CREDIT LINE 4x6 / istockphoto.com L in developing inhibitors for epigenetic enzymes,recentlysigned inhibitorsforepigenetic in developing companies. Epizyme, the survey’s #1 company, which specializes says DNA manager development Rafal Iwasiow.product Genotek genomics just became another yet market that we’re playing into,” which thecompany putsrightbackintobasicresearch.“Personal DNA hasboosted tests of personalizedgenetic Genotek’s income, recentuptickintheuse companies.The wares togenetic-testing inthefieldneticists toconsumersintheirhomesbylicensingits foritssaliva-basedmarket DNA kitfrompopulation ge collection - DNAexample, thesurvey’s Genotek, #8company, the expanded economy.despite thestill-depressed hard tofind funding sourcesthat willallowthemtosurvive new year, assoonnext torundry expected companiesareworking grants funds onlytothecreamofcropand2009stimulus tinued economicadversity. Withfundingagencies awarding still this year’s top companies are employing creative ways to advance theirscience. By forging new relationships and findingnovel uses for existing technologies, New collaborations were also common among this year’s top Taking advantage of the growing personal-genomics boom, for are bending—butnotbreaking—underthestrain ofcon- topped our2011 PlacestoWork Best survey inIndustry ike the reeds of an old Aesop fable, the companies that By HannahWa to helptheirresearcherssucceed. ways companiesarecreatively utilizingstate andfederal funding nies areusingtheirdiversity totheiradvantage, andthedifferent of thisyear’s top-ranking companies,howmultinational compa- Michael ofbusinessdevelopment Jablon.director “There’s that’s areallyneat synergy forming here,” says Aldevron’s North Dakota State University labsandlocalresearch companies. tobuildasciencecity,project involving collaborations between Dakota, 3rd-rankedin astate-funded is participating Aldevron share samples,equipment,andinformation. AndinFargo, North assays, formed relationships with labs at Stanford University to Alabama–based biotechthat offers patient-sample andcell-based Conversant altogether—academia. Bio,aHuntsville,of partner Allain. search associate Christina for ourcompany’s stability in the near term,” says Epizymere- therapiestargeted forcancerandotherdiseases.“It’s agood sign epigenetics- andEisaitodevelop tical giantsGlaxoSmithKline morethan$800millionwithpharmaceu- deals potentiallyworth Read ontolearnmoreaboutthestrengths andweaknesses Other top companies are collaborating with a different type ters 05.2011 05.2011 | TheScien tist | the-scientist.com 43 BEST PLACES TO WORK

Top 40 Companies #1-20

Rank Rank No. of 2011 2010 Company Size employees Strengths Weaknesses Integrity Remuneration and Benefits Epizyme, Cambridge, MA Small < 50 1 - Communications Training and Development Job Satisfaction Remuneration and Benefits Conversant Bio, Huntsville, AL Small < 50 2 - Management Training and Development Communications Training and Development Aldevron, Fargo, ND Small 50 - 100 3 - Remuneration and Benefits Research Environment Training and Development Communications Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA Small 1,000+ 4 - Remuneration and Benefits Integrity Policies and Practices Research Environment Acorda Therapeutics, Hawthorne, NY Small 100 - 500 5 - Training and Development Communications Research Environment Training and Development Vitae Pharmaceuticals, Fort Washington, PA Small 50 6 - Management Remuneration and Benefits Remuneration and Benefits Job Satisfaction - Celldex Therapeutics, Needham, MA Small 100 7 Training and Development Integrity Job Satisfaction Remuneration and Benefits DNA Genotek, Kanata, Ontario Small 50 - 100 8 - Integrity Training and Development Job Satisfaction Training and Development Wyatt Technology, Santa Barbara, CA Small 100 - 500 9 2 Management Research Environment Training and Development Research Environment DuPont, Wilmington, DE Large 6,000 10 - Job Satisfaction Management Remuneration and Benefits Job Satisfaction , Cambridge, MA Small 1,500+ 11 - Policies and Practices Communications Training and Development Research Environment Pioneer Hi-Bred: A DuPont Business, Johnston, IA Large 10,000+ 12 8 Integrity Remuneration and Benefits Training and Development Research Environment Dow AgroSciences, Indianapolis, IN Large 5,000+ 13 7 Remuneration and Benefits Communications Research Environment Remuneration and Benefits Integrated DNA Technologies, Coralville, IA Small 500 - 1,000 14 9 Communications Training and Development Remuneration and Benefits Management Monsanto, St. Louis, MO Large 20,000 15 5 Training and Development Research Environment Remuneration and Benefits Job Satisfaction , Thousand Oaks, CA Large 17,000 16 16 Integrity Training and Development Training and Development Integrity Alnyalm Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA Small * 17 12 Communications Management Remuneration and Benefits Communications Novartis, Basel, Switzerland Large 115,000+ 18 17 Training and Development Policies and Practices Job Satisfaction Research Environment Promega Corporation, Madison, WI Small 1,000+ 19 - Training and Development Remuneration and Benefits Job Satisfaction Remuneration and Benefits Cancer Genetics Inc., Rutherford, NJ Small 50 20 - Communications Research Environment Epigenetic Endeavors at Epizyme

