Ryan Messersmith
12-3-14
Period 1
Biotechnology
Genentech Genentech is considered by many to be the founder of the biotech industry, and has been creating products in the field of biotechnology for 35 years. Genentech’s corporate headquarters are in South San Francisco, California, with additional facilities in Vacaville, California, Oceanside, California, Hillsboro, Oregon, and Louisville, Kentucky. The mission of Genentech is to use human genetic information to discover, develop, manufacture and commercialize medicines to treat patients with serious or life-threatening medical conditions. They are attempting to “do now what patients need next”, in efforts to transform patients’ lives. Thus, in 2009, Genentech became part of the Roche Group, an organization dedicated the improvement of patient care. As of August 2013, Genentech employed 12,300 employees, ranging the entire gamete, including administrative support, audit and risk advisory, development, engineering, production and manufacturing, and sales and marketing.

Herceptin is an injectable product that is intended for the treatment of early-stage breast cancer that is Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2-positive, meaning that it is growing excessively quick, and has spread into the lymph nodes. The drug is intended to be used along with the chemotherapy drugs Adriamycin, Cytoxan, and either Taxol or Taxotere. Herceptin has the potential for resulting in heart problems, as well as serious infusion reactions and lung problems, which can lead to death. It costs around $4000 per dose of Herceptin, and is seldom covered by insurance, making it an extremely expensive drug.
` The most appealing job of the options would be an engineer. In order to be an engineer at Genentech, you