Puerto Rico... a major pharmaceutical hub

[Jaykar]

I was looking at some articles over the internet and found this one about PR's participation in the pharmaceutical sector; not long ago we talked about pharmaceuticals that have facilities in the island so here is a clear view of PR's participation in this sector of the economy.

Puerto Rico's Pharmaceutical Industry: 40 Years Young!

For almost 40 years, Puerto Rico has been home to a majority of the major pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers. In fact, over 100 companies have facilities on the island. Renowned for its highly-educated, innovative, and skilled workforce, extensive regulatory experience, and a rich history of product delivery, Puerto Rico has become one of the largest high-tech manufacturing centers in the United States. Puerto Rico�s pharmaceutical influence will focus on research and development and biotechnology, as it continues to be a leader in drug and device manufacturing.

The first pharmaceutical plant on Puerto Rico began operation in 1957, and only a few decades later, the island emerged as one of the world�s top manufacturing locations for pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products. Puerto Rico has benefited from a combination of tax incentives, proximity to the United States market, and and determination of its residents to attract increasing foreign investment in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries.

Eli Lilly opened its first plant on the island in 1960, and today the majority of the top 20 pharmaceutical companies, including Abbott Laboratories, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer and Wyeth operate facilities in Puerto Rico. In fact, the island, which now houses a $60 billion pharmaceutical industry infrastructure, including 89 FDA-approved pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical plants, is the world�s fifth largest pharmaceutical manufacturing region, after the United States mainland, the United Kingdom, Japan, and France.

Amgen Facilities in Northeastern PR

Eli Lilly Carolina Operations

[urbanguy]

Wow over a 100 companies thats awesome! I knew that the industry was huge there but I didn't know that it also ranked so high on the world stage. Thats really good.

[Jaykar]

This article is a lil' bit old but talks about the new Microsoft plant located in Humacao. It says that from that plant, Microsoft is planning to produce 100% of their principal products for the entire continent.

Microsoft opens optical media plant in Puerto Rico

Friday, October 6, 2006

HUMACAO, Puerto Rico: Microsoft Corporation, a global leader in computer software, services and technologies, on Thursday inaugurated its new optical media plant in Humacao, Puerto Rico, investing over $66 million in construction and equipment and more than 31,000 hours in training for its 180 employees.

The new plant in Humacao is the only Microsoft-owned optical media manufacturing facility worldwide and will produce 100 per cent of all the principal MS products for the Americas market, which includes both North and Latin America.

The announcement was made on Thursday by Governor Anibal Acevedo-Vila, Frank Holland, Vice President of Microsoft Operations in the Americas, and Rodolfo Acevedo, General Manager of Microsoft Puerto Rico. The expansion will make Puerto Rico central to Microsoft's operations in the Americas and strengthen the island's position within the global information technology industry.

"The exemplary and quick manner in which our employees have evolved to keep up with the fast-paced and constantly evolving nature of the software industry speaks very highly of the island's talented and capable workforce and gives us an added incentive to continue investing in the Puerto Rico market," Holland said.

The new facilities will create 94 new jobs in Humacao and enable Microsoft Puerto Rico to increase its production capacity threefold. Holland stated that the Humacao plant has the technology necessary for producing DVD-9, a new trend in software distribution, and is considering making Puerto Rico an integral component in Microsoft's future digital distribution chain as well.

Additionally, the plant will host a new operations center which will include forecasting and planning for Microsoft's Americas region and a quality management center.

"Microsoft's decision to locate all its optical media production operations on the island is a testament to Puerto Rico's competitiveness as a center for innovation and the power of our talented and capable workforce to attract new and significant investments from industry leaders worldwide," Boris Jaskille, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company, stated.

Microsoft Corporation first established its presence in the island in 1990. In 2005, Microsoft generated 23,200 or 63 per cent of jobs in the IT sector and contributed approximately $10 million in investments and expenditures to the local economy.

Just another article about Microsoft in Puerto Rico

Microsoft opens plant in Puerto Rico to make Office 2007, Windows Vista programs

Microsoft Corp. said it opened a new plant Thursday in northeastern Puerto Rico where its Windows Vista and Office 2007 programs will be manufactured.

The $66 million plant in Humacao increased the company's work force in the U.S. territory by 86 up to about 170. New optic media, particularly the DVD-9 format, will be produced at the plant, the company said in a statement.

"With these new investments, Puerto Rico becomes mission critical to the successful distribution of all physical software products in the region," said Frank Holland, vice president of Microsoft's Americas division.

An extra 60 contract jobs are expected to be created during peak production periods _ such as the release of Windows Vista and Office 2007, scheduled for later this year.

Microsoft began its operation in Humacao in 1990. The plant will house an operations centre that will include forecasting and planning for the company's Americas region and a quality management centre.

[Rican427]

Microsoft is great!

Do you have any pics of the plant or do you know the exact location of the plant in Humacao?

[Jaykar]

Microsoft is great!

Do you have any pics of the plant or do you know the exact location of the plant in Humacao?

[urbanguy]

Wow thats awesome. I wonder how much these workers are being paid?

[Jaykar]

Wow thats awesome. I wonder how much these workers are being paid?

