Pearl Therapeutics, a California-based respiratory drug development subsidiary of AstraZeneca, is hiring and expanding its Durham operations.

The company has leased another 13,000 square feet of lab and office space in the Royal Center, a three-building complex within the Imperial Center Office Park. That leaves Pearl occupying 36,000 square feet so far.

Spokeswoman Alisha Martin said the leasing arrangement resulted from “organic growth in (Pearl’s) production of inhaled small-molecule therapeutics for respiratory disease.” She said the company uses both in-house and contract manufacturing for its development pipeline.

“The company expects continued hiring over the next year to support its research and development programs,” she added.

Pearl was founded in 2006 in Redwood City, California and two years later added its facility in the Research Triangle Park. It also has a site in New Jersey. Each location conducts similar activities, said Martin. AstraZeneca acquired Pearl in July 2013. Though Pearl doesn’t report employment numbers at individual locations, Martin said AstraZeneca has about 250 employees in North Carolina.

The company currently has about 100 employees developing inhaled combination therapies to treat such respiratory diseases as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, using metered dose inhalers.

“North Carolina’s rich life sciences culture has and continues to be of great value to Pearl,” said Pearl’s president and CEO Charles (Chuck) Bramlage. “We’re able to attract and retain great employees, which is the foundation of Pearl’s success.”

Note: Jim Shamp is director of public relations for the N.C. Biotechnology Center.

(C) N.C. Biotechnology Center