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news.AstraZeneca is set to invest $100 million at its research and development center in Boston, Massachusetts, in an attempt to strategically boost its development capabilities in the areas of infectious disease and cancer.
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The expansion of AstraZeneca’s research facility will accommodate up to 100 additional researchers. They will join the more than 400 existing employees at the center.
“Infectious disease is becoming more prevalent and problematic to patients and healthcare providers, placing a heavy burden on our healthcare systems. With our expanded presence in Boston, our scientists will be better equipped to discover and develop novel medicines to address important areas of unmet need,” commented Jan Lundberg, executive vice president, AstraZeneca Global Discovery Research.
According to AstraZeneca there has been a worldwide decline in the delivery of new antibiotics and only 10 new antibacterials have been introduced since 1998. Meanwhile, resistance to currently available antibacterials continues to increase. AstraZeneca currently only sells one anti-infective.
Construction of the 132,000 square foot facility will begin at the site during the first quarter of 2007 with scheduled completion by mid 2009. Upon completion, the total size of the AstraZeneca research facility will be 382,000 square feet.
Since the opening of its Boston facility, AstraZeneca scientists have discovered three potential drugs to treat different cancers and two new class candidate drugs to potentially treat serious skin infections, chronic bronchitis and pneumonias.