ROCKVILLE, MD, July 16, 2010 – Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE:EBS) today held a ribbon cutting ceremony, led by Governor Martin O’Malley and Fuad El-Hibri, Emergent’s chairman and chief executive officer, to mark the formal opening of Emergent Manufacturing Operations Baltimore. Emergent’s new facility consists of 56,000 square feet of manufacturing and office space, and includes multiple manufacturing suites designed to support clinical and commercial manufacture of the company’s rPA, anthrax monoclonal, and tuberculosis product candidates, among others.
“The Baltimore facility symbolizes Emergent’s continued investment in manufacturing as one of its core competencies and competitive advantages,” said Mr. El-Hibri. “It is also a testament to Emergent’s commitment to the State of Maryland, where we are proud to be a key contributor to economic development and job growth.”
“Maryland has a reputation of being a haven for thriving life sciences and biotechnology companies, thanks to industry leaders like Emergent BioSolutions,” said Governor O’Malley. “Emergent’s expansion into Baltimore, through the purchase and re-commissioning of this facility, enables significant investment in the biotech infrastructure already in place and ensures that high-paying, highly-skilled jobs are created and remain in Maryland.”
Emergent employs over 680 employees across the globe, with 180 employees located in Maryland, where, aside from the Baltimore manufacturing facility, its corporate headquarters and one of its product development sites are located. The opening of this new facility could create an additional 120 jobs in the next five years.
“The opening of this new biopharmaceutical facility is good news for three reasons: jobs, jobs and more jobs for Maryland,” said Senator Barbara Mikulski (MD-D). “To keep our state competitive in the global economy, we have to create and support Maryland’s jobs of the future, like the innovative life sciences jobs at Emergent BioSolutions. I’m proud that East Baltimore has been selected to house a facility dedicated to research that will keep Americans healthy and safe.”
Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley and Fuad El-Hibri
“I’m pleased to welcome Emergent BioSolutions to Baltimore,” said Congressman John Sarbanes (MD-D). “This manufacturing facility helps Maryland maintain its status as a leader in the bioscience industry and brings more than 100 high paid, high skilled jobs for Marylanders.”
“Baltimore City is excited about Emergent BioSolutions’ decision to invest here, which will create many jobs and contribute a great deal to the Baltimore biotech industry,” Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said. “I welcome Emergent BioSolutions to Baltimore City and look forward to the company’s growth in one of Baltimore’s key industries.”
The company is currently working on modifying and re-commissioning the facility. Planned facility modifications will allow for the utilization of disposable manufacturing technology to potentially result in lower capital investments, lower operating costs, and accelerated process development timelines. The facility previously operated as a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) licensed facility used by an experienced contract manufacturing organization to produce a number of products approved by the FDA and the European Medicines Agency.
About Emergent BioSolutions Inc.
Emergent BioSolutions Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development, manufacture and commercialization of vaccines and antibody therapies that assist the body’s immune system to prevent or treat disease. Emergent’s marketed product, BioThrax® (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed), is the only vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of anthrax infection. Emergent’s product pipeline targets infectious diseases and includes programs focused on anthrax, tuberculosis, typhoid, flu and chlamydia. Additional information may be found at www.emergentbiosolutions.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements, other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding our strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenues, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management, including any potential future securities offering, our expected revenue growth and net earnings for 2010, and any other statements containing the words “believes”, “expects”, “anticipates”, “plans”, “estimates” and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the company’s actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including appropriations for BioThrax® procurement; our ability to obtain new BioThrax® sales contracts; our plans to pursue label expansions and improvements for BioThrax®; our plans to expand our manufacturing facilities and capabilities; the rate and degree of market acceptance and clinical utility of our products; the success of our ongoing and planned development programs, preclinical studies and clinical trials; our ability to identify and acquire or in license products and product candidates that satisfy our selection criteria; the potential benefits of our existing collaboration agreements and our ability to enter into selective additional collaboration arrangements; the timing of and our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approvals for our other product candidates; our commercialization, marketing and manufacturing capabilities and strategy; our estimates regarding expenses, future revenue, capital requirements and needs for additional financing; and other factors identified in the company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2010 and subsequent reports filed with the SEC. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this press release.
