Boehringer Ingelheim bolsters drug discovery, development with $350M in capital investments

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals announced today that it has made more than $350 million worth of capital investments throughout its U.S. operations this year, in order to further bolster its drug discovery, development and manufacturing capabilities. Privately-held, family-owned Boehringer Ingelheim continues to grow by improving its state-of-the-art facilities and enhancing its research, development and manufacturing capabilities.

The latest investment is a 72,000 square-foot research and development facility at the company's U.S. headquarters in Ridgefield, Connecticut. When complete the $65 million facility will handle production of active pharmaceutical ingredients used in early development activities. Products developed here, if approved, move on to Boehringer Ingelheim's full-scale R&D facilities in Ohio and Virginia, as well as Germany and Italy.

"This new R&D facility will help generate life-saving drugs and improve the health of countless people. As new drug invention continues to be in short supply, I am pleased that Boehringer Ingelheim is expanding this critical work right here in Connecticut, helping to grow both jobs and healthcare," said U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.).

"The ground-breaking research that will take place at this facility will put successful medical ideas to work for millions of additional patients, all while creating jobs here in Connecticut," Congressman Jim Himes (D-Conn.) said. "Congratulations to Boehringer Ingelheim on this new chapter. I look forward to our continued work together."

Other investment announcements by Boehringer Ingelheim in 2011 include:

In August, the company announced its investment in a new drug safety assessment building in Ridgefield, Conn. The $42 million project is scheduled to be completed in 2013 and will provide space for non-clinical safety studies.

The company's U.S. animal health business, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., this summer dedicated its new $89 million vaccine research facility in Sioux Center, Iowa, one of three special vaccine research buildings it will build there. The company also announced a $100 million expansion of its biological manufacturing facility in St. Joseph's, Missouri.

In September, Boehringer Ingelheim Roxane, Inc., opened a new $50 million High Containment Operations facility in Columbus, Ohio in order to meet a growing market demand for high potency and oncology products.  The building uses state-of-the-art technology to develop and manufacture differentiated high potency oral solid tablets and capsules in support of Roxane Laboratories', Inc. rapidly growing multisource business.  

In addition to these capital investments, Boehringer Ingelheim gained a presence on the West Coast with the acquisition in March of Boehringer Ingelheim Fremont, Inc. The facility, acquired from Amgen, manufactures biological medicines, and consists of more than 300,000 square feet for laboratories, manufacturing and process development suitable for clinical and market supplies.

"These are exciting projects; ones that increase Boehringer Ingelheim's research and development capabilities and reinforce our commitment to growth and innovation in the U.S.," said J. Martin Carroll, President and CEO of Boehringer Ingelheim's U.S. operations. "Through these investments we are improving our ability to research, develop and manufacture the medicines of tomorrow and in doing so fulfilling our promise to bring more health to patients and their families."