Life Sciences Industry Sees Flurry of Expansions in September
The life sciences industry has seen plenty of growth throughout September. Here’s a look at a few of the industry expansions that have been announced so far this month.
SOPHiA Genetics kicked off the month by opening new offices in Rolle, Switzerland. The new site will be home to new office spaces and a new R&D laboratory. The health care technology company has been rapidly expanding over the past few years, and now has more than 450 employees, with around 230 in Switzerland.
“We have doubled our workforce in less than two years, so it was important for us to have infrastructures adapted to our needs,” said Jurgi Camblong, CEO and founder of SOPHiA GENETICS at the time of the announcement.
Massachusetts-based GreenLight BioSciences announced the opening of its new 17,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Rochester, NY. The company, which focuses on RNA research, design and manufacturing for human, animal and plant health, said the facility will manufacture enzymes and RNA for agricultural applications.
"GreenLight has developed a new way to produce commercial quantities of RNA at low cost for multiple applications," said Chief Operating Officer Carole Cobb. "GreenLight's research know-how and production process allows us to address some of the challenges that formerly hindered RNA's application in agriculture."
BioscienceLA
On September 22, BioscienceLA announced that it will be opening a 20,000-square-foot office in Culver City. The office will serve as a headquarters for bioscience startups, entrepreneurs and researchers in Los Angeles County. The project, which the county contributed more than $10 million toward, is part of LA County’s ongoing attempt to become a bustling life sciences hub.
"We have all of the pieces here," said Dave Whelan, the CEO of BioscienceLA. "We need a sort of connective tissue that brings those resources, brings that energy, brings those developments together."
This month, Zai Lab announced that it is establishing a presence in Cambridge, Mass. The company’s new location in the biopharmaceutical hotspot will be home to business operations including alliance management, business development, legal and governance functions.
“This is an important step in Zai Lab’s journey to become a global biopharmaceutical company, a partner of choice and a place where our employees can do their best work,” said Dr. Samantha Du, founder, chairperson and chief executive officer of Zai Lab.
At the beginning of the month, membership-based shared lab network BioLabs announced it is opening a 37,000-square-foot life sciences facility in the Lone Star state. The Dallas-based site, which will be a redevelopment of Pegasus Park’s 23-acre campus, will be able to accommodate up to 35 startups.
UK-based contract research organization Metrion Biosciences announced it has moved its headquarters to Granta Park in Cambridge, UK. The 12,000-square-foot custom designed facility will expand the company’s range of services and cell lines, and will provide a larger capacity for client projects.
“Our new headquarters has been specifically designed to support Metrion’s ambitious business plan for global growth, with a particular focus on the USA in 2022,” said Dr. Andrew Southan, chief executive of Metrion Biosciences.