Last week Genentech took the wraps off its $400-million manufacturing and distribution complex outside Portland, OR.
The company is expected to begin the manufacturing approval process later this month. Manufacturing follows its earlier set-up of fill/finish and distribution operations. A local press report says that 50 manufacturing employees will join the 250 warehouse and packaging workers already at the 75-acre site.
The company says it hopes to start commercial production early next year, and eventually plans to produce cancer treatments Rituxan, Avastin and Herceptin, the report says.
Governor Ted Kulongoski is credited with a lengthy and generous courtship leading to the knot-tying that resulted in Genentech's first facility outside of California. The state anted up $23 million in property tax exemptions over 15 years plus $5 million in training assistance.
The South San Francisco-based biotech giant has manufacturing plants in Vacaville and Oceanside. Portland, for its part, now boasts a big biotech in addition to the multi-facility presence of chip-maker Intel.
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