Governor Gilmore Announces Leading Pharmaceutical Company To Locate In Virginia

RICHMOND - Governor Jim Gilmore today announced Boehringer Ingelheim, a world leader in the pharmaceutical industry, will expand its Virginia operations for the second time since March 2000. After meeting with the German firm during his European trade and investment mission, Governor Gilmore announced that Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. will establish a pharmaceutical synthesis laboratory in the Virginia Biotechnology Research Park in the City of Richmond. This lab will serve as a research and development facility and will employ 16 researchers. The company will invest $2.5 million over the next five years in the synthesis lab.

“Boehringer Ingelheim’s strong corporate presence and scientific expertise will significantly elevate Virginia’s reputation in the pharmaceutical industry,” said Governor Gilmore. “The Virginia Biotechnology Research Park will serve as an ideal location for the company’s research and development activities.”

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is the company's worldwide Center of Excellence in immunology and inflammatory disease research. Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals urgently needed to increase its “process chemistry” capacity by approximately 30 percent due to significantly increased productivity in discovery. The new group of 16 chemists will be responsible for devising the optimal synthetic process for drug candidates entering the Boehringer Ingelheim development pipeline.

The close proximity of the Boehringer Ingelheim Chemicals, Inc. operation located near the Biotech Park offers a quick transfer of developed synthetic routes to one of the company’s manufacturing sites. Information exchange between the scientists working at Boehringer Ingelheim Chemicals, the scientists currently working in the Biotech Park and the process chemistry group fosters innovation for the development of new medicines in the field of immunology, inflammation and virology.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Greater Richmond Partnership, the City of Richmond and the Virginia Biotechnology Research Park assisted with the decision.

“By the Commonwealth providing the necessary space in Richmond, a fast solution that meets our immediate needs is possible,” said Dr. Peter Muller, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Senior Vice President of Research and Development. “The solution also strategically takes advantage of the excellent scientific environment, the front edge technologies and the outstanding track record of innovations linked to the Virginia Biotechnology Research Park.”

“This announcement proves that maintaining long-term business relationships with Virginia’s corporate citizens can pay dividends,” said Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade and member of the Boards of Directors of the Virginia Biotechnology Research Park and the Research Park Authority Barry E. DuVal. “Governor Gilmore’s personal involvement in business meetings on this recent trade mission will be beneficial for years to come.” 

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., based in Ridgefield, CT, is the largest U.S. subsidiary of Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation (Ridgefield, CT) and a member of the Boehringer Ingelheim group of companies. The Boehringer Ingelheim group of companies, with headquarters in Ingelheim, Germany is one of the 20 leading pharmaceutical firms in the world and reported revenues of almost $5.8 billion in 2000.

"Boehringer-Ingelheim is one of the world's most highly-respected pharmaceutical companies. The Park is pleased that they would choose to locate a significant research and development function at the Park, further validating that Virginia is an excellent location for the bio-pharmaceutical industries of the twenty-first century," said Robert T. Skunda, President and C.E.O. Virginia Biotechnology Research Park.

Boehringer Ingelheim, which has some 140 affiliated companies worldwide, focuses on human pharmaceuticals and animal health. The human pharmaceuticals business, which accounts for 95% of sales, is comprised of prescription medicines, consumer health care products and chemicals and biopharmaceuticals for industrial customers. Research and development, production, and distribution facilities are located around the globe. In 2000, Boehringer Ingelheim spent almost $914 million on R&D, equivalent to 15.6% of net sales.

For more information on Boehringer Ingelheim, please see the international Internet website www.boehringer-ingelheim.com