Pharma Firm Embarking on Major Expansion Upstate

A rendering of Athenex’s 300,000-square-foot facility in Dunkirk, NY.

DUNKIRK, NY—Global oncology pharmaceutical firm Athenex is investing $1.62 billion in its operations in Western New York State. The investment will include a major expansion of its North American headquarters facilities in Buffalo, NY and significant investment in its manufacturing and research operations in Dunkirk, NY. The company’s expansion initiatives in Buffalo and Dunkirk are being seeded with a total of $225 million in state funding through the SUNY Polytechnic Institute . The public and private investments were announced Thursday by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday. Specifics on the investments in Buffalo and Dunkirk include the state spending $25 million to expand and improve the sixth floor of the Conventus Building on the Buffalo Niagara Medical campus. Athenex will occupy 51,000 square feet for its North American headquarters, a formulation product development center and a pilot plant, where oncology products are perfected and refined before the technology is transferred for large scale production at its facilities Dunkirk. Athenex (formerly Kinex) will invest a minimum of $100 million and is expected to create a total of 500 jobs in Buffalo. The state will lease the sixth floor space and sublet it to Athenex for a 10-year term with an option by Athenex to add on an additional 10 years, according to state officials. Construction on the office space started in August 2015. Lab work will begin soon and construction is expected to be completed this fall. Athenex will invest a minimum of $1.52 billion in the development of its 300,000-square-foot High Pharmacy Oncology Manufacturing facility. New York State will invest $200 million in that project. The facility, when completed, will be used by Athenex to manufacture sterile high potency oncology drugs. The pharmaceutical firm will create 900 jobs in the Dunkirk area over the next 10 years and 500 in Buffalo during that same time period. The Dunkirk plant will also specialize in manufacturing oncology pharmaceutical products. A specialized plant such as this has not been built in North America in more than 15 years, New York State officials stated. The facility will be located off Lake Shore Drive East (Rte. 5), just northeast of the Dunkirk city line. Athenex was founded at the University of Buffalo and expanded in 2003 with a 10-year funding stream committed by more than 100 local business and medical leaders in Upstate New York. The firm operates multiple offices and manufacturing facilities in: Buffalo and Clarence, NY; Cranford, NJ; Taipei, Taiwan; Hong Kong; and Chongqing, China.