GlaxoSmithKline Continues West Coast Pullout with Sudden Lab Closure in Bothell

---

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas). GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK ) (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) has recently ceased production at the Bothell, Washington biodefense vaccine pilot-scale production and research plant. The action follows a similar move by the company in 2005 when GSK closed its Corixa biopharmaceutical immunology and vaccine adjuvants agents facility and over 100 employees were laid off.

The Bothell location was acquired by GSK from ID Biomedical out of Vancouver, Canada in 2005 and consists of a leased space of 28,000 square feet of research labs and pilot-scale production for genetically engineered vaccines for the plague and anthrax. A few employees have stayed behind at Bothell to oversee the dismantlement and final removal of equipment but by the end of the year, over 75 employees will have lost their jobs.

The main reason cited by the company for closing the location was current lack of demand and unjustifiable expense for development of the vaccines. The vaccine would mainly be used as a precautionary measure and although attractive to the military, the current market was not deemed sufficient to continue the Washington operations. Some legal issues regarding the Bothell lease need to be resolved before the site at North Creek Corporate Center can be released to another party. Any future modifications at the site will be handled by McKinstry Company (Seattle, Washington), a general mechanical contracting firm.

Check out Industrial Info's just released 2007 Pharmaceutical-Biotech Industry Forecast for details on trends in the industry.

View Plant Profile - 1063482

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is a Marketing Information Service company that has been doing business for over 23 years. IIR is respected as the leader in providing comprehensive market intelligence pertaining to the industrial processing, heavy manufacturing, and energy-related industries throughout the world.