Baxter International Inc. has announced plans to form a new global innovation and research and development (R&D) center in Cambridge, Massachusetts for Baxter’s biopharmaceuticals business, which is expected to become a separate, independent global company known as Baxalta Incorporated in mid-2015.

The business selected the Cambridge biotech community as the primary location for its global innovation and R&D operations after a global search. Baxalta’s pipeline is centered on core areas in hematology and immunology and through technology platforms, such as gene therapy and biosimilars.

The company expects to bring together approximately 400 R&D employees at the innovation center as well as its business development, oncology, and biosimilars teams. The R&D positions that will relocate to the new center are currently based in California and Europe. The new biopharmaceutical company will maintain certain R&D operations at its location in Vienna, Austria, and will have its corporate headquarters in northern Illinois.

The company expects to open the first phase of the 200,000-square feet in leased space later this year and will continue to transition work to the new facility over the next two years to ensure continuity of current programs.

Source: Baxter International