Padilla Agrees to Support Biotech Facility in Sylmar

After a closed-door meeting between Los Angeles City Councilman Alex Padilla and biotech mogul Alfred Mann, the councilman said Friday he is prepared to support plans to use surplus city land in Sylmar to house a cancer drug research and manufacturing facility.

Padilla said his support was contingent on Mann agreeing to address three issues, which Mann told The Times would be no problem.

Mann has offered to pay more than $3 million for an eight-acre debris basin owned by the Department of Water and Power. Last month, when the proposed sale came before the City Council, Padilla stunned some in the business community by calling for more study.

Mann, who heads a multibillion dollar biotech empire, had abandoned plans to use the land for Advanced Bionics Corp., which makes ear implants, saying that the growing company needs about 25 acres, which makes the Sylmar site too small.

Instead, he proposed locating another of his companies, most likely CTL Immunotherapies, on the barren land. That company develops vaccines to treat cancer and other infectious diseases. The company has had no sales yet but has conducted clinical trials in Europe and is preparing for U.S. trials.

Clearly annoyed at not being consulted about the change, Padilla blocked the land sale, saying he would not “stand for bait and switch.”

Mann and Padilla said Friday that, when the two met earlier this week, Padilla gained a better understanding of the CTL project, which Mann said would create about 500 jobs within the first five years of operation and about 800 when the facility reaches full capacity.

Padilla said he was prepared to support the project if Mann agrees to create a timetable for hiring local residents and give area residents additional assurances that any health or environmental impact would be minimal.

“He said the technology they’re using is very clean,” said Padilla. “If that’s the case, a written assurance of that is in order and can help us appease any community concerns that might arise.”

Padilla also said he would like to see Mann work with officials at Mission College and the Los Angeles Unified School District to create an internship program similar to one developed between Mann’s MiniMed and Cal State Northridge.

In an interview, Mann said none of those requests poses a problem.

Because the sale agreement between Mann and the DWP must now be redrafted, it was not clear when the matter would return to the council. But it should have smoother sailing with Padilla now on board.

“If he’s committing to all three, then it’s a win-win for both Al Mann and the community and I will wholeheartedly support the project,” said Padilla.

Mann said that even with swift approval, the earliest he envisions construction beginning is early 2002, with occupancy probably coming in mid-2003.