processes at Amgen's Rhode Island site.
Amgen exec highlights local expansion, community involvement
David Bengston
Position: Vice president and general manager of Amgen’s Rhode
Island manufacturing operations
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Background: A native of California, Bengston has been with Amgen for
20 years. He started out as a biochemist and was closely involved in the commercialization
of Amgen’s first product, the kidney therapy treatment Epogen. He also oversaw
the design, construction and operations of Amgen’s manufacturing complex in
Longmont, Colo., where Epogen and Aranesp are produced.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from University of California
Los Angeles (1982)
Age: 44
Amgen, based in Thousand Oaks, Calif., opened its Rhode Island plant in July 2002. The West Greenwich facility is currently undergoing an expansion that is expected to cost upward of $1 billion. Enbrel, rheumatoid arthritis drug, is the single item produced at the plant and is considered a blockbuster drug. The company says it will bring in as much as $1.6 billion and $1.8 billion in 2004.
Bengston is well-versed in the biotechnology used to create Enbrel. He was involved in research at the company before Amgen had its first product on the market. He later worked at Amgen’s Colorado facility beginning in 1987 and moved his way up from a manufacturing supervisor to plant manager to director of manufacturing. He became vice president of Colorado operations in 1998 and remained there until he came to Rhode Island in November 2003.
Currently, enough Enbrel is produced in Rhode Island to treat more than 100,000 rheumatoid arthritis patients for a year.
Q. Tell me about who you are and your role at Amgen’s Rhode Island facility.
A. I’m a biochemist by training and education. I just had my 20th anniversary with the company. In those years I’ve gained experience in producing therapeutics through the tools of biotechnology. At the Rhode Island site, as I mentioned, I’m the vice president and general manager. I oversee all functions and processes that are required to produce the product so we can deliver it to the patients that need it. My role in the company has evolved over time and I’ve gotten to see the business grow. I’ve used that experience to help run a site of this size.
Q. How are the expansion plans going?
A. It’s coming along very well. We are making a huge investment to ensure we supply every patient, every time, with our product – Enbrel. Construction is just about complete and the new plant should be producing test lots of Enbrel this fall. We are hoping for approval from the Food and Drug Administration to officially run the plant next year. We are also doing $500,000 of improvements to our existing manufacturing facility.
Q. Can you talk a little about Enbrel?
A. It’s really a life-altering drug and used in many different ways. (The anti-inflammatory drug) is used primarily in treating rheumatoid arthritis patients.
Q. How effective is Enbrel?
A. Now these people are crippled. Some of them can’t move their hands, fingers and feet. Some can’t walk. They take this medication and they can walk and move again. It’s pretty amazing. It’s also used in the treatment of other diseases, including ankylosing spondylitis (a rheumatic disease that mainly affects the spine). Enbrel is currently under review by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of psoriasis, which affects millions of people in the United States and can be a very severe affliction. Also, the product is being investigated for additional uses. So if you look at Enbrel itself, the prospects are really good.
Q. Is this the only Amgen plant that makes Enbrel?
A. We have a corporate partner, Wyeth (based in Collegeville, Pa.). Eventually it will be such that they are producing for their needs and Amgen is producing for our share of the market. However, the Rhode Island plant is the only place Amgen produces Enbrel.
Q. Is Rhode Island a good place for a biotechnology outfit like Amgen?
A. I think it is. We had a very good reception when we came to Rhode Island in 2002. As far as a business environment, the state and local governments, from the governor on down, have been very supportive of what we are trying to do here – especially in the process of building of the site. You do need to interact quite a bit with state and local regulatory agencies and the government has been very positive in that respect. We also found that there’s a big talent pool here and Rhode Island is an attractive place for the employees that moved here. Rhode Island has the right quality of life for our staff.
Q. Do you have an estimate of the percentage of employees who have degrees?
A. It’s probably about 75 percent. We are producing these medicines through biotechnology and it’s a different process. It’s not line manufacturing, so that’s the reason we have to seek out people with a higher education. We ramped up from about 400 staff members to about 1,200 people since July 2002; we found most of those people in the area – Rhode Island and the general vicinity. So, we have found the workers here. We’ve been also working with universities and community colleges to develop programs to educate students in biotechnology and manufacturing through biotechnology. We advise the University of Rhode Island on the curriculum of its biotechnology program and we donated funds to the biotech lab at URI.
Q. Do you see Amgen as the leader in biotech in Rhode Island?
A. By the nature of where we stand as a corporation, I certainly see us as a leader. I think we set the example by showing what we’ve done in such a short time with the hiring, with how we’ve been able to build so rapidly. Biotechnology can be a success in this state. We’ve been involved in various academic, industry and government organizations as a leader in biotechnology. Who else would be, I would ask?
Q. What is Amgen’s role in the community?
A. Amgen, from day one of its existence, has taken its responsibility as corporate citizen very seriously. We are committed to providing community support and we do that in a number of ways. We have contributed quite a bit of funds to local organizations. In 2003, more than a half million dollars was given to charitable organizations in this area, including a significant donation to The Station Fire Relief Fund. We’re targeting our donations and philanthropy to support science education in health and medicine and in meeting general community needs, such as social services, art and music and the like. We are doing that through an arm of the company called the Amgen Foundation, a charitable giving corporation that is independent of Amgen. We also have more than 1,000 staff members that volunteer in various ways in this community. Just the nature and type of people that we have working here in this company can facilitate volunteerism. The company’s aspiration is to medically improve people’s lives and when people work here, they take that concept very seriously. They believe, through their work, they are improving people’s lives. I think that carries out into the community as well.
Q. Was there a significant migration of Amgen workers to Rhode Island?
A. There certainly was some migration. I give myself as an example. I moved here in November from Colorado and I did it without hesitation. There was a great opportunity here. … There’s also a lot of opportunity for Amgen staff members from other sites. It’s a growing site, so there’s opportunity in that. We have great new facilities to work within and we are making an incredible product, so there’s a draw in that respect. Of course, there’s not a huge migration because there’s a need at other sites as well. But when we have a need, and there’s someone to fill it from another plant, there’s an attraction to come here.
Q. How did you transition from a biochemical researcher to managing a facility with 1,200 workers?
A. I suppose you evolve and transform your mindset. It is different. As a scientist, you are very focused on your studies or your experiments. It’s sort of an independent job. In management, you’re dealing with people and the interactions there. I think good interpersonal skills help and you can learn how to manage and lead if you desire to do that. And, Amgen has been very good at supporting the development of its management and leadership team.
Q. Did you play a part in Enbrel’s creation?
A. Enbrel was discovered by Immunex, and we acquired it. There were other important Amgen products that I have been involved in, including Epogen, which is used in cancer therapy. I was involved in the design, construction, startup and operation of Amgen’s first commercial manufacturing facility for Epogen. This is another incredible product.