Epizyme, the #1 company on this year’s overall Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the company re- list, has grown exponentially since its founding in searches the epigenetics of cancer and develops drugs to mod- 2007—from just two employees to its current R&D ify variations in DNA methylation. The company recently iden- staff of 26. In the last year, the company identified tified how normal and mutant histone methyltransferase EZH2 two novel mechanisms linked to cancer, inked partnerships with work together to regulate growth in B-cell lymphomas, and de- two major pharmaceutical companies, and signed a lease on a larger veloped a small-molecule inhibitor for another methyltransfer- office. The growth is “a tremendous validation of us as a company ase, DOT1L, which is able to selectively kill mixed-lineage leu- and how we’re executing things,” says medicinal chemist Ed Olhava. kemia cells in vitro.

44 faculty of 1000 | f1000.com #21-40

Rank Rank No. of 2011 2010 Company Size employees Strengths Weaknesses Communications Integrity ArQule, Woburn, MA Small 100 - 500 21 - Policies and Practices Management Job Satisfaction Training and Development - Tengion, East Norriton, PA Small 50 - 100 22 Communications Remuneration and Benefits Management Remuneration and Benefits Targacept, Winston-Salem, NC Small 100 - 500 23 22 Job Satisfaction Training and Development Remuneration and Benefits Integrity Otsuka Maryland Medicinal Laboratories, Rockville, MD Small 100 - 500 24 4 Research Environment Communications Research Environment Remuneration and Benefits , The Woodlands, TX Small 100 - 500 25 21 Management Training and Development Integrity Training and Development Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA Large 15,000+ 26 - Research Environment Policies and Practices Training and Development Research Environment Bayer Corp, Leverkusen, Germany Large 110,000+ 27 - Remuneration and Benefits Communications Remuneration and Benefits Training and Development , Abbott Park, IL Large 90,000 28 10 Management Policies and Practices Training and Development Communications , New York, NY Large 110,000 29 18 Remuneration and Benefits Integrity Policies and Practices Research Environment Genzyme, Cambridge, MA Large 10,000 30 - Remuneration and Benefits Management Remuneration and Benefits Job Satisfaction GlaxoSmithKline, Middlesex, UK Large 99,000 31 29 Integrity Management Communications Integrity Emergent Biosolutions, Rockville, MD Small 100 - 500 32 - Training and Development Research Environment Job Satisfaction Research Environment Syngenta Biotechnology, Basel, Switzerland Large 25,000 33 - Training and Development Management Job Satisfaction Communications Boehringer Ingelheim, Ingelheim am Rhein, Germany Large 40,000+ 34 - Management Remuneration and Benefits Training and Development Remuneration and Benefits Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY Small 1,500 35 23 Research Environment Job Satisfaction Remuneration and Benefits Training and Development AstraZeneca, London, UK Large 63,000 36 20 Management Research Environment Policies and Practices Training and Development Asterand, Detroit, MI Small 100 37 32 Job Satisfaction Management Remuneration and Benefits Job Satisfaction Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany Large 40,000+ 38 24 Training and Development Research Environment Remuneration and Benefits Communications Merck & Co., Whitehouse Station, NJ Large 94,000 39 25 Policies and Practices Training and Development Research Environment Training and Development Bristol-Myers Squibb, New York, NY Large 27,000 40 - Job Satisfaction Management

