Janet Spear
Ms. Janet Spear has served as Plant Manager, Celgene Phoenix, since 2007 (when the site was purchased by Abraxis Bioscience and subsequently sold to Celgene in 2010). The facility underwent a major renovation beginning in 2008 to accommodate the manufacture of Abraxane, the world’s first Nanoparticle Albumin Bound (NABTM) therapy discovered by Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong. Abraxane is approved for the treatment of metastatic breast, lung, and pancreatic cancers. The facility was constructed, validated, and approved for commercial manufacturing by 2012. Celgene Phoenix currently employs over 300 personnel in a fully functioning 24/7 sterile injectable manufacturing operation. Under Ms. Spear’s leadership, the site has maintained an excellent regulatory record and is authorized to manufacture product for worldwide distribution. Ms. Spear was named Celgene’s “Rising Star” in 2013.
Prior to Abraxis, Ms. Spear held positions of increasing responsibility working in manufacturing operations for both brand and generic companies. From 1986-1993 she worked for The Upjohn Company, one of the top brand companies in the world, graduated from their Manufacturing Management Training Program, and participated in a select Individual Development Program. In 1993 she joined Schein, the largest manufacturer of generic sterile injectable drugs in the United States at that time. Over her career, Ms. Spear has gained valuable insight into the differences between brand and generic manufacturing while having responsibility for every major department including Manufacturing, Technical Services and Validation, Engineering and Maintenance, Project Management, Continuous Improvement/Product Development, Business Development/Contract Manufacturing, Quality Control, Quality Assurance, Supply Chain, Finance, Information Technology, and Human Resources.
Ms. Spear holds a B.S. in Microbiology and Chemistry from Iowa State University and an M.B.A. from California Polytechnic University. She presently serves on the Board of Directors for the Arizona BioScience Board and AZ Chamber of Commerce Manufacturing Council and is a past Director for the AZ BioIndustry Association. In addition, Ms. Spear is a member of the AZ BioScience Roadmap Steering Committee for the Flinn Foundation, the Metropolitan Planning Board for the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) and served three years as co-leader of GPEC’s Healthcare Strategy Leadership Group. She has been a frequent guest lecturer for Glendale Community College since 2007.