GSK Shuts Down NC Plant

GlaxoSmithKline shut down its plant in Zebulon, NC on Tuesday after discovering the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease in a self-standing cooling tower. The plant produces inhaled drugs including asthma drug Advair, and contracts with other pharmaceutical companies to produce their drugs. The company said in a statement that the cooling tower “does not come into contact with product manufactured at the facility.”
 
Approximately 400 of the 850 employees at the Zebulon facility were told to stay away until the towers are cleaned. The FDA is checking into reports of the bacteria’s discovery. State and county health officials said they weren’t aware of any Legionnaire’s disease cases associated with the Glaxo facility, adding that most people who are exposed to the bacteria don’t become ill.
 
“We are trying to gather information on what the situation is,” said GSK spokeswoman Jenni Brewer Ligday. “It was found during routine testing, so we’re trying to get a better handle of how often those tests are conducted, also more details on whether product has been impacted and, if they have, what is our procedure in place to handle that.”