D.C. firm moves to UA Tech Park

Acenta Discovery Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based medicinal chemistry company, has moved to the University of Arizona Science and Technology Park.

According to David Wichner's "Bio File" column in the Arizona Daily Star, Acenta provides specialized chemical services and technology to biopharmaceutical businesses. Although the company has not yet taken any of its own drugs to market, one of its cancer drugs has been "fast-tracked" by the National Cancer Institute.

As reported in Wichner's column, TGen, the UA research park, the Greater Tucson Economic Council, and the Arizona Department of Commerce worked together to court Acenta. The company will be taking over roughly one third of the total wet-lab space available at the park, initially occupying 1,750 square feet of total lab space.

"We competed with the big boys on this we competed with Maryland," Bruce Wright, UA associate vice president for economic development and research park CEO, told Wichner. Colorado and California were also considered by Acenta.

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For more information:

"Wet labs lure D.C. firm to UA park," Arizona Daily Star "Bio File," 10/09/2003