Genzyme cutting Canadian jobs

Genzyme Biosurgery, a division of Genzyme Corp, is closing its PointClaire, Canada, plant in a bid to streamline operations and cut costs. The Montreal Gazette reports that the plant, opened in 1992, was once the sole producer of Synvisc (hyaluronic acid), its viscosupplementation product for the intra-articular treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee, but in 1998, the company opened a plant in New Jersey, USA, which has 10 times the production capacity of Pointe Claire. Genzyme Biosurgery also announced that it is cutting 50 jobs at Biomatrix, one of its US subsidiaries.