Swiss biotech giant RegenLab USA has officially opened its new new research and manufacturing facility at BioBAT at the Brooklyn Army Terminal.
Joining to welcome RegenLab USA to Brooklyn were a host of civic and business leaders including Susan Rosenthal, Senior Vice President of Life Sciences & Healthcare at New York City Economic Development Corporation; Dr. Eva Cramer President at BioBAT and Vice President for Biotechnology & Scientific Affairs at SUNY Downstate Medical Center; and Randy Peers, the President and CEO of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.
RegenLab specializes in cutting edge cellular therapy and tissue engineering medical devices including platelet-rich plasmas and bone marrow cells. Its investment in Brooklyn will create up to 150 jobs in the years to come. Between operations, research, design and manufacturing positions, jobs at the site on average pay $110,000 per year and will contribute to Brooklyn’s arrival as a blossoming biotech hub. RegenLab USA’s new facility occupies approximately 15,000 s/f.
Having served more than one million patients worldwide with regional facilities in Montreal, Venice, Munich, Paris, Dubai, Beijing, and Istanbul, the move to localize manufacturing, production and distribution in Brooklyn seeks to tap New York City’s ecosystem of hospitals, physicians, researchers and eight million patients.
“Our search for a manufacturing base in the United States was relatively quick as Brooklyn immediately stood out as an ideal home,” said Antoine Turzi, chief executive officer of RegenLab USA. “We are excited to create jobs and establish ourselves in the American market right here in Brooklyn, a booming hub of bio and life sciences companies anchored by a skilled workforce and vibrant culture. ”
“Brooklyn is becoming a go-to home for these industries,” said Randy Peers, president and CEO of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. “We have an educated population with the skills they are looking for, and more importantly, the city and state have made investments in infrastructure and real estate that ensure the type of space needed to support companies like RegenLab USA is available and will allow them to continue to grow.”
The news follows the continued private and public investment at BioBAT, the former military supply depot converted in 2006 by the SUNY Research Foundation, on behalf of Downstate Health Sciences University, and NYCEDC.
“New York City’s $1 billion investment in the life sciences industry continues to attract top tier companies and talent,” said NYCEDC Senior Vice President of Life Sciences & Healthcare Susan Rosenthal. “We are proud to oversee the investment on behalf of the city and to have expanded BioBAT’s lab space so innovative companies like RegenLab USA can grow and thrive in Brooklyn.”
In July 2021, NYCEDC announced a plan to invest $50 million to expand BioBAT’s lab space, as part of a wider $1 billion investment to broaden the city’s life sciences sector. The efforts target creating affordable manufacturing spaces, life science research, and “wet lab spaces” to better enable companies to stay in New York City and grow and expand in Brooklyn. Wet lab spaces are places where chemicals, drugs, and other biological material are tested in areas needing water, direct ventilation, and specialized piped utilities.
The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and RegenLab USA will be hosting a life sciences symposium in May 2022 to discuss clinical advances in cell therapies and highlight the unique features of BioBAT that make it an attractive option for companies looking to grow in the field.