Small companies have < 4,000 employees * Declined to provide information

Epizyme’s research has attracted the attention of pharmaceu- come. “It’s a great morale boost,” says Christina Allain, who de- tical giant GlaxoSmithKline, which announced its partnership velops cell-based assays for the company—“a pat on the back.” with Epizyme in January, providing the company with up to $650 Despite its growth, the company has stayed in the same, small million to search for new epigenetic drugs. And this March, Epi- office, says Allain. This isn’t a complaint, however: “It gives us a om c zyme signed a deal worth up to $200 million with the Japanese real sense of camaraderie,” she adds. But the employees’ elbow o. t company Eisai to develop therapeutics targeting EZH2 to treat room is about to expand. In March, Epizyme signed a lease for a lymphoma and other cancers. space in Cambridge nearly twice the size of its current office. “We o c kpho t Epizyme’s newfound collaborations are a big change for the made sure to have a bar in the new conference room for happy small company, and the employees are excited about what’s to hours,” says Allain. “We have our priorities straight!” 4x6 / i s

05.2011 | The Scientist | the-scientist.com 45 BEST PLACES TO WORK

Top Small companies

No. R&D R&D new Rank Company employees hires 2010 Significant Developments Identified two novel mechanisms linked to cancer, and inked partnerships 1 Epizyme 26 14 with two major pharmaceutical companies potentially worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Established a set of cellular products and cell-based assays for testing Conversant Bio 7 4 2 therapeutic agents on human samples.

3 Aldevron 14 3 Launched plasmid.com, a mail-order DNA purification service.

Started Phase III trials for TAK-700, a selective, oral, nonsteroidal androgen Millennium Pharmaceuticals 732 65 4 synthesis inhibitor to treat metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Initiated Phase I clinical trials using GGF2 in cases of heart failure. The drug 5 Acorda Therapeutics 29 7 acts directly on heart muscle cells to repair cardiac muscle and improve its contractile function. Launched a Phase IIb trial of VTP-27999, a novel therapy for patients with Vitae Pharmaceuticals 43 7 6 chronic kidney disease/diabetic nephropathy. Advanced rindopepimut, a vaccine for the most common brain cancer, 7 Celldex Therapeutics 59 7 glioblastoma multiforme, which is expected to enter Phase III development later this year. Validated the reliability of Oragene, a saliva-based DNA collection kit for 8 DNA Genotek 21 5 humans, and developed Performagene-LIVESTOCK to collect DNA from animal nasal samples. Received a Tibbetts Award from the US Small Business Administration, Wyatt Technology 20 3 9 which recognizes accomplishments in small business innovation research.

Announced positive results from three Phase III clinical trials for telaprevir, Vertex Pharmaceuticals 1,140 161 10 a medicine in development for the treatment of hepatitis C. Personal Genomics Boosts DNA Genotek DNA Genotek, #8 among this year’s top-ranked Personalized genetic tests have “been a big opportunity companies, was developing easier ways for field- and business focus for us,” says Paul Payette, a business man- workers to collect DNA samples for research ager at DNA Genotek. But the saliva kit wasn’t developed for when the personal genomics craze took off, re- personal use. The technology’s original purpose was to help re- vealing an entirely new market for its products. “The explosion searchers studying the genetics of human populations around in the personal-medicine area definitely opened up opportuni- the world, using reagents to kill contaminating bacteria and ties for DNA Genotek,” providing its employees with a novel rev- stabilize the DNA for later analysis. Jane McElroy of the Uni- enue source, says Rafal Iwasiow, a former researcher who now versity of Missouri School of Medicine, who uses the Oragene works in development. kit to study genetic polymorphisms that may mediate a link Until DNA Genotek released its saliva-based DNA collection between cadmium exposure and endometrial cancer, says the product, Oragene, in 2004, there were only two reliable sources technology allows her to collect samples by mail and store for routinely extracting DNA: a blood draw—a cumbersome pro- them for years. cess involving needles and a trip to the doctor—and a cheek swab Now, with the money coming in from Oragene sales to per- or scrape, which can produce too small a sample. Because it uses sonal-genomics companies, DNA Genotek has begun to de- saliva, Oragene allows patients to easily collect their own sam- velop saliva-collection kits for population genetics studies ple at home. The kits quickly became a widely trusted source for of animals, such as dogs, livestock, and endangered species. collecting DNA material, and are utilized by companies such as “When revenues are strong, that allows you to explore other 23andMe and Navigenics. avenues,” says Payette.

