AstraZeneca Canada Inc., one of Canada’s largest pharmaceutical companies, celebrated the official opening of its new Canadian Business Centre, a multi-million dollar investment in Mississauga, Ontario. To date, the global parent company, AstraZeneca, has invested more than CDN $80 million in the award-winning building project, which commenced in June 2002.

At the launch, it was announced that parent company AstraZeneca has allocated CDN $21-million in additional funds to further develop AstraZeneca Canada’s headquarters in a second phase of investment. This second phase is scheduled to begin construction in 2004, with occupancy scheduled for 2005. The project will include the demolition of the existing administration building and replacing it with a new CBC amenities building capable of servicing the 2010 projected head office count of more than 1,000 people.

“The launch of our new premises is only part of what we are celebrating,” said Mike Cloutier, president and CEO, AstraZeneca Canada Inc. “During the last three years, we have expanded rapidly with a 30 per cent increase in our workforce—which meant we quickly outgrew our old administration building. Today, about 900 employees work at this new high-tech facility in Mississauga, which is our Canadian headquarters for manufacturing, clinical research, sales, marketing and distribution. In addition, more than 100 scientists work at our basic pain research centre in Montreal."

AstraZeneca is one of the leading global pharmaceutical companies with a formidable product portfolio spanning six major therapeutic areas: gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, oncology, respiratory, neuroscience and infection.