Back in the Salt River Valley, some of the first fruits of the region's quest for biosciences businesses are becoming apparent. Covance Laboratories Inc., one of the world's largest drug-development companies, wants to build a 400,000-square-foot operation in Chandler that would employ 400 people. Wendell Barr, president of the Madison, Wis., company's early development division, said Covance works with virtually all the major pharmaceutical companies.

 

The background noise of complaints from animal rights advocates comes with the territory, but it shouldn't blind Chandler officials to the economic development coup they have in their hands. Chandler was selected over such biotech bigs as San Diego and San Francisco, and it's a big vote of confidence in the region's efforts to diversify the economy.