Boston, MA – EMD Serono, Inc., an affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, has opened its state-of-the-art research center in Billerica, MA, establishing it as a “hub within the Merck KGaA research organization. Representing a $75 million investment, the 140,000-square-foot Billerica research facility supports the company’s commitment to developing and discovering innovative treatments in oncology. neurodegenerative diseases and infertility. Nearly 100 new jobs are being created in Massachusetts as a result of the building expansion. Jones Lang LaSalle is the project’s Construction Manager.
“This research expansion represents EMD Serono’s clear purpose of scientific and medical innovation, and solidifies the company’s presence in Massachusetts as a leading, global organization in the life sciences industry,” said Fereydoun Firouz, President and CEO of EMD Serono, Inc. “We are focused on retaining and attracting the best scientists to develop therapies that provide value and breakthrough solutions to people living with serious medical conditions such as fertility disorders, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.”
The new site’s proximity to Boston reinforces EMD Serono’s existing networks and scientific collaborations, which include academic institutions, research organizations, hospitals and healthcare institutions. In addition, this research expansion is a strong indication of EMD Serono’s commitment to supporting economic growth in Massachusetts.
“The Massachusetts economy is an innovation economy, and EMD Serono’s new facility is one of the best examples of how that innovation translates in to jobs and scientific advancement,” said Governor Deval Patrick. “This new facility will enhance Massachusetts’ position of global leadership in the life sciences, and the research that goes on here will lead to improvements in human health. This is just the sort of growth that we envisioned when we proposed the Life Sciences initiative back in 2007, and I am confident there will be many more announcements like this to come.”
According to Jones Lang LaSalle Managing Director and Project Executive Steven Wassersug: “This project has created opportunities for everyone involved. It is part of something that will house the type of research that benefits all of us and members of our families for generations to come. It is an honor to be a long-standing member of the EMD Serono team.” The two companies have built an eight-year relationship, with Jones Lang LaSalle working on multiple projects for the biopharmaceutical company.
Joining Steven on the Jones Lang LaSalle construction team is: Managing Director Mark David; Senior Vice President Larry Carpenter, Karl Ginand, and Gary Hodlin; Vice Presidents Bill DePippo, Peter Carr, and Dan Donahue; Assistant Vice President Don Mason; Construction Manager Jennifer Cronan; Superintendants Dan Brown, Jeff Baldwin, Tom Daly, Bob Kelly, Josh Blake, Steve Pizzuto, Jason Russo, and Jeff Baldwin; Safety Manager Mark Walraven; and Estimator Mike Kelly.
The new site will accommodate approximately 200 scientists with expertise in cancer biology, cancer immunotherapy, oncogene signalling, medicinal chemistry, molecular modelling, protein engineering, therapeutic antibodies and manufacturing cell lines across the core therapeutic areas of neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and infertility.
The Billerica facility accommodates over 115,000 square feet (sf) of lab and office space, consisting of: 25,000 sf of chemistry and screening labs; 25,000 sf biology and cell culture labs; 22,000 sf of general lab support space; 20,000 sf of office and conference rooms; and 23,000 sf of mechanical space.
EMD Serono is committed to environmental responsibility and the project is working toward Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification.
“EMD Serono is developing treatments for some of the toughest medical challenges that we face, including neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic disorders and infertility. This new facility reflects the tremendous success that the company is having with its pipeline of innovative new drugs and therapies,” said Dr. Susan Windham-Bannister, President & CEO of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center. “I congratulate EMD Serono on this important milestone and thank them for their commitment to growing in Massachusetts.”
The entire project team also had a strong commitment to safety starting during the design phase right through occupancy and operation. The project kicked off with a program at Harvard University titled “Safety in Design and Construction, A Lifecycle Approach” which was tailored to the EMD Serono project. Using principals discussed during this seminar and developed by the project team the new facility was constructed with no lost time recorded injuries for a project that took over 370,000 man hours to construct.
The Billerica facility is one of our R&D hubs within Merck Serono. Others are located in Germany, Switzerland and China. These state-of-the-art facilities foster enhanced collaboration and synergies to discover and develop innovative therapies.
EMD Serono worked with a number of Massachusetts businesses on this project. The architect was Ellenzweig. The Mechanical/Electrical/Fire Protection Engineers of the facility were BR+A, LLC Consulting Engineers, the Civil Engineers were BSC Group and the Geotechnical Engineers were GEI Consultants.
