Nephron will bring 707 jobs

The $313 million investment and 707 jobs that Nephron Pharmaceuticals is bringing to the Midlands is one of the biggest economic development coups for Gov. Nikki Haley since taking office this year.

Nephron is a privately held manufacturer of respiratory medicine. It said it will develop a pharmaceutical manufacturing campus and offices on 60 acres in a Lexington County industrial park near Cayce.

Nephron CEO Lou Kennedy said the decision to invest in South Carolina "was based on several reasons, which included insurance concerns, need for geographic diversity of operations, competitive marketplace and state incentives."

The state will put $4.5 million into site preparation and infrastructure. The company will be eligible for tax credits as it creates the jobs it is promising.

Nephron is based in Orlando, Fla., where it will continue to have manufacturing, distribution and packaging operations. It has more than 400 employees. The company makes medicine for emphysema, asthma and pulmonary disease, according to its website.

Nephron said it has long-standing relationships with major drug wholesalers and that it distributes its products to retail pharmacies, mail-order pharmacies, hospitals, home care companies, and long-term care facilities.