One of the nation’s leading biopharmaceutical companies will break ground early next year for an approximately $75 million expansion to its current Billerica research facility.
The company, which focuses its studies on therapeutic areas of neurology, fertility, endocrinology, oncology and other autoimmune inflammatory diseases, employs 1,000 workers nationwide, according to Heather Hatfield, director of U.S. Communications for EMD Serono. At present 650 of the 1,000 employees are spread across the company’s U.S. headquarters in Rockland and its Billerica facility.
“We’ve had a strong presence in Massachusetts for more than 25 years,” said Hatfield. “Our Billerica facility has been in existence for several years, with a focus on research in oncology and fertility and we’ll most likely expand into neurology in the near future as well as early stage manufacturing.”
Neurology is an important part of the company, with a large focus around its flagship product, Rebif, used to treat relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). The next step for EMD Serono in their efforts to help patients living with neurodegenerative diseases is bringing the first oral therapy for MS, cladribine, to the market.
Hatfield said the company is very excited about the potential the drug, which is in late-stage trials, will bring to patients.
One of the nation’s leading biopharmaceutical companies will break ground early next year for an approximately $75 million expansion to its current Billerica research facility.