NJII Launches New Cell and Gene Therapy Development and Clinical Manufacturing Center

The New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII) and Choose New Jersey, a nonprofit economic development company, hosted a virtual ribbon cutting, tour, and panel discussions on Oct. 29, 2020 to announce the opening of NJII’s BioCentriq, a cell and gene therapy development and clinical manufacturing center located on the campus of the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) in Newark, NJ.

The event kicked off with opening remarks from Joel Bloom, president of NJIT, Governor Phil Murphy, Robert Cohen, president, digital, robotics, and enabling technology at Stryker, and Simon Nynens, CEO of NJII, followed by industry leader recognitions and a video tour of the new facility, a press release said. The event concluded with various panel discussions featuring local leaders regarding the importance of cell and gene therapy.

“There is a massive need for what BioCentriq can provide, and our ability to fill that gap will translate into results that literally save and improve the quality of countless lives,” Bloom said in the press release. “We have the capacity to help companies develop processes, conduct clinical production trials, and train employees.”

“BioCentriq’s mission is to bring together industry, technology developers, academia, and regulatory agencies to help advance the development and manufacturing of cell and gene therapies,” added Dr. Haro Hartounian, PhD, senior vice-president and general manager of the Biopharma Division, and senior vice-president and general manager of BioCentriq, in the press release. “We are thrilled to open the doors to our center at a time when demand for process development and clinical manufacturing of cell and gene therapies exceeds capacity available from existing contract development and manufacturing organizations. Our goal is to provide a collaborative space where innovative approaches and technologies can be utilized to help make emerging therapeutics available to the patients that so desperately need them.”

Source: NJII​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​