Amgen, one of the world’s leading biotechnology companies, plans to locate a Capability Center in Tampa, Florida. The 136,000-square-foot facility will begin operating in October 2017, ultimately adding 450 employees by the end of 2018.

The new, highly-skilled positions will support a variety of functions with the delivery of business-enabling services including operational, analytical, staff support and business support activities. Amgen’s new Capability Center will occupy four floors of Corporate Center One, located at 2202 N. Westshore Blvd. in Tampa.

“Amgen is proud to be establishing our new, state-of-the-art Capability Center in Tampa,” said David W. Meline, Executive Vice President & CFO, Amgen. “We are a Company driven by a single mission, to serve patients, and the services and activities that will happen at the Center are central to enabling this. We look forward to working with the world class talent found in Tampa and being a member of the community.”

“The fact that Tampa was selected as the location of choice for the Amgen Capability Center is proof of our competitiveness and ability to attract the world’s most innovative companies,” said Mayor Bob Buckhorn, City of Tampa. “Tampa is becoming the preferred destination for highly talented people and companies that want to be a part of this city’s exciting future. Amgen will certainly play a big role in shaping it, and we are thrilled to welcome them.”

Governor Rick Scott said, “I am proud that 450 new jobs are being created for Tampa families. We will continue to do all we can to grow Florida’s economy by cutting taxes and reducing burdensome regulations.”

“The addition of hundreds of new jobs in the life sciences industry is great news for Hillsborough County, as well as for students interested in pursuing careers in this exciting industry,” said Stacy White, Chairman of the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners. “We thank Amgen for choosing Hillsborough County and look forward to supporting their growth here for decades to come.”

“Amgen is one of the most innovative biotechnology companies in the world, dedicated to developing treatments that address some of the most intractable diseases facing humankind,” said Dr. Ken Atwater, chairman of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation and president of Hillsborough Community College.

“Their selection of Tampa and Hillsborough County is a great point of pride and a testament to the hard work begun years ago to recruit globally renowned life science industry companies to this community. Just as Bristol-Myers Squibb and Johnson & Johnson have found Tampa to be a perfect fit for their organizations, we expect Amgen will enjoy great success here as well,” he added.