Talecris names two board members at inaugural stockholders meeting

Talecris Biotherapeutics, the Triangle's largest biotechnology company, held its first ever annual stockholders meeting this morning in Chapel Hill.

About a half dozen attendees, including a lone retiree, turned up to enjoy a spread of croissants, fresh fruit and coffee at the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill.

Talecris CEO Lawrence Stern interpreted the light crowd as a good sign.

"That it's a small turnout, in my mind, is a good thing, because it shows there are no concerns out there," Stern said after the meeting.

Talecris, which makes medicines from blood plasma at its massive Clayton manufacturing plant, raised $950 million in an initial public offering last fall. The Research Triangle Park company elected two people, Paul N. Clark and Kenneth J. Martin, to its board this morning.

Stern said Talecris has begun initial site work on the expansion of its Clayton plant. In November, the company received a package of tax breaks and other financial aid worth nearly $20 million as part of the expansion, which will create 259 jobs over the next seven years.

The first stage will be a $280 million facility to separate proteins in blood plasma that are used to make medicine. That project will take several years to open, a process that will require approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

Talecris also leases office and lab space in RTP and on N.C. State's Centennial Campus and operates 59 plasma collection centers.

Stern said this morning that it's logical to assume that Talecris will eventually need additional office space as it continues to grow, but the company has no formal plans at the moment to add new space.

Talecris employs 4,700 worldwide and is adding workers to keep up with increasing demand for its medicines made from blood plasma. Its drugs, produced by more than 1,500 people at the Clayton plant, are used to treat various genetic and chronic illnesses.

Its biggest product is Gamunex, which is used to treat a type of immune deficiency and other diseases.

Some Wall Street analysts have expressed concern about the broader market for medicines made from blood plasma that Talecris sells. The recession has led to an increase in plasma collection, which could create an oversupply.

The downturn also is weakening demand, and patients' ability to pay, for medicines.

Stern said many people who take Talecris medicines have chronic diseases and those medicines are part of a therapeutic regimen that is less likely to change even during tough economic times.

He also noted that demand for Gamunex continues to grow at 6 to 8 percent a year.

Stern said although the company saw an uptick in plasma collection last year that has slowed somewhat this year.

"We saw some of that last year, but we're seeing less of it this year," he said.

Talecris shares were trading at $21.93 this morning. Talecris shares had an opening price of $19 when they began trading Oct. 1.