into cutting-edge research and development,” Governor Acevedo-Vilá said at the ceremony.
 
Building on its well-established pharmaceuticals and medical devices manufacturing sectors, Puerto Rico emerges as a hub for biotechnology research, development, manufacturing and distribution.  The Island’s Commonwealth status allows it to offer investors U.S. regulatory standards and protections while providing offshore tax benefits, setting Puerto Rico apart from foreign competitors. Recent investments by some of the world’s largest biotech corporations – including more than $2 billion from Amgen, $800 million from Eli Lilly, $400 million from Abbott Laboratories and $200 million from Bristol-Myers Squibb for both laboratory and manufacturing facilities – demonstrate the Island’s attractiveness to the high-tech life sciences sector.
 
“The Bioprocess Training and Development Complex exemplifies our commitment to meeting the needs of private industry on our Island,” the Governor noted. “The extensive private sector biotechnology investments in the past five years demonstrate the industry’s confidence in Puerto Rico. Those investments and that confidence result in an increasing demand for our highly skilled workers.  We will meet and exceed the industry’s expectations by providing a workforce well versed in biotechnology, bioprocess engineering and applied research.”
 
The Bioprocess Complex, located near the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) campus, is a joint venture of the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO), UPR and the U.S. Economic Development Administration. This type of collaboration among public and private sectors exemplifies a key aspect of the Governor’s economic development plan. 
 
The complex’s board of directors includes representatives from government, UPR and the pharmaceuticals and biotechnology industry. PRIDCO Executive Director Boris Jaskille serves as board president with Abbott Biotechnology General Manager Eng. José Martínez serving as vice president, the UPR Industrial Biotechnology Program Coordinator Dr. Rosa Buxeda serving as secretary and former Abbott Vice President Harry Rodríguez serving as interim executive director.  Other Board members include Amgen Vice President Eng. Madhu Balachandran, Ortho Biologics General Manager Ramón Rijos and University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez Chancellor Dr. Jorge I. Vélez-Arocho. 
 
A technical advisory board, also comprised of representatives from academia, biotechnology industries and government, with assistance from Martín & Capacete Asociados (MCA), developed the final design of the facility. Funding for the project comes from across sectors as well, with $5 million from the UPR Centennial Fund, $2.5 million from an Economic Development Administration Grant and $5 million from PRIDCO.
 
Other recent infrastructure developments that support the biotechnology industry in Puerto Rico include groundbreaking on the Puerto Rico Cancer Center, a joint partnership with the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center; the Molecular Science Building at UPR, Mayaguez; and the development of the Knowledge Corridor, approximately 1,000 acres of land dedicated to institutions for learning, research and technology.
 
“The Bioprocess Complex is one more example of Puerto Rico taking its place as a world leader in biotechnology,” the governor said. “By strengthening ties between government, industry and academia, we remain competitive in a global economy and provide good, private sector jobs for Puerto Ricans.”