AstraZeneca to invest $100M in R&D site

AstraZeneca is pumping $100 million into its research center in Waltham, MA to boost its R&D efforts for infectious diseases and cancer research. Construction on a 132,000-square-foot facility will begin soon and the facility will open in mid-2009. The expansion will allow AstraZeneca to add 100 more researchers to the 400 it already employs at the research complex.

Since the opening of AstraZeneca R&D Boston, scientists there have discovered three potential drugs that are under development to treat different cancers including breast, ovarian, thyroid and prostate cancer, and two novel-class candidate drugs to potentially treat serious skin infections, serious cases of chronic bronchitis and serious pneumonias. The new development work marks another significant win for the biotech hub in the Boston area, which continues to attract new investment even as public support lags behind other areas in the country.

- see the release for more information

Related Articles:
AstraZeneca inks billion-dollar pact on diabetes drugs. Report
Novartis chooses Massachusetts for division HQ. Report
Massachusetts plan includes life sciences chief. Report
Mass. Bio's Finneran takes a felony plea deal. Report