Watson Pharmaceuticals (NYSE:WPI) has said it will build a $4.5 million research and development facility focused on developing respiratory products and inhalation technology in New Jersey. The drugmaker does not currently have a respiratory or inhalation platform, “so we will be establishing that organically,” a spokeswoman for the company said.
About 50 new and current scientists, chemists, engineers and support staff will work at the facility, according to a statement from the company.
The New Brunswick, New Jersey technology center will offer formulation, development and analytical testing. It will also serve as a location for process analytical technology, packaging development, pharmaceutical and inhalation technology, and evaluate new technology evaluation.
The 32,000-square-foot facility will be located at the New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s Technology Centre of New Jersey, a 50-acre complex with lab, production and office space.
The New Brunswick, New Jersey location positions the facility near Rutgers University’s main campus, a move Watson CEO Paul Bisaro said will help provide a resource for the pharmaceutical company.
“This will enable Watson to establish collaborations with university departments including pharmaceutics, chemistry and engineering, and permit us to benefit from the talent pool in the heart of the pharmaceutical industry of New Jersey,” Bisaro said.
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
The center is expected to open in the second quarter, according to a statement from the company. The center’s pharmaceutical technology and packaging development could be used for products currently in the company’s pipeline.
With the relocation of the company’s headquarters to Parsippany, New Jersey last year, the company was able to consolidate management functions with its legal and finance teams previously based in California.
The respiratory and inhalation products will be developed at the facility over the next two to three years.
