AND CAMBRIDGE ARE VIEWED AS CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE FOR BIOTECH AND PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH.
BUT IT MIGHT SURPRISE TO YOU KNOW THAT 1,700 OF ITS 500 MASSACHUSETTS EMPLOYEES ARE WORKING IN FRAMINGHAM.
>> MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY AREN'T AWARE OF THE EXTENT OF OUR WORK BUT I THINK WHAT IT SHOWS IS OUR COMMUNITY.
I WOULD ALSO SAY IT REFLECTS OUR COMMITMENT TO BRINGING NEW MEDICINES TO PATIENTS.
ANTHONY: GENZYME HAS HAD A FRAMINGHAM PRESENCE SINCE 1989.
THE FOUNDER COMMITTED TO BUILDING A STUNNING TECHNOLOGY PARK TO DEVELOP SPECIALTY DRUG THERAPIES FOR RARE GENETIC DISEASES.
>> WE STUDY NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS THAT HAVE A GENETIC COMPONENT LIKE HUNTINGTON'S DISEASE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH IS THE DISEASE INDICATION THAT I'M EXCLUSIVELY FOCUSED ON.
WE ALSO HAVE PROGRAMS IN PARKINSON'S DISEASE, A.L.S. AND MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, AS WELL AS A LARGE EFFORT IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.
ANTHONY: IT BOASTS A PORTFOLIO OF 20 SPECIALTY CARE THERAPIES, WHICH INCLUDES LANTIS FOR DIABETES, ALEGRA FOR ALLERGIES.
IT CAN TAKE YEARS TO BRING A TREATMENT TO MARKET.
SCIENTISTS ARE LOOKING TO FIND THAT D.N.A. NEEDLE IN A HAY STACK.
>> WE FOCUS ON RARE DISEASES SO THESE ARE VERY UNDERSERVED PATIENT POPULATIONS WITH A HIGH UNMET MEDICAL NEED.
THE FACT WE GET TO KNOW OUR PATIENT POPULATIONS REALLY WELL, IT REALLY PUTS A HUMAN FACE TO THE DISEASES THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
ANTHONY: A HUGE INVESTMENT IN FRAMINGHAM WAS MADE WHEN SANTA -- WHEN THEY BUILT THIS MANUFACTURING PLANT TO PRODUCE AN ADVANCED DRUG CLASS CALLED BIOLIGICS.
THEY'RE COMPOSED OF PROTEINS WHICH MUST BE CREATED FROM LIVING CELLS.
TAKEN IN PILL FORM.
INSTEAD ADMINISTERED BY INFUSION OR INJECTION.
>> THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO GIVE US MUCH MORE PRECISE TARGETING.
MANY FEWER SIDE EFFECTS.
ADVANTAGE OF THE SCIENCE THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPED THAT REALLY HAS REVOLVED AROUND UNDERSTANDING THE BIOLOGY OF HUMAN DISEASE.
ANTHONY: AS FOR WORKING IN FRAMINGHAM, MOST HERE SEEM HAPPY TRAFFIC-CLOGGED COMMUTE INTO GREATER BOSTON AND MANY AFFORDABLE IN METRO WEST.
>> IT'S A GREAT COMMUNITY.
PEOPLE REALLY LOVE TO LIVE AND WORK IN THE SAME COMMUNITY.
I'M REALLY FORTUNATE TO ACTUALLY HAVE MY HOME LOCALLY.
SO IT'S A REALLY WONDERFUL WORK-LIFE BALANCE.
ANTHONY: FRAMINGHAM SEES ROBUST GROWTH AHEAD FOR ITS BIOTECH SECTOR.
BOSTON HEART DIAGNOSICS HAS A FRAMINGHAM COMPANY WHOSE SOPHISTICATED TEST, THEY SAY, BETTER PREDICT THE POTENTIAL FOR STARTED BY TWO DOCTORS WHO WORKED ON THE FAMOUS FRAMINGHAM
HEART STUDY, THE COMPANY'S PRO PRYTARY BLOOD TEST DRILLS DOWN FAR DEEPER THAN STANDARDIZED CHOLESTEROL PANELS.
>> WHAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO -- WHAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO IS PROVIDE THE BEST INFORMATION PATIENT SO THEY'RE INFORMED.
IF I HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT MY INTERNAL MAKEUP IS, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO TAIL MIRE TREATMENT AND ALSO MY -- TAILOR MY TREATMENT AND ALSO MY HEALTH REGIMENT.
ANTHONY: 50% OF PEOPLE WITH NORMAL RESULTS ON STANDARDIZED LIPID PROFILES ARE STILL CANDIDATES FOR A CARDIOVASCULAR EVENT.
THEREFORE, BOSTON HEART DIAGNOSTICS SAYS WHY NOT INVEST BY LEARNING MORE ABOUT YOUR METABOLISM, GENETICS AND DIET TO TAILOR A LIFESTYLE STRATEGY FOR YOU?
>> WHEN WE'RE ALL DONE, WE PATIENT LEVEL THAT HELPS EDUCATE BOTH THE PROVIDER AND THE PATIENT ON THE CHOICES AND THINGS THAT THEY CAN DO TO ULTIMATELY GET A BETTER OUTCOME.
REGARDING THEIR HEALTH.
FRAMINGHAM, THIS GROWING COMPANY WAS ABLE TO FIND THE SPACE IT NEEDED AT COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE RATES LOWER THAN GREATER BOSTON.
AND THEY SAYING ABOUT HERE HAS BEEN HELPFUL, HIRING WITHIN A VERY COMPETITIVE MARKET FOR SKILLED LAB WORKERS.
>> WE CAN DRAW FROM WESTERN MASS AND -- RHODE ISLAND AND A LOT OF PLACES AND HAVE PEOPLE COME WORK FOR US WHO MIGHT NOT WANT TO GO INTO BOSTON.
FUTURE DESTINATION, I THINK, FOR A LOT OF SCIENCE-BASED COMPANIES.
SHAYNA: AND FRAMINGHAM CONTINUES TO ATTRACT NEW BIOTECH AND BIOPHARMA COMPANIES AND THEY HOPE TO BENEFIT EVEN MORE AS KENDALL SQUARE AND WALFAM MAX OUT ON NEW DEVELOPMENT SPACE.
ANTHONY: THAT'S THE THING TOO.
YOU CAN HAVE THE WORK-LIFE BALANCE BECAUSE IT'S MORE AROUND.
VERY ATTRACTIVE FOR CORPORATIONS, THERE'S TWO EXITS OFF THE MASS PIKE IN FRAMINGHAM SO A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO LOCATE THERE AND A LOT OF COMPANIES DO.
STAPLES HAS THEIR HEADQUARTERS THERE, BO'S DOES.
IT ALREADY HAS A FOOTPRINT FOR THAT BUT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE MORE COMPANIES MOVING THAT WAY, ESPECIALLY AS BOSTON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA GETS MORE CONGESTED.
SHAYNA: IT'S A DESTINATION.
ANTHONY: WHY FRAMINGHAM FELT BUSINE