Officials dedicate new Advion BioSciences facility in Purdue Research Park of Indianapolis
June 28, 2011
Marc Lotter, from left, of the city of Indianapolis, along with Advion BioSciences officials Dave Patteson, Jack Henion and Tom Kurz cut the ceremonial ribbon during Tuesday's (June 28) dedication of Advion BioSciences in the Purdue Research Park of Indianapolis. Advion BioSciences invested more than $6 million to construct and equip 22,000 square feet of leased space at the park. (Purdue Research Foundation photo)
INDIANAPOLIS and ITHACA, N.Y. – More than 150 people attended Tuesday's (June 28) dedication of the Advion BioSciences Drug Discovery & Metabolism Center of Excellence at the Purdue Research Park of Indianapolis.
The opening is a recent example of an international company choosing Indiana for its Midwest life sciences research facility and how the state continues to outpace the rest of the country in life sciences growth. According to the 2010 Battelle/Biotechnology Industry Organization "State BioScience Initiatives" report, Indiana's annual biosciences job growth is 17.2 percent compared to the national average of 15.8 percent.
Advion, which provides a range of laboratory testing services and laboratory equipment to pharmaceutical developers and university researchers, invested more than $6 million to construct and equip 22,000 square feet of leased space at the park. The firm will do contract research for Eli Lilly and Co. and other types of bioanalytical assays in the new facility. About 50 research professionals work in the new facility.
"There is a high demand for early-stage bioanalytical services, and this new center will enable us to expand our drug discovery, metabolism and development services for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies," said David B. Patteson, CEO and president of Advion BioSciences, the parent company of Advion BioServices. "The opportunity to open a facility in Indianapolis not only provides us with a talent pool of experienced scientists, but also aligns with our corporate goals of increasing our global footprint in this important research area."
Headquartered in Ithaca, N.Y., Advion BioSciences operates in two divisions, Advion BioServices, which operates testing laboratories for pharmaceutical research, and Advion BioSystems, which provides laboratory systems and consumables for life science researchers. Founded in 1993, the company has sales and support offices in the United States, Europe and Japan.
"Advion is a good fit for Indianapolis and the Purdue Research Park of Indianapolis because of the strength of life sciences in the state and the park's proven track record of providing high-tech companies with the resources to expand," said Joseph B. Hornett, senior vice president, treasurer and COO of the Purdue Research Foundation. "This move will bring the park's 55,000-square-foot facility to near capacity."
Alaina Clark-Weinstein, bioanalytical chemist for Advion BioSciences Inc., operates an automatic pipetting sample machine in the Advion BioSciences laboratory at the Purdue Research Park of Indianapolis. About 50 Advion employees will conduct laboratory testing services for pharmaceutical developers and university researchers in the new 20,000- square-foot laboratory. More than 150 people attended the facility's Tuesday (June 28) dedication. (Purdue Research Foundation photo)
There are 14 new and expanding companies in the Purdue Research Park of Indianapolis.
"Indiana is outpacing the national average in economic growth in the life sciences, and Advion's decision to open a research facility in Indianapolis is a great benefit to us and to them," said Mitch Roob, Indiana Secretary of Commerce and CEO of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. "We have a strong and growing life sciences sector and we have qualified graduates coming out of our universities as well as experienced professionals in the life sciences to fill the positions that Advion needs."
The IEDC offered Advion BioServices Inc. up to $650,000 in performance-based tax credits and up to $30,000 in training grants based on the company's job creation plans. Develop Indy provided additional training funding and support property tax abatement from the City of Indianapolis.
"The opening of Advion's new drug discovery and metabolism center in Indianapolis demonstrates that conditions are right for companies to develop and grow their business here," said Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard. "We welcome this new facility and the biosciences jobs it brings to Indianapolis. Advion's expansion is the result of our latest in a series of recent efforts designed to stimulate innovation and growth in our business community."
About Advion BioServices Inc.
Advion is a scientific leader in bioanalytical and immunoassay services. Advion offers a range of GLP-compliant and discovery-support services, including bioanalytical LC/MS/MS, LC/MS biomarker analysis, immunoassay, cytochrome P450 inhibition study support, sample management and sample storage. The company is the laboratory of choice for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in pursuit of scientific excellence. More information about Advion can be found by visiting its website at http://www.advion.com
About IEDC
Created by Gov. Mitch Daniels in 2005 to replace the former Department of Commerce, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation is governed by a 12-member board and chaired by Daniels. Roob serves as the chief executive officer of the IEDC. For more information about IEDC, visit http://www.iedc.in.gov
About Purdue Research Park
The Purdue Research Park of Indianapolis is one of four business incubation sites across Indiana operated by the Purdue Research Foundation. Other park locations are West Lafayette, Merrillville and New Albany. The park network has 216 companies and 4,000 people working in high-tech sectors. With a combined 500,000-square-feet incubation space, the park has four of the top 10 incubators in Indiana. A 2011 independent study reports that the Purdue Research Park network contributes $1.3 billion annually to Indiana's economy.
Media Contacts:
Amy Boardman (Advion), 607-266-0665 ext. 331, boardmaa@advion.com
Blair West (IEDC), 317-232-8873, BWest@iedc.in.gov
Cynthia Sequin (Purdue Research Foundation), 765-588-3340, casequin@prf.org
