Quintiles increases investment in Scotland

Quintiles Transnational Corp., the only fully integrated biopharmaceutical services company, has officially opened its 115,000 sq ft new building in Livingston, Scotland, which by 2011, will have created 150 more jobs in the region.

The building includes an 80,000 sq ft state-of-the-art Central Laboratory, which is more than double the size of the existing laboratory and cost £9.5million to develop. Quintiles received a £1.25 million Regional Selective Assistance grant from the Scottish Government, in recognition of the positive effect the new development will have on the Scottish economy. 

Dr Dennis Gillings, Chairman and CEO of Quintiles, commented on the new development: "This is another key milestone in our growth. It brings together advanced technology and equipment to enhance our ability to ally with our biopharmaceutical customers. Our talented and engaged workforce in Scotland is part of our global network committed to driving productivity and efficiency in drug development.’’

Enterprise Minister Jim Mather said: “In a challenging economic climate, the creation of 150 new jobs at Quintiles by 2011 is a boost for the West Lothian economy. Especially as this project, backed by Regional Selective Assistance, underpins Scotland’s growing reputation for excellence in life sciences.”

On a daily basis, the Central Laboratory at The Alba Campus analyzes samples from patients participating in clinical trials from right across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The new expanded laboratory means it will have the capacity to increase its throughput two- to three-fold. In addition to the Central Laboratory, the new building will house Clinical Development Services including Project Management, Data Management and Regulatory Affairs. Approximately 540 people are already in the building, which has a capacity for 660 and will also allow for a further two-storey extension, and a further 200 staff.

Scotland is an established centre of excellence for research, housing 57 universities and research institutes working in life sciences. Collectively they employ 17,000 research staff, 11.6 per cent of the UK total.¹ The Life Sciences industry annually contributes £3 billion to the Scottish economy.

Jack Perry, Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise, said: "Scotland's world class scientific and research expertise make it ideally placed to capture a larger share of the global market.  The growth here of major international companies such as Quintiles demonstrates that, despite global economic difficulties, Scotland remains a highly competitive international location for life sciences."

The increased presence of the life sciences industry in Scotland will also have a positive impact on the health of the nation, which in comparison to its UK counterparts, has a poor track record. In terms of Scotland’s top 3 killers alone – cancer, coronary heart disease and stroke, there are more than 3,000 new agents in clinical research in Scotland², a proportion of which, it is hoped, will result in new treatment options for these killer diseases. Patients taking part in clinical trials in Scotland will also benefit, through access to new treatments before they become widely available.