46 faculty of 1000 | f1000.com Top Large companies

No. R&D R&D new Net Income Rank Company employees hires 2010 (billions) Significant Developments

Placed among the Top 50 Innovative Companies by MIT Technology DuPont 8,500 * $31.5 1 Review, secured 689 new patents and commercialized 1,786 new products. Launched its Optimum product line, which mixes seed engineered to protect 2 Pioneer Hi-Bred: A DuPont Business 3,000+ 497 $5.3 against the destructive pest corn rootworm with nonengineered seed to slow the evolution of resistance. Won New Product of the Year from Ag Professional Magazine and 3 Dow AgroSciences 1,000+ 200+ $4.9 AgriMarketing for SmartStax hybrids, corn seed genetically engineered for insect resistance and herbicide tolerance. Commercialized two new insect-protected corn products, and advanced nine Monsanto 5,000 418 $1.1 4 projects in its R&D pipeline.

Produced two novel bone-health therapy medicines, received 13 international Amgen 6,000 * $5.0 5 regulatory approvals, and advanced four new molecules to clinical trials.

Received US approval for Gilenya, the first oral medication for first-line Novartis 13,800 1,779 $10.0 6 treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis.

Completed the largest acquisition in the company’s history with the Agilent Technologies * * $5.4 7 purchase of Varian, a medical equipment supplier.

Received the Prix Galien International Award 2010 in the category Best Bayer Corp 13,000 * $1.8 8 Pharmaceutical Agent for their blood thinner, Xarelto. Extended pharmaceutical pipeline with the acquisition of Fecet Biotech, 9 Abbott Laboratories 9,500+ ~300 $6.5 Solvay Pharmaceuticals, and the pharmaceutical arm of Piramal Healthcare. Updated vaccine against Pneumococcus pneumonia to include 13 10 Pfizer * * $67.8 serotypes of the bacteria, and created an Orphan and Genetic Diseases Research Unit to focus on rare diseases. * Declined to provide information Worldwide Collaboration Maintaining regular and open communication among the world- these local science hubs,” he says. And with its high-tech commu- wide branches of a multinational company is no easy task. But nication equipment, Novartis’s long-distance chats are accompa- some of the companies that topped this year’s list of large com- nied by a life-size video feed of the teleconferencing researchers. panies have managed to overcome this obstacle, sharing infor- At Pioneer Hi-Bred: A DuPont Business, this year’s #2 large mation across the globe to keep international research running company, there isn’t just an international exchange of ideas, but smoothly and efficiently. of products as well. As a corn breeder and president of the com- This year’s #6 large company, Novartis, the fifth largest phar- pany’s research center in Italy, Bruno Albrecht selects for traits maceutical company in the world (by 2009 revenue), has nine far- suitable for a particular region’s environmental challenges. Some- flung campuses in its Institutes for BioMedical Research alone. times a cultivar developed in one country will be successful in an- Apart from some minor language barriers, the diversity is a boon other region, such as the corn hybrids developed in North Amer- for research, says executive director Peter Finan. “People from dif- ica now grown in the climatically similar Europe. Methods are ferent countries have a different view of how they do things, the also shared: the US branch recently developed a more efficient risks they take, and the processes they follow,” and these varied way of producing inbred lines, which is now employed in Pio- approaches are shared among research centers, he says. neer’s research centers worldwide. om c The company’s wide reach also opens doors to some unexpected This leads to some healthy competition between branches, o. t collaborations, Finan says, such as the connections he’s made with Albrecht adds, as each center wants to develop the best product companies and universities in Shanghai, despite his home base in or method. But regardless of where it comes from, it’s “good for o c kpho t Cambridge, Massachusetts. Without a worldwide network, “you’re farmers at the end if we’re better able to deliver products with unlikely to build the same level of collaboration that you can around very outstanding performance.” 4x6 / i s

