Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has formally announced an
approximately $44 million expansion of its Salt Lake City, Utah, Watson
Laboratories, Inc. site. This facility is Watson’s state-of-the-art
pharmaceutical research, development and manufacturing facility for transdermal
patches and topical gels. Governor Gary R. Herbert toured the facility and
participated with Watson’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Paul Bisaro,
in ceremonies marking the expansion.
The Salt Lake City
expansion includes retrofitting approximately 20,000 square feet of existing
space and the construction of approximately 17,000 square feet of future
manufacturing space. The Company anticipates the expansion could ultimately
result in the addition of approximately 300 employees within the next 3-5
years. The expansion supports a potential tripling in annual manufacturing
batch capacity to support future new products, including the generic version of
the Lidoderm® transdermal pain management product, which the Company may launch
as early as mid to late 2012. It will also support Watson’s expansion of
transdermal and topical gel products manufactured in Salt Lake City into select international
markets.
“We are committed to expanding our presence in Salt Lake City, which is
our center of excellence for the manufacture of brand and generic
pharmaceutical products that utilize topical or transdermal patch drug delivery
technologies. This expansion not only supports our near-term product
manufacturing and packaging needs, but also positions us to more efficiently
meet anticipated future consumer demand for products that are currently in
various stages of development,” said Paul Bisaro, President and CEO.
“This expansion is more than just bricks and mortar. We
are investing in the creation of skilled manufacturing, packaging and quality
control/quality assurance and other jobs that will create opportunities for the
population of Salt Lake City
and the surrounding areas. We are delighted to have Governor Herbert join us in
commemorating Watson’s significant investment in the future of our Company and
in the future of the Salt Lake City
community.”
Watson’s Salt Lake
City facility is the headquarters for the Company’s
Global Brands research and development operations, with approximately 175
professionals involved in product development. In addition, the Salt Lake City facility
manufactures and packages brand and generic transdermal patch and topical gel
pharmaceutical products, and currently employs more than 200 people in
manufacturing and operations.
