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A new era has begun for the Northwest's thriving biotech industry with the construction of Berlex's Leukine manufacturing plant north of Seattle and Molecular Probes' expanding campus in Eugene, which produces specialty dyes for cellular studies worldwide.
Both were designed by IDC Architects of Portland, and both illustrate the success of the biotech community in the Pacific Northwest, which has brought more opportunities for construction companies to build multimillion-dollar, high-tech facilities.
After years of multimillion-dollar research pursuits, breakthrough medical discoveries are evolving into products that can help people battle some of life's most serious diseases.
For the architect, "it comes down to understanding the scientific mission and how the scientists will be working," said Ernie Staley, project architect with IDC. Architects often team up with lab planners who act as go-betweens for the scientists and the designers, he added.
The $60 million Berlex biotech facility being built north of Seattle in Lynnwood will be a big boost for the Puget Sound biotech community. The facility is being assembled on a $10 million, 16-acre site at Opus Northwest's Northpointe Corporate Campus and marks a major step in developing biotech products.
Until now, only small amounts of Leukine have been produced in more than 12 years of research studies by the drug's developer, Immunex, which is located in Bothell. Wash. Berlex Labora- tories Inc., the U.S. affiliate of Ger- many's 154-year-old Schering AG pharmaceutical company, has designed its Lynnwood plant for multiple expansions, culminating in a 350,000-sq.-ft. facility to meet market demand years from now.
About 70 employees will work there initially, with possibly as many as 180 at the site by 2009.
The shell of the Berlex production facility for Leukine is already completed, with interior finishing and the installation of manufacturing equipment due to be completed a year from now.
But completing the construction is only the first phase of bringing the plant online, Palmacci said. There will be months of validation inspections to pass to make sure the plant functions according to its design.
Leukine, a yeast-process, liquid bulk drug - which will later be packaged into vials for injections - must also meet stringent U.S. Federal Drug Administra-tion and European standards.
One of the subcontractors who's getting used to a new set of standards required at the Berlex plant is Paul Koshiyama, director of business development for BMWC Constructors in Kent. Already experienced in biotech projects for Lilly & Co., Targeted Genetics, Cell Therapeutics and others, the mechanical systems contractor will be installing ultrahigh-purity piping systems, bioreactors and autoclaves for Berlex.
"We've worked in the semiconductor industry and on the Immunex (Amgen) facility on the Seattle waterfront, but we've never worked on a biotech production plant before," he said. "What's different about this biotech production plant is that you have to perform to very stringent standards to meet FDA regulations.
"Stainless steel pipe welds, for instance, have to be inspected and validated both inside and outside to be sure no bacteria have a place to grow because production of Leukine is based on a yeast process that could become contaminated."
In Oregon, the state's small but expanding biotech and medical industry of several dozen companies is most prominently represented in the development of Molecular Probes' new campus at Eugene.
The company, recently purchased by biotech giant Invitrogen Corp., is one of the leading producers of fluorescent reagents, used globally in scientific and biomedical research to mark biological cells for tracking.
The $6.5 million, four-story, 38,000-sq.-ft. biosciences laboratory and offices on the campus marked Molecular Probes' growth from a small research enterprise to an industrial leader in its field. The expansion was designed to attract world-class scientists.
And now, a new two-story science laboratory building is being added to the site, with John Hyland Construction Co. of Eugene as the general contractor.
Shaun Hyland, the firm's vice president, said the $15.6 million, structure will total 60,000 sq. ft. Due to be completed in February, it will be the seventh Molecular Probes building.
"When this one's done it will be very much a campus setting, with internal courtyards," Hyland added.
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States Vie for Biotech Market Share>>
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