05.2011 | The Scientist | the-scientist.com 47 48 BEST PLACES TO WORK facul The Scientiststaff. analyses. statistical detailed or toconduct andwehaveselected, madenoattempt theresults tostandardize site at www.the-scientist.com. was self- Our sample of scientists isavailable onTheScientistWeb methodology tion onthesurvey informa- Detailed tors weightedaccordingtotheirimportance. rankings arebasedontheaverage forallfac- scoreperinstitution basedontheaverage overalleach factor score.The importance tothem. wereimportant also indicated whichfactors of agreement with 43criteriain 8 different areas. Respondents their workenvironment byindicating theirlevel andexperience ceived 2,213 useable responses. We asked respondents to assess selves asworkinginacommercialcompany torespond.We re- November 29, 2010, andinvited readerswhoidentified them- a Web-basedThe Scientistposted from September 8 to survey Survey Methodology vided a grant that allowed Vitae to send company scientists Brian ers. Pennsylvania’s Partnership Bioscience Industry program pro- pay employeesonaregularbasis.” forthesalaries ofseveral for fourseparate“Butacompany like projects. ours,that can says TinaFiumenero, theCFOat Vitae,whichreceivedfunding tomanyin cashmightnotsoundlike companies,” alotofmoney through preclinicalandclinicaltrials.“To amilliondollars get thisyear’s Therapeutics, dex #7company overall, pushproducts same program alsohelpedNeedham, Massachusetts–based Cell- than250employees.This forcompanieswithfewer projects ery Project Program, which apeutic fundsdrug Discovery discov- able tofundalarger staff- thankstothefederal Qualifying Ther biopharmaceuticals fordiseaseand#6onthisyear’s isnow list, andemployeemorale.productivity improving research provide specializedtraining and services, tage ofadifferent source—government-funded programs that topped this year’s Places to WorkBest have taken advan survey - someofthebiotechsthatand large pharmaceuticalpartners, While muchofbiotechfundingcomesfromventurecapitalists Uncle SamHelps SmallScience The survey was developed andresponses were analyzed by was developed survey The To acompany’s calculate overall ranking, wefirst weighted State benefits programs canprovidemoredirect toresearch- Vitae Pharmaceuticals,aPennsylvania company that develops ty of1000 | f1000.com ment,” says Chambers. - like jump the gap from research to clinical develop Aldevron inFargo. builda“biotechcity” eventually “He helpscompanies in thebiotechspacehere,” says Chandrasekhar, whohopesto ultimate goal andjobs istoincreasebiotechactivity dents. “The andacademia,providespecializedtraining- tostu industry months to advise companies, facilitate collaborations between hasraisedChandrasekhar 10 over $10milliondollarsinthelast versity CenterforBiopharmaceuticalResearchandProduction, NorthDakota ofthebrand-new State thedirector Unibers. As - tech superstar,” accordingtoAldevron’s CEOMichael- Cham ofSatish Chandrasekhar,funded resource:theexpertise a“bio- differenttop companies,benefits fromavery government- implementingitalready.”started says McKeever. “We home brought and have the methodology “It taughtusanotherway ofthinkingabouttheway wedothings,” explored. techniquethecompany hadnever drug-development to identify those thatsmall bind molecules to a specific target—a gram on fragment-based drug discovery, which uses libraries of McKeever and Yajun Zheng to 2010 an October training pro Fargo, #3amongthisyear’s NorthDakota–based Aldevron, -

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