Here is just
a handful of success stories from several board members who
believe in the Commonwealth’s $2 billion initiative
that will strengthen Southeastern Pennsylvania’s position
as a leader in life sciences innovation.
“We are building a new spirit that will foster
the growth of life science businesses across Pennsylvania.
It’s about people. It’s about jobs. It’s
about innovation. It’s about science. It’s about
a strong return on a far-sighted investment.”
Frank Baldino, Jr., PhD.
Chairman, BioAdvance
Chairman and CEO, Cephalon, Inc.
Founded in 1987, Cephalon is an international biopharmaceutical
company headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania, with
over 1200 employees. Revenue from product sales in 2001 was
$226.1 million.
“This cooperation between Pennsylvania’s
government, public and private universities, venture capitalists,
and regional leaders to develop the new system of state-funded
LifeScience Greenhouses is something we will look back on,
20 years from now, as a great example of farsighted public-private
initiative.”
Paul C. Brucker, M.D.
President, Thomas Jefferson University
Chariman, Jefferson Health Systems
Thomas Jefferson University, founded in 1824, is an academic
health center consisting of Jefferson Medical College, one
of the largest private medical schools in the United States;
Jefferson College of Health Professions, providing education
in health professions such as nursing and laboratory sciences
and; Jefferson College of Graduate Studies, offering Ph.D.
and M.S. degrees in both the basic science disciplines and
areas related to health professions. The University serves
as the primary academic affiliate for Thomas Jefferson University
Hospitals and other Jefferson Health System hospitals.
“The $60 million venture fund committed by Governor
Schweiker and the Legislature to foster new life sciences
businesses in Pennsylvania is just the seed. From this seed,
we plan to grow major financial resources to drive an explosion
of entrepreneurial life sciences companies throughout the
Commonwealth.”
Brenda G Gavin
Managing Partner, Quaker BioVentures
Quaker BioVentures is a new fund based in Philadelphia, focused
on investments in life science companies in the Mid-Atlantic
region.
“From its very beginnings, Centocor was able to
find resources here in Pennsylvania, or convince others to
bring them to us. The result has been a 20-year history of
innovation and growth. First, Centocor became one of America’s
most successful biotechnology companies. Today, it is a key
biotechnology division of one of the world’s great life
science businesses, Johnson & Johnson.”
David Holveck
Company Group Chairman
Johnson & Johnson
Centocor is a leading biopharmaceutical company that creates,
acquires and markets cost-effective therapies that yield long-term
benefits for patients and the healthcare community. Its products,
developed primarily through monoclonal antibody technology,
help physicians deliver innovative treatments to improve human
health and restore patients’ quality of life. Centocor
is a wholly owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, the
worldwide manufacturer of healthcare products.
|
