CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) -- Biotechnology company Genzyme Corp. said Wednesday it named Scott Canute president of global manufacturing and corporate operations.
Canute previously lead manufacturing at Eli Lilly & Co. At Genzyme, he will oversee production of a diverse range of products made at 17 sites around the world, Genzyme said.
In January, the company hired Ron Branning as senior vice president of global product quality, also overseeing products made at 17 sites worldwide. Genzyme also contracted manufacturing for its key products to Hospira Inc.
Genzyme has suffered a series of damaging manufacturing problems.
In June, the company shut down its manufacturing plant in the Boston neighborhood of Allston to clean up viral contamination that had been slowing down production of Cerezyme and Fabrazyme. The virus was not harmful to people, but the shutdown cost the company millions in revenue. Production restarted in September.
Meanwhile, in November, the Food and Drug Administration said it found tiny particles of trash in drugs made by Genzyme, including steel, rubber and fiber. The agency recommended that doctors closely inspect vials of Cerezyme, Fabrazyme, Myozyme, Aldurazyme and Thyrogen.
Cerezyme treats a rare enzyme disorder called Gaucher disease and Fabrazyme treats Fabry disease, an inherited disorder caused by the buildup of a particular type of fat in the body's cells.
Shares of Genzyme rose 87 cents to $56.53.
