After more than a year of covering local commercial real estate, I was beginning to think the much-touted strategies from Governor Chris Christie and Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno to attract business to New Jersey really were about business not leaving the state.

That’s certainly not a bad thing – it’s better for the local economy for Panasonic to move from Secaucus to Newark, than to Atlanta or California, and for Bayer consolidate its offices and remain in state. But both result more in a transfer of jobs, rather than any new real growth.

Until now. global pharmaceutical company Ipsen will relocate its US headquarters, from Brisbane, CA, to a 30,000-square-foot facility in Bridgewater this April.

"New Jersey is the leading biopharmaceutical center in the US, and Ipsen is ready and eager to be a part of that community of innovators," said Sean McKercher, president and general manager, Ipsen North America, in the announcement. "This move was a natural choice for Ipsen, given New Jersey's ready access to international travel hubs, deep pool of pharma talent and business incentives for the biopharma sector."

Most important for the state, the move will result in the hiring of more than 100 employees.

"Adding innovator companies and jobs to New Jersey's strong biopharmaceutical sector is a critical component of Governor Christie's economic growth agenda," Guadagno said in the same announcement. "Welcoming Ipsen to the ranks of healthcare companies calling New Jersey home is an important step for our state and the national economy - it will help provide high-quality, high-paying jobs for residents and spur innovative medicine development."

And that’s a nice holiday gift for everyone.