Primate Breeding, Research Firm Investing $2M In South Carolina

By the end of 2017, Alpha Genesis, Inc. will create up to 30 new jobs at its headquarters facilities in Yemassee, SC.

Primate Breeding and Research Organization Alpha Genesis, Inc. (AGI) will invest $2 million to expand facilities at its Yemassee, SC headquarters and will add up to 30 new jobs by the end of next year.

agilogo“Our 2016 pace of new business growth was extremely strong, and our 2017 outlook is very positive,” according to a company statement. “As a result, we have made it an organizational priority to further enhance our facilities and technical staff to more efficiently meet the growing needs of our customers.”

The company will renovate more than 50,000 square feet of space in Yemassee “with state-of-the-art design and housing materials to ensure the highest possible standards of animal welfare. Once that phase is complete, we will be renovating our clinical care and research facilities, which play an integral role in all phases of our operations.”

AGI Officials expects to increase its staff by 25 percent before the end of next year, to include 30 new jobs, based on the company’s current roster of 120 employees.

“Customers need superior services and require that more complex tasks be completed in faster time frames,” said Dr. Greg Westergaard, AGI President and CEO. “These upgrades and the new talent we’ll be bringing in will allow us to better meet these demands.”

The company opened new clinical health care facilities in the spring of 2016, a $1 million investment that features improved housing, diagnostic, and treatment equipment which provide for superior care and immediate access to important measures of animal health and well-being.

Yemassee, SC AGI
Photo: Alpha Genesis, Inc. (AGI)

“The Animal Care and Research Programs at Alpha Genesis, Inc. contribute significantly to advancing scientific knowledge and to saving, improving and prolonging the lives of humans and animals,” the company stated. “The programs do so while upholding the highest standards of regulatory compliance and of humane and responsible treatment of nonhuman primates.”

Animals are used in research only when no alternatives exist, according to AGI officials. The potential benefits of primate research include an improved understanding of cancer, infectious diseases, neurological disorders, spinal cord injuries, basic biological and behavioral processes, and the development of new medicines, vaccines, devices and other treatments, according to scientific researchers.

A recent USDA Inspection at AGI facilities found no non-compliant items which, according to Dr. Westergaard, “Speaks volumes in support of the excellent Animal Care provided to the primates at Alpha Genesis facilities, and is testament to the dedication and strong work ethic of the staff who do this important and challenging work.”

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