Plan Calls for North Campus Biotech Park

Nearly half of CSUN’s North Campus would be turned into a biotech research park in coming years under an agreement that is expected to win the tentative approval of university administrators today.

CSUN executives who are developing the 65-acre portion of the campus are expected to endorse the terms of a 40-year lease with Sylmar-based MiniMed Inc., or one of its affiliates, said Art Elbert, a member of the North Campus--University Park Development Corp. board of directors.

CSUN spokesmen said specifics of the deal would be released at a corporation board meeting this morning. But the administrators expressed enthusiasm at the thought of attracting a leading biotech firm to their campus, adding that they expected the new partnership to produce a host of benefits, including internships, jobs and collaboration between CSUN faculty and biomedical researchers.

“This is the first of numerous steps to establish the San Fernando Valley as one of the areas nationally that has very high visibility in biotech and bioscience developments,” said Elbert, CSUN’s vice president for administration and finance.

“We have a very good opportunity for our faculty members to work with businesses to commercialize some of the projects they work on,” Elbert said.

The tentative agreement also kick-starts the development of North Campus, which stalled last year after CSUN officials withdrew plans for a retail center at the site amid opposition from neighbors and other groups. The university’s hope of attracting biotech and biomedical firms is part of a vision for North Campus that also includes an entertainment production complex with sound stages and offices for TV and film production companies.

“This is a major step forward in the development of North Campus, with a plan that is responsive to suggestions from community groups, businesses and homeowners associations,” said Frank Wein, director of North Campus development.

The lease will have to be approved by the CSU Board of Trustees before CSUN administrators can actually sign it. CSUN spokesmen said they expect the trustees to approve the lease in May.

Alfred Mann, MiniMed’s chairman and chief executive officer, said he is planning to construct five buildings--four to house his various business enterprises and a conference center that also would be available to the university. Mann plans to build his research park on 28 acres.

Mann brings the prestige of a thriving business to the Northridge campus. MiniMed, a publicly held company, is a leading manufacturer of high-tech medical devices used to treat diabetes. The company’s products include external insulin pumps, as well as a new implantable insulin pump that has been approved for sale in Europe.

Mann said other companies that he runs, situated in Sylmar, also may relocate to the CSUN campus, including one that produces ear implants for the deaf, another that develops artificial pancreases, as well as part of a charitable foundation that provides funding for medical research.

Mann said he has been searching for a new location to expand, and that the CSUN property seemed like the right location. His current site in Sylmar provides only enough room to manufacture a small percentage of the glucose sensors the company can sell, he said.

“We’re desperate to build a factory to produce our glucose sensor,” Mann said. “So we need a new facility.”

Times staff writer Barry Stavro contributed to this story.