Amgen Inc., the world's largest biotechnology company, announced the official opening of its new state-of-the-art research and development campus. The 750,000 square foot facility was designed in collaboration with scientists as an environment for the creation of breakthrough therapies. Helix will house researchers, process development scientists and support personnel. The completion of the Helix campus, located on the waterfront of Seattle's Interbay neighbourhood, reflects the company's commitment to continuing the growth of the biotech industry in the region.
More than 750 staff from several locations throughout Seattle are scheduled to move into the new $625 million Helix campus, which includes the latest technological advances in computerization and robotics to maximize efficiencies in research and process development. "Amgen's state-of-the-art biotechnology campus, the largest of its kind in the Northwest, is designed to optimize scientific exploration, discovery and collaboration," said Roger Perlmutter, executive vice president of Research and Development. "Ultimately, we're looking to accelerate the drug discovery process in order to deliver groundbreaking inflammation and oncology therapies to patients as quickly as possible," added Perlmutter. The location of the campus will further enhance scientific learning by increasing opportunities for Amgen scientists to collaborate with leading Seattle research centers such as the University of Washington, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and the Institute for Systems Biology.
The 40-acre campus houses six buildings including lab and supporting office space, totaling 750,000 square feet. Additionally, Amgen built an adjacent award-winning pedestrian bridge to provide staff and local residents with direct access to waterfront parks. A substantial portion of the facility has been set aside as green space with extensive landscaping that complements the waterfront location.