Bayer workers look a bit like astronauts, yes?

A visual metaphor for the effort that goes into producing a year's supply of Kogenate.

A fermenter - smaller than what you see at a winery or a brewery, but the concept is the same.

The pretty aerial view of Bayer (Credit: Bayer - for all the photos)

The "mainstream media" (as in non-science-focused) is full of stories about GreenTech. MedTech gets no respect. I'm willing to bet this is because one has to understand a fair bit of science to cover MedTech.

So bear with me as I attempt to share what Bayer manufactures in Berkeley. (I've been working on a story that will air on the California Report Thursday, but it's all business - no science.)

Here's Peter Kramer, Bayer’s Director of Manufacturing Sciences, speaking at length about Factor VIII.

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Some helpful definitions:

he·mo·phil·i·a: an X-linked genetic disorder in which excessive bleeding occurs owing to the absence or abnormality of a clotting factor in the blood.

ly·oph·i·lize: to dry by freezing in a high vacuum.

sub·li·mate: to extract.