Officials Dedicate New Advion Facility in Purdue Research Park of Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS and ITHACA, N.Y. – About 150 people attended the opening celebration of the Advion BioServices’ Drug Discovery & Metabolism Center of Excellence on Tuesday (June 28) at the Purdue Research Park of Indianapolis near the Indianapolis International Airport.
Advion, which provides a range of laboratory testing services and laboratory equipment to pharmaceutical developers and university researchers, invested more than $6 million to construct and equip 22,000 square feet of leased space at the Purdue Research Park in Indianapolis. The firm will do contract research for Eli Lilly and Co. and other types of bioanalytical assays in the new facility.
“There is a high demand for early-stage bioanalytical services and this new center will enable us to expand our drug discovery, metabolism and development services for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies,” said David B. Patteson, CEO and president of Advion BioSciences, the parent company of Advion BioServices. “The opportunity to open a facility in Indianapolis not only provides us with a talent pool of experienced scientists, but also aligns with our corporate goals of increasing our global footprint in this important research area.”
Headquartered in Ithaca, N.Y., Advion BioSciences operates in two divisions, Advion BioServices, which operates testing laboratories for pharmaceutical research, and Advion BioSystems, which provides laboratory systems and consumables for life science researchers. Founded in 1993, the company has sales and support offices in the United States, Europe and Japan.
“Advion is a good fit for Indianapolis and the Purdue Research Park of Indianapolis because of the strength of life sciences in the state and the park’s proven track record of providing high-tech companies with the resources to expand,” said Joe Hornett, senior vice president, treasurer and COO of the Purdue Research Foundation. “This move will bring the park’s 55,000-square-foot facility to near capacity.”
There are 14 new and expanding companies in the Purdue Research Park of Indianapolis.. The new center will employ nearly 50 research professionals.
“Indiana is outpacing the national average in economic growth in the life sciences and Advion’s decision to open a research facility in Indianapolis is a great benefit to us and for them,” said Mitch Roob, Indiana Secretary of Commerce and CEO of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. “We have a strong and growing life sciences sector and we have qualified graduates coming out of our universities as well as experienced professionals in the life sciences to fill the positions that Advion needs.”
According to a 2010 report by the Batelle/Biotechnology Industry Organization’s “State BioScience Initiatives” report, Indiana’s biosciences job growth is 17.2 percent compared to the national average of 15.8 percent.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Advion BioServices Inc. up to $650,000 in performance-based tax credits and up to $30,000 in training grants based on the company’s job creation plans. Develop Indy provided an additional training funding and support property tax abatement from the City of Indianapolis.
“We worked closely with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and Advion officials to recruit this new drug discovery and metabolism center to Indianapolis,” said Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard. “The dedication of Advion’s new center is another example of a series of initiatives designed to stimulate innovation and growth in our business community.”
About Advion BioServices Inc.
Advion is a scientific leader in bioanalytical and immunoassay services. Advion offers a range of GLP-compliant and discovery support services, including bioanalytical LC/MS/MS, LC/MS biomarker analysis, immunoassay, cytochrome P450 inhibition study support, sample management, and sample storage. The company is the laboratory of choice for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in pursuit of scientific excellence. More information about Advion can be found by visiting their website, https://advion.com
About IEDC
Created by Gov. Mitch Daniels in 2005 to replace the former Department of Commerce, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation is governed by a 12-member board chaired by Daniels. Mitch Roob serves as the chief executive officer of the IEDC. For more information about IEDC, visit http://www.iedc.in.gov
Media Contacts:
Amy Boardman (Advion), 607-266-0665 ext. 331, boardmaa@advion.com
Blair West (IEDC), 317-232-8873, BWest@iedc.in.gov
Cynthia Sequin (Purdue Research Foundation), 765-588-3340, casequin@prf.org