Science in the Triangle

Talecris Biotherapeutics finally has money to go ahead with expansion plans in Clayton, Duke University picks Indian company to develop discoveries of its medical faculty and Pfizer will close two former Wyeth research and development centers in the Research Triangle Park area.

Talecris to expand in Clayton

Plans to invest up to $450 million in plant expansions had been sitting on the shelf at Talecris for at least two years. Following an initial public offering of stock and the sale of notes that raised more than $1 billion for the company in the past month, the RTP-based drugmaker is dusting off the expansion plans.

Talecris will invest $268.7 million in its Clayton plant and create 259 jobs over the next seven years, according to the N.C. Department of Commerce. Up to $4.8 million in state incentives beckon.

The company makes its blood-based medicines in Clayton, where 1,800 of its 2,300 Triangle employees work.

The expansion plans, which are mentioned in Security and Exchange Commission filings, had been on hold after Talecris postponed its IPO and then considered selling itself to a competitor. When the sale ran afoul of U.S. antitrust regulators, the company was able to switch course again and go public Sept. 30.

Duke goes to India to develop clinical therapies

Discoveries by Duke’s medical faculty will be tested and developed in India.

Dr. Victor Dzau, chief executive officer of Duke University Health System, announced in Delhi that the university is teaming up with Jubilant Biosys, an Indian company with operations in Bangalore.

Jubilant is charged with developing a portfolio of four to five clinical therapies, which could be licensed to large drugmakers.

Pfizer to close two R&D centers in RTP area

Following its $67.3 billion acquisition of Wyeth, Pfizer plans to close six research and development centers and cut 15 percent of the jobs held by scientists and lab technicians.

Two former Wyeth R&D centers in Sanford and RTP are among those tagged for closure, which is expected to cost at least 170 local employees their jobs.

RTI gets $70 million contract

College is expensive and about two-thirds of all students who continue their education past high school receive some type of financial aid. This year, the U.S. Department of Education will spend about $116 billion on student financial aid.

The investment reflects how important college degrees are to the economy, the labor pool and the standard of living in the U.S.

But does student financial aid work? What is the taxpayers’ return on the investment?

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded RTI International a $70 million contract to find out.

More information here.