GRANHOLM - Granholm: Kalexsyn's Success Roadmap for Michigan's Economy

LANSING - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today said that Kalamazoo-based life sciences firm Kalexsyn is exactly the kind of company that the state's plan to diversify the economy is encouraging to create and grow jobs in Michigan. Granholm made her remarks at the company's ribbon-cutting ceremony for their new 20,000 square-foot research facility.

"Companies like Kalexsyn, entrepreneurial ventures that grow from the ideas and experiences of a couple of people, will diversify our economy, create jobs, and help transform our state," said Granholm.

When pharmaceutical manufacturer Pfizer announced in 2003 that they were moving much of their research operations out of Kalamazoo, long-time scientists David Zimmerman and Dr. Robert Gadwood decided to remain in Kalamazoo and use their experience to start a new company. The new company, which was originally housed in the Business Technology and Research park incubator, received support from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Western Michigan University's Bioscience Research and Commercialization Center. The $192,000 loan from the state has already been repaid. Today, the company moved into their new expanded research facility, which will allow them to more than double the size of their research staff. They plan to hire an additional 17 researchers this year.

"After the announcement by Pfizer that they were moving much of their operations out of Kalamazoo, we made a commitment to keeping the talented researchers here in Michigan," said Granholm. "Kalexsyn is just one example of how that commitment paid off for this local community and the whole state."

Since 2003, the Pfizer Asset Retention effort, which included more than $5 million in state grants, has generated more than $100 million in investment, supported 18 new companies that employ more than 220 people. Last month, the governor announced another round of funding to help keep Pfizer employees and assets in Michigan. An additional $8 million is now available for affected employees in Kalamazoo, Portage, Plymouth Township and Holland.

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