Medicine plant to expand

When one media executive used to prod CEO David Williams about touring the vaccine-making plants at Sanofi Pasteur, Williams nudged back by telling him: "It will be a cold day in hell."

On Tuesday, beneath a tent that shielded his audience from the heat, Williams noted it was not exactly a cool day for a news conference.
But he and other company officials were scorching with pride in showing off their investment -- a $150 million influenza-vaccine manufacturing facility.

The internationally based drug-making company announced the completion of the plant, with Williams saying it will bring more than 100 new jobs. It will also help the Monroe County facility triple its current flu-vaccine-making capabilities of 50 million doses.

Tuesday's tour was largely ceremonial: The plant still needs approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, according to Williams. He said officials don't expect the new building to begin operating until late 2008 or early 2009.

Workers dressed in laboratory uniforms gave visitors a simulated glimpse of how the vaccine is made, from inoculating the fertilized eggs with active virus and harvesting the virus-filled egg fluid, to filtering the final product.

Samson Lee of Bethlehem, who designed the new building, described it as "state of industry." He said the vaccine-making process provides for minimum human contact in a closed, sterile environment that features such things as double entrances.

"The other thing it was designed for was containment," Lee said. "In the event of a pandemic, the facility was designed so that we could change strains within a day."

Besides the tours, the event drew officials from the company, as well as government representatives, including Dennis Yablonsky, Pennsylvania community and economic development secretary.

Yablonsky described the project, of which Pennsylvania has contributed at least $5 million toward a sewer expansion, as a "perfect example of how public-private partnerships should work."

Lee and Williams said Sanofi will soon embark on a new venture -- renovating its existing vaccine-manufacturing facility. Between the upgrade and the addition, Sanofi will be able to produce up to 150 million vaccine doses.

Yablonsky seemed to be eager to help.

"If you have another good project, we'll be back," he said.

Sanofi Pasteur, which is based in France, acquired Aventis about three years ago. Previously, Canadian-based Connaught Laboratories owned the company, which sits in a sprawling complex off Route 611 about 35 miles northwest of Easton.

Williams, who has been with the business for 30 years, recalled his early days when the company had about 100 employees and a "group of buildings."

source:www.nj.com