BMS reshuffles US operations with multiple R&D closures and construction
Sites to be closed include B-MS’ Hopewell, NJ, Wallingford, CT and Seattle plants. Staff will be given the option of relocating to other US facilities.
In addition to the closures, The Big Pharma firm also announced new construction plans to expand facilities in Massachusetts and New Jersey, in line with its plans to increase emphasis on biologics R&D.
Spokesman Ken Dominski told Biopharma-Reporter the aim is to “focus resources at locations in the heart of vibrant ecosystems of academia, world-class science, innovation and business opportunities.”
Closures
The 433-acre Hopewell site in New Jersey will be shut down gradually over the next 10 years, as part of efforts to streamline manufacturing processes.
In June 2015, the firm received planning permission to expand the Hopewell site with a new 21,986 foot building construction, to house an extra 58 employees.
Dominski explained B-MS’ subsequent decision to close the site was to “more closely integrate the work done by our R&D teams in Lawrenceville,” - a 16-minute drive from the Hopewell facility.
In addition, BMS said it will not renew its lease for the Lake Union Steam plant in Seattle, Washington, and confirmed it will continue to close the Wallingford facility in Connecticut by 2018.
Construction in New Jersey
Dominski continued “With the closing of Hopewell, [BMS] will co-locate lab-based Discovery and Translational Medicine activities on our Lawrenceville campus.”
The firm added the reason behind the new construction was to “modernize workspaces” and “build on previous investments.”
At its New Brunswick site in New Jersey, construction will also take place to support biologics manufacturing there – close to Rutgers University.
Massachusetts plans
In 2013 the firm also invested over $250m into expanding a biologics plant in Devens, Massachusetts, which was completed in May this year.
BMS previously said the Devens expansion was in line with its portfolio shuffle to focus on biologicals in Immuno-Oncology by 2019.
Along with the construction announcements, the company will continue to expand the Devens facility, as well as its Cambridge hub.
Dominski added “In Cambridge, MA, we will focus on discovering new medicines, driving our Translational Medicine capabilities and enhancing our efforts in discovery technologies, and remain committed to opening the facility in 2018.”
