Roche unveils New York research base
pharmafile | September 26, 2012 | News story | Research and Development | New York, Nutley, Roche, translational research
Roche is to locate a new translational clinical research centre in central New York, as part of a shift towards a more streamlined approach to R&D.
The company’s new Translational Clinical Research Center (TCRC) will be located at the Alexandria Center for Life Science on the East side of Manhattan, and will become operational from late 2013.
The centre will be the critical early development presence for Roche Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED), and will take over from Roche’s current US research base in Nutley, New Jersey.
In June the company announced plans to close the Nutley site, with the loss of around 1,000 jobs. The firm is streamlining its R&D activities, including abandoning work in inflammation altogether.
Meanwhile discovery work in virology and oncology currently conducted at Nutley will be taken up by Roche sites in Germany, and in Switzerland.
The move mirrors similar reorganisations across all major pharma companies, including Pfizer, GSK and Roche’s Swiss neighbours Novartis. It says the reduced costs will help it to ensure efficient allocation of resources for its expanding late-stage product development pipeline.
Roche will prepare the 119-acre Nutley site for sale and look for a potential buyer. The company has, however, been persuaded to retain around 50 management-level positions in an as-yet unspecified Northern New Jersey location.
“We are very pleased with the selection of the Alexandria Center as this will be a strategically important site for Roche,” said Mike Burgess, acting global head, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development.
“We looked at several great properties in New York and New Jersey and selected the Alexandria Center for its unique location as well as the dynamic, vibrant and thriving scientific atmosphere it offers. For Roche research, having the TCRC located in the Alexandria Center will be a critical element in helping us maintain the high calibre of scientific excellence within Roche pRED, carry out our long-term strategic research vision, tap into scientific expertise, and find new and innovative ways to move the drug development process forward.”
Roche says the TCRC will build on and enhance connections with US stakeholders, maintain interactions with the FDA, and enhance collaborations with US-based partners. The centre will take projects from discovery (in Europe) through the Lifecycle Investment Point (i.e., the transition from early- to late-stage development).
Staff at the centre will be responsible for leading global early development programmes and clinical trials, as well as developing strategy and implementing translational research focused on disease understanding and the development of potential new medicines.
Roche will transfer approximately 200 employees from pRED and Product Development in Nutley to the new centre.
Betting on autonomy and diversity
Roche is hoping that the new approach of creating smaller autonomous centres which work in collaboration with external partners will help increase R&D productivity. It says it believes that a “diversity of views, cultures and approaches promote creativity, especially in research and early development”.
The new set-up leaves Roche with three R&D groups within the pharmaceutical organisation: Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED in Europe and China and the TCRC in the U.S.), Genentech Research and Early Development (gRED in California) and Chugai (in Japan).
Roche says: “These groups operate independently within the Roche Group, forming hubs of an innovation network that includes alliances with more than 150 outside partners. This unique structure is designed to foster innovation from research and early development through late-stage development and marketing.”
Related Content
Genentech’s Columbi meets primary endpoint in phase 3 trial for lymphoma treatment
Genentech, part of the Roche Group, has announced that its phase 3 STARGLO trial has …
Lonza to acquire biologics site in Vacaville, US from Roche for $1.2bn
Lonza has announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire the Genentech large-scale biologics …
Roche shares data on novel solution for continuous glucose monitoring
Roche has shared the latest data on its novel solution for continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), …
