Valeant Pharmaceuticals International has found another drug maker to take up part of its former headquarters in Costa Mesa.
Northern California’s Ardea Biosciences Inc., which is seeking to develop drugs for HIV, cancer and inflammatory diseases, signed a 12- to 24-month lease for 64,282 square feet of space at Valeant’s Costa Mesa building.
Valeant recently moved from its longtime headquarters near the San Diego (I-405) Freeway to Aliso Viejo. The drug maker still owns the Costa Mesa building.
Ardea, which changed its name last month from IntraBiotics Pharmaceuticals Inc., could pay $2.4 million in rent if it stays in the building for the two years.
The company is up and running in Costa Mesa, Chief Executive Barry Quart said.
Ardea also bought three research and development programs from Valeant and has hired about 50 workers. Two of the programs are geared toward potential HIV treatments.
The company took the second floor and part of the first floor in the Costa Mesa building, which totals 177,000 square feet and three stories. The company plans to use the space for research and development.
For more on this story, see the Jan. 15 edition of the Business Journal.
