Cook Group Teams With State and Local Officials To Develop New Biopharmaceutical Plant in Bloomington.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

BIOWIRE2K

BLOOMINGTON, Ind.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 16, 2004

Cook Group Incorporated, in close cooperation with the Bloomington Economic Development Corporation, local and state government agencies, and major research universities in the state, will make an initial investment of $45 million to develop a state-of-the-art biotech drug manufacturing facility using a portion of the former Thomson Consumer Electronics factory on Bloomington's southwest side.

The new company, named Cook Pharmica, LLC, will add approximately 200 jobs to the Bloomington economy during its initial start-up phase, explained Cook Pharmica president Jerry Arthur. In coming years, the company could grow to a $200 million biotech manufacturing facility with up to 600 employees occupying as much as 430,000 square feet of space within the former television manufacturing plant.

"We expect construction to begin within 30 to 60 days, and the construction project should be completed by mid-2005," Arthur explained. Following construction, the facility must undergo an extensive validation review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approximately two years before production can begin at the new company, he added.

Cook Pharmica will provide contract manufacturing services to the biotech drug industry, Arthur explained. Using a process called mammalian cell fermentation, the company will grow batches of cells genetically engineered to produce a biopharmaceutical product such as a vaccine or drug. Those larger batches of engineered cells can then be used to produce quantities of the biotech drug needed for further testing or clinical trial use.

"Our plan is to build a contract manufacturing facility that grows as demand for these products grows," Arthur said.

Joining Arthur at the announcement were Indiana Governor Joe Kernan, Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan, Monroe County Commissioner Joyce Poling, Lee Carmichael of the Bloomington Economic Development Corporation, Indiana University Vice President for Public Affairs William Stephan and Cook Group Chairman Steve Ferguson.

With international headquarters in Bloomington, Ind., privately held COOK(R) (www.cookgroup.com/) is a leading designer, manufacturer and global distributor of minimally invasive medical device technology for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Since its founding in 1963, Cook has created innovative technologies for stents and stent-grafts, catheters, wire guides, introducer needles and sheaths, embolization coils, medical biomaterials, vena cava filters, implanted cardiac lead extraction equipment and other minimally invasive medical devices.