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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024
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Biogen Idec Goes With the Flow, Joins Guaranteed Water Program

It takes a lot of water to grow a biotech. Take the San Diego offices of behemoth Biogen Idec, for example.

Between keeping its buildings cool, its experiments running, and its grass looking alive, the drug maker went through 29 million gallons of water last year, according to company spokeswoman Amy Reilly.

Seizing an opportunity to keep the taps turned on in the event of mandatory city water restrictions, Biogen joined the city’s Guaranteed Water for Industry program in April.

Under the plan, large-scale industrial water users (see: biotech) commit to using reclaimed water and other conservation methods in exchange for not having to cut their use in drought conditions.

With San Diego under mandatory water restrictions since June 1, the program is proving valuable to the area’s life sciences participants.

Last week, Mayor Jerry Sanders stopped over at the biotech’s University Towne Center area offices to offer praise for its efforts, which last year replaced 19 million gallons of fresh potable water with recycled H2O, according to city figures.

San Diego, under pressure to compete against other regions vying for high-paying life sciences jobs, introduced the program in 1998.

“(Biogen Idec) was one of the early supporters of creating this program, and they have been really good partners, taking the time to demonstrate their system to other San Diego industrial users who are considering upgrading their central plants to use reclaimed water,” said Rachel Laing, a spokeswoman for Sanders.


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From Sidney Kimmel To Burnham:
A handful of former Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center employees have found a home, at least temporarily, with the Burnham Institute for Medical Research.

SKCC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in late April, after it ran into trouble finding funding from private and government sources. Contributing to its cash drain was the construction of a 90,000-square-foot research facility two years ago at a cost of $24.5 million.

That facility, along with the land it sits on, now belongs to Burnham, which paid $27 million during a court auction. The price also included a vacant lot nearby, lab equipment and some furnishings.

Burnham spokesman Josh Baxt said the nonprofit biomedical research institute has hired at least eight SKCC faculty members who bring millions of dollars’ worth of grants with them.

“It’s nice, obviously, for the faculty and it’s good for us because we’ve really run out of room to build where we are,” Baxt said.


Send biotechnology news to Heather Chambers at hchambers@sdbj.com.

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