BIOTECNIKA BLOG

CABIM SECURES $76M IN FUNDING AND SITE FOR MANUFACTURING AND INNOVATION CENTER

The Massachusetts Center for Advanced Biological Innovation and
Manufacturing takes major steps forward in effort to speed discovery
process



CAMBRIDGE, MA – The Massachusetts Center for Advanced Biological
Innovation and Manufacturing (CABIM) announced today that it has
secured $76 million in financing and signed a lease for a 40,000
square-foot site in Watertown at The Arsenal on the Charles owned and
operated by Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. Formed in late 2019,
CABIM aims to help new therapeutics, and technologies reach patients
faster and strengthen Greater Boston's position as the world's life
science capital.



The $76 million fundraising round was led by Harvard University and
the other founding members constituting CABIM's Board of Directors,
which include Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), FUJIFILM
Diosynth Biotechnologies, Cytiva (formerly part of GE Healthcare Life
Sciences), and Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. Other investors
of note include CABIM collaborators Beth Israel Deaconess Medical
Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital,
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, and
MilliporeSigma.



"At a time when we face a devastating global pandemic, collaboration
between the greatest innovators in the life science community has
never felt more important or had more to contribute to knowledge and
human health," said Alan M. Garber, Provost of Harvard University.
"The Center will build upon and support that spirit of partnership,
tapping into the region's life science ecosystem and intellectual
capital to discover new approaches to prevent and treat illness."



With its new state-of-the-art space, CABIM will help alleviate a
backlog in biomanufacturing that frequently stretches as long as 18
months and can significantly delay critical research and development
in cell and gene therapy, gene editing, immunotherapy, and
biotechnology. These types of therapies offer the potential to treat
or even cure devastating rare diseases and more common diseases, such
as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, Parkinson's, and
Alzheimer's, among others.



"In order to serve patients better and faster, you need global
collaboration between academic, biotechnology and industry partners.
Ideas must be fostered and tested, materials must be available for
testing, and manufacturing options must be at hand," said Emmanuel
Ligner, President and CEO of Cytiva. "No one can achieve this alone.
CABIM will create an ecosystem of the brightest minds across
industries and immediate manufacturing capabilities to accelerate
therapies for patients."



CABIM will foster unique partnerships between industry, academia, and
leading area hospitals. When its Watertown headquarters is complete,
it will house a pharma-grade manufacturing facility that will adhere
to "good manufacturing practices" (GMP), with a plan for eight
cleanrooms, and tout a modular configuration that will enable the easy
adoption of emerging technologies. It will also be distinct from some
other contract manufacturers in that it will produce both cell and
viral vector products within its physical space. Globally, demand for
these biological products is so high that resulting manufacturing
bottlenecks can ultimately limit the number of patients who are able
to access medical breakthroughs produced using cell and viral vectors.



"Cell and viral vector products have become valuable tools for basic
and translational research across a range of disciplines," said Arlene
Sharpe, MD, PhD, George Fabyan Professor of Comparative Pathology at
Harvard Medical School. "CABIM's production of cell and viral vectors
will enable fundamental discovery research and investigation of new
therapeutic strategies, facilitating the improvement of patient
treatment."



In addition to its unique technology and manufacturing capabilities,
the Center will offer quality control, lab, office, and convening
space designed to facilitate collaboration between scientists from the
region's universities, hospitals, and industries. By housing experts
in manufacturing, research, development, and commercialization all
under one roof, the Center will aim to improve the innovation supply
chain with the goal of accelerating the introduction of new solutions
to patients. It will also focus on developing a pipeline of talent in
the field of biopharmaceutical manufacturing to expand Greater
Boston's base of specialized workers, offering training and curricula
to emerging professionals.



CABIM will use the initial funding to build out its new space, support
an experienced professional staff of about 40 full-time employees, and
maintain the Center's daily operations. This initial funding will
allow CABIM to begin opening its facility in early 2022.



In the months ahead, CABIM will announce an official name for the
Center and unveil its leadership team, which will work closely with
CABIM partners and member organizations to catalyze and accelerate
life-changing research.

https://www.harvard.edu/media-relations/cabim-secures-76m-funding-for-manufacturing-and-innovation-center