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ew Jersey appears to have a prescription for success. The Garden State is a base center for many pharmaceutical and bio-tech companies such as Bayer and Johnson & Johnson. The state is capitalizing on its success in this key industry with the announcement in the summer of 2001 of Novartis, a Swiss pharmaceutical firm, moving its U.S. headquarters to East Hanover. Novartis already had a presence in the area, but chose to consolidate its American headquarters in Northern New Jersey at One Health Park Plaza in East Hanover.
      Company officials cited the proximity to other pharmaceutical firms as part of the reason. Novartis also announced plans for an additional 160,000 sq. ft. (14,864 sq. m.) of space in Florham Park. The Florham Park location is part of a multi-phased growth effort planned by the company. "We are excited to be able to offer our employees newly constructed, prime office space so close to our headquarters," says Gary Rosenthal, Novartis vice president and CFO.
      The Garden State pharmaceutical industries create a big impact worldwide. New Jersey companies created 40 percent of all new drugs approved by the FDA. In March of 2001, global pharmaceutical manufacturer, Hovione, announced a new Technology Transfer Center located on an 8 acre (3.2 ha.) parcel of land in East Windsor Township. The site will also serve as headquarters for U.S. operations and will house offices as well as research and development labs. Company officials cited the township's proximity to other major pharmaceutical firms and its centralized location between New York and Philadelphia.
      GenProt, a new biotech startup in the field of proteomics (the separation and research of proteins), will build its headquarters in New Brunswick at the Technology Center of New Jersey, owned by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, www.njeda.com. The firm will also build large-scale research and development facilities as well as some production facilities. New Jersey officials rolled out the red carpet for the firm with construction allowances in excess of $6 million. Company officials expect to create 150 high-end jobs.
      Bristol-Myers Squibb announced in June 2001 that it would construct two new process research and development buildings in New Brunswick. The $235 million facility will provide 120 new jobs for the area. "Our pharmaceutical industry is a source of great pride," said acting New Jersey governor Donald T. DiFrancesco at the announcement. "We are especially proud that this industry has such a presence in New Jersey."
      New Jersey officials want to spread the word about growing business opportunities in the bio-tech and pharmaceutical industries. Prosperity New Jersey, www.prosperitynj.org, was launched earlier this year. The Web site is part of a public-private partnership aimed at growing global business in the Garden State with a list of business initiatives. Two of the programs, The Innovation Garden State Initiative and the Edison Partnership, are aimed specifically at the high-tech sectors. These initiatives hope to attract and retain technology firms by marketing technology benefits and resources to companies looking to locate in the state, and by promoting policies and programs that encourage high-tech within New Jersey.