Genzyme looks to China

Cambridge biotechnology company Genzyme Corp. said today that it will build a research and development center in Beijing as part of its continued global expansion.

The company, which wants to establish a long-term presence in China, expects the facility to open in 2010, with project costs reaching $90 million.

(At left, the Genzyme facility on Storrow Drive in Allston.)

The 200,000 square-foot facility will be able to accommodate 350 employees. Genzyme said it already has 25 employees working in offices in Beijing and Shanghai and has a pilot program for its cell therapy MACI at Beijing Wujing Hospital.

Genzyme's products include the kidney disease treatment Renvela and several treatments for genetic disorders, including Gaucher disease treatment Cerezyme and Pompe disease treatment Myozyme, which has yet to gain wide approval in the United States. (AP)