[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 55 (Tuesday, April 12, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E414]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                CELEBRATING GENENTECH'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY

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                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 12, 2016

  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 40th 
anniversary of Genentech in South San Francisco--also known as the 
birthplace of biotechnology. Forty years ago, on April 7, 1976, Herb 
Boyer and Bob Swanson decided to start the first biotech company, 
Genentech, and sparked an industry that continues to push the 
boundaries of science today.
  What began as a conversation over a couple of beers at a Union Street 
watering hole has evolved into an industry that has helped billions of 
people, and has ushered in new frontiers of research--such as 
personalized healthcare and cancer immunotherapy--that have 
fundamentally changed the way certain serious diseases are treated.
  During the past six years alone, Genentech has brought to market nine 
new treatments for patients who needed them. These include the first 
FDA-approved medicine for people with advanced forms of B-Cell 
Carcinoma, the most common skin cancer, the first biologic for cystic 
fibrosis, the first personalized medicine that treats women with HER2+ 
breast cancer, and the first drug to be approved using FDA's 
breakthrough therapy designation--a treatment for Chronic Lymphocytic 
Lymphoma (CLL).
  And like all of biotech, Genentech has continued to evolve over the 
past 4 decades. They have invested in uncharted areas of science, 
expanded their manufacturing capabilities, grown into a global 
organization, and partnered with other companies and research 
institutions to find breakthrough treatments for people with serious 
diseases who need new and improved options.
  Today, Genentech's founders' spirit of taking bold risks and 
celebrating both successes and failures continues to drive their daily 
work. This year, the company will celebrate its 40th anniversary with 
initiatives such as 40 Defining Moments--a storytelling project to 
reflect on the history of Genentech through articles, pictures, and 
videos. And in order to recognize the role nearby communities and 
science education have had in its success, Genentech will also commit 
$1 million to STEM-focused nonprofits that provide hands-on science 
education to underserved students in local communities.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize the hard work and dedication 
of Genentech and its employees. Genentech has always been a cutting 
edge company from research to workplace accommodations to creating one 
of the first on-site child care centers. I'm proud to represent a 
company that has so positively contributed to the health and wellness 
of our society, and to the world. I look forward to seeing what new 
breakthroughs the next 40 years will bring.

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