[nashbill]

Didn't these same pharmceuticals use the local population for testing of new drugs because they could not do it in the continental US back when they first started locating facilities there? This has been several decades ago. I'm glad to see the island prospering. I really like Puerto Rico and would recommend anyone to take a vacation there.

[urbanguy]

Jaykar, I'm glad that these companies are providing good jobs and pay. It's also great for the economy because it helps diversify it unlike many other tropical locations that are primarily dependent on tourism and/or agriculture. Both of which have a lot of competition and are overwhelmingly filled with low-skilled jobs.

[Jaykar]

Didn't these same pharmceuticals use the local population for testing of new drugs because they could not do it in the continental US back when they first started locating facilities there? This has been several decades ago. I'm glad to see the island prospering. I really like Puerto Rico and would recommend anyone to take a vacation there.

[Jaykar]

Jaykar, I'm glad that these companies are providing good jobs and pay. It's also great for the economy because it helps diversify it unlike many other tropical locations that are primarily dependent on tourism and/or agriculture. Both of which have a lot of competition and are overwhelmingly filled with low-skilled jobs.

[Jaykar]

New biopharmaceutical in Puerto Rico.

Abraxis Bioscience Completes Acquisition of Manufacturing Complex from Pfizer

Wednesday February 14, 4:34 pm ET

State-of-the-Art Puerto Rico Facility Supplements Abraxis' Manufacturing Capabilities to Support Expansion of its Injectables Portfolio

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Abraxis BioScience, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABBI - News), an integrated, global biopharmaceutical company, today announced it has completed the acquisition of the Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE - News) Cruce Davila manufacturing facility in Barceloneta, Puerto Rico. This 56-acre site consists of a 172,000 square foot validated manufacturing plant with capabilities of producing EU and US compliant injectable pharmaceuticals, as well as protein based biologics and metered dosed inhalers. In addition, the acquisition includes a state-of-the-art, computer-controlled 90,000 square foot active pharmaceutical ingredients manufacturing plant, and two support facilities with quality assurance and laboratories, totaling 262,000 square feet. Under the terms of the agreement, Abraxis will lease the active pharmaceuticals ingredients plant back to Pfizer. Abraxis expects to begin commercial manufacturing from this site in the first half of 2007.

ADVERTISEMENT

About Abraxis BioScience, Inc.

Abraxis BioScience, Inc. is an integrated global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to meeting the needs of critically ill patients. The company develops, manufactures and markets one the broadest portfolios of injectable products and leverages revolutionary technology such as its nab platform to discover and deliver breakthrough therapeutics that transform the treatment of cancer and other life-threatening diseases. The first FDA approved product to use this nab platform, ABRAXANE

[Jaykar]

I was reading the newspaper and found an article. Although is in Spanish it says a couple of interesting facts about Puerto Rico. Here are the facts:

--25% of all the medicines that are consumed in the world are produced in Puerto Rico.

--50% of all the "marcapasos" that are manufactured in the United States are made in Puerto Rico. Dont' know the translation for Marcapaso. Is something used when people have Heart problems.

--Humacao is the only place of the world where Microsoft Company manufactures his new operating system Windows Vista.

--Puerto Rico occupies the 18th position between the greater exporters of medical and scientific equipment in the world.

--85% of the gross national product are the approximated cost of the consumers in Puerto Rico.

--Last year tax-free companies established in Puerto Rico produced $18,000 million in income.

--Puerto Rico has aproximately 23 million sf of commercial space.

Here is the link of the article: http://www.endi.com/noticia/portada/notici...economia/187096

Impulso para la econom

[Jaykar]

Abbott opens new biologics manufacturing facility in Puerto Rico

Wednesday, April 11, 2007 09:00 IST

Barceloneta, Puerto Rico

Abbott has announced the official opening of its new state-of-the-art biologics manufacturing facility in Puerto Rico to support the long-term supply of its leading biologic agent, Humira (adalimumab), and other future biologics. The new facility, Abbott Biotechnology Limited (ABL), received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in February to commercially produce a Humira for the US market.

"This new facility is a key milestone for Abbott as we move to focus our resources and future growth on biologic and potent-drug manufacturing," said Lawrence Kraus, vice president of manufacturing, global pharmaceutical operations, Abbott. "The advanced, high-quality infrastructure of ABL can meet the exceptionally challenging and stringent processes of biologic manufacturing. With this state-of-the-art facility, we can supply Humira to the growing number of patients who have come to rely on this breakthrough product."

ABL is now the main production facility for Humira, the only fully human monoclonal antibody approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in the US and Europe. The drug is also approved in the US to treat Crohn's disease. This new plant has significantly more production capacity than the other manufacturing facility for Humira, the Abbott Bioresearch Centre (ABC) in Worcester, Massachusetts. The ABC site will now serve as a supporting production facility for Humira and will focus on Abbott's growing biologics research and development portfolio.

"Abbott's new facility expands Puerto Rico's growing presence as the Bio Island. We fully support Abbott's operations in Puerto Rico and will continue to improve our business climate to facilitate future investment among high technology companies like Abbott," said Hon. An