CHESHIRE, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALXN) joined state and local
officials in a ground-breaking ceremony today for 100 College Street, a
state-of-the-art laboratory and office building that will house the
company's new global headquarters in New Haven, Conn. The event marks a
milestone in the expansion of Alexion's research and business operations
as it continues to develop a broad portfolio of life-transforming
therapies for patients. In addition, construction of the new building in
the Downtown Crossing section of New Haven is an important step in the
revitalization of the city's downtown neighborhoods.
Coming home: Alexion Pharmaceuticals breaks ground on its new global headquarters in New Haven, expected to be completed in 2015. (L to R) New Haven Mayor John DeStefano, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Governor Dan Malloy, Leonard Bell, MD, CEO of Alexion, Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Bruce Alexander, Yale University VP, New Haven and State Affairs. (Photo: Business Wire)
Alexion will be the anchor tenant in 100 College Street, occupying nine
floors. The building is expected to be open for occupancy in 2015.
"Our new global headquarters will support our continued growth as we
work to develop and deliver life-transforming therapies for patients
with severe and life-threatening disorders that are also ultra-rare,"
said Leonard Bell, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Alexion. "We are
especially pleased by this step because our return to New Haven is a
homecoming for our company, and we are able to take part in the
redevelopment of the downtown area."
When Alexion takes occupancy in 2015, it will mark the company's return
to the city where it was founded more than 20 years ago. Alexion plans
to relocate more than 400 employees who are currently based in
Connecticut to the new site in 2015. In addition, the company is well
underway to adding the 200 to 300 new jobs it anticipated creating when
it was admitted to Governor Dannel P. Malloy's First Five program in
June 2012.
Dr. Bell was joined at the groundbreaking ceremony by Governor Malloy,
as well as by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, New Haven
Mayor John DeStefano, Jr. and representatives from Yale University and
Yale-New Haven Hospital.
"We are positioning Connecticut as a leader in the bioscience industry,
and Alexion's decision to build their new global headquarters in our
state is a clear sign that the future in this sector is bright," said
Governor Dannel P. Malloy. "With our economic development tools, our
focus on growing bioscience and technology, and through widely expanding
higher education, we will continue to expand bioscience in
Connecticut—creating good paying jobs with good benefits. These
investments not only improve our economic strength and competitiveness,
but also establish important partnerships between our universities,
medical centers, and private sector businesses."
The state-of-the-art 11-story office building is the first building to
be erected as part of New Haven's Downtown Crossing urban revitalization
effort. Downtown Crossing is the largest infrastructure activity in New
Haven in decades, and is funded by the U.S. Department of
Transportation's TIGER II grant, the city of New Haven and the State of
Connecticut. It is expected to create 2,000 construction jobs, result in
$184 million in direct and indirect spending over the next three years,
and create 600 to 900 permanent jobs upon completion. The building is
being constructed to be certifiable to an environmental standard of at
least LEED Silver.
About Alexion
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on
serving patients with severe and ultra-rare disorders through the
innovation, development and commercialization of life-transforming
therapeutic products. Alexion is the global leader in complement
inhibition and has developed and markets a treatment for patients with
paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and atypical hemolytic uremic
syndrome (aHUS), two debilitating, ultra-rare and life-threatening
disorders caused by chronic uncontrolled complement activation. The
treatment is currently approved in more than 40 countries for the
treatment of PNH, and in the United States and the European Union for
the treatment of aHUS. Alexion is evaluating other potential indications
for its marketed drug and is developing four other highly innovative
biotechnology product candidates, which are being investigated across
nine severe and ultra-rare disorders beyond PNH and aHUS. This press
release and further information about Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. can
be found at: www.alexionpharma.com.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20130617006486/en/
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.:
Irving Adler, 203-271-8210
Executive
Director, Corporate Communications
or
Media:
SmithSolve
LLC on behalf of Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Jennifer Devine,
973-442-1555 ext. 102
jennifer.devine@smithsolve.com
Source: Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
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