12 www.sdbj.com AUGUST 16, 2021
SPECIAL REPORT: LIFE SCIENCES Helping the Life Science Industry Accelerate R&D
San Diego’s Biotech Boom Backed By Research Institutions and Contract Organizations By NATALLIE ROCHA
Local life science companies big and small have been going public and securing funding to advance their re- search and drug pipelines in what could be described as a biotech boom. For many of these commercial companies, they turn to contract research organizations (CROs) and contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs) to help them get the job done. Additionally, the area’s life science research institutes have played a crucial role in meeting this mo- ment of industry growth and delivering innovative work that translates to healthcare solutions. The San Diego Business Journal connected with a few of the organizations that are supporting the life science industry and driving innovation.
Helping Companies Scale In Q2 of this year, venture capital funding totaled $2 billion and almost half of these deals were with fast-grow- ing life science companies. In recent months, startups have received funding, M&A deals have popped up and more than 10 biotech companies have gone public through IPOs and SPAC mergers. Larger pharmaceutical companies often have the re- sources and manpower to conduct R&D operations in- house if they choose. With capital in hand, these smaller companies are moving fast and the need to scale leads many biotech companies to rely on contracting organi- zations to help them make it happen. For instance, Metacrine, a clinical-stage biopharma- Photo Courtesy of Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services ceutical company that specializes in therapies for patients Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services recently announced that it will open a high-speed multi-purpose fill-finish line in its state-of- with liver and gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, announced the-art commercial manufacturing facility in San Diego. their IPO in September of last year. The company’s CEO and president, Dr. Preston Klassen said that as a small for $5.25 billion by PerkinElmer. BioLegend is a global opportunity to impact many different diseases each year biotech they work with CROs and choosing the right provider of high-quality reagents, assays, and other life by working with a variety of clients to manufacture prod- relationship for your work is critical. science technologies. The company’s founder and CEO, ucts currently in phase 1 clinical trials all the way up to “As a small company do you go with a CRO that’s Gene Lay, told the Business Journal that this deal allows commercial products,” Shimba said. “Last year we worked on the smaller side or do you go with one of the large them to expand into new sectors and offer their clients on over 50 different disease indications which is very mean- CROs? Will you have enough share of mind? You really a more complete offering of services. ingful for us. Our responsibility is to work with our clients have to build the right relationships in the right way to Working with a CRO or CMO that offers a variety of to help make sure medicines are delivered on time to pa- have things work out,” Dr. Klassen said. services is an attractive, one-stop shop option for grow- tients that need them.” Kevin Lustig, CEO and founder of Scientist.com, the ing biotech companies. During the pandemic, the company also had the oppor- world’s largest AI-powered marketplace for medical research, Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services US is a fully integrat- tunity to work on a number of COVID-19 related products said that San Diego has an extremely high concentration ed contract development and manufacturing organiza- to help quickly meet the needs of their clients and adapt to of CROs in the region. According to a website his team tion (CDMO), with sites in Belgium, United States, Ja- the new way of work. created about five years ago called ContractResearchMap. pan, and India, providing “On the client-side, the most meaningful change was the com, the San Diego region is home to more than 600 labs. comprehensive process de- successful expansion of our virtual interactions with clients Lustig added that in addition to the influx of funding velopment services, cGMP including enabling them to watch the operations performed to the industry, the coronavirus pandemic has led bio- manufacturing and drug on their products through remote viewing and conducting pharmaceutical and healthcare companies to reevaluate product fill finish services remote audits,” Shimba said. their supply chains. With this in mind, companies may of small molecule and opt to build relationships with contract organizations in large molecule APIs and Collaboration and Innovation their community for the accessibility and to minimize intermediates. Before life changing treatments, from the COVID-19 vac- the risk of supply chain disruptions. For a global CDMO cine to novel cell therapies, reach patients, it all starts with the with a local presence, Aji dedicated work of life science research institutions. This past Comprehensive Solutions Bio-Pharma has the op- year, these researchers adapted not only their workflows but Commercial biotech and pharmaceutical companies portunity to impact a di- also their focus onto COVID-19 in addition to their core work. are not the only sector of the industry projected to grow. verse range of life science “I’m incredibly proud of how our researchers and ad- According to Grand View Research estimates, the 2021 sectors, said President and ministrative staff rose to the many challenges created by U.S. pharmaceutical contract manufacturing and research CEO Nobuhisa Shimba. Nobuhisa Shimba this pandemic, and the ability of our staff to be so effec- services market is valued at $187.2 billion. “One of the great things President & CEO tively working from home and on-site safely,” said Rusty One of San Diego’s largest contract manufacturing or- about being a CDMO Ajinomoto Bio- Gage, president of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. ganizations, BioLegend, recently agreed to be acquired is that we have the Pharma Services US “Essential work that continued included research relevant AUGUST 16, 2021 www.sdbj.com 13
to COVID-19, such as im- munity to severe respira- tory viruses, but we also launched several new proj- ects and collaborations to study such topics as the structure of the virus and whether genetic changes govern the course of the disease in the lungs.” Salk Institute has also worked with CROs and CMOs in the San Diego Rusty Gage community and one of the President benefits of these collabo- Salk Institute rations is that it helps to bridge translation of the research discoveries and novel therapies that an industry partner will ultimately advance to the clinic. Jill Strickland, senior vice president and chief ad- ministrative officer at Rady Children’s Hospital San Di- ego Research said that their team of researchers have been at the forefront of studies surrounding COVID-19, including the investigation of diagnostic options for children with MIS-C, as well as continuing cancer care, genomic sequencing for pathogen isolation and type 1 diabetes. “In addition to continuing work on hundreds of cur- rent research studies, our Deloitte, 2021 global life sciences outlook team added 40 new studies The pandemic required researchers to adapt to decentralized clinical trials and more companies embraced digital or hybrid options. to their portfolio during this timeframe, both as independent endeavors together a lot of really active research (NASH), diabetes, obesity and related and in partnership with that’s really changing the face of can- metabolic diseases. CROs/CMOs and exter- cer, and changing the face of how we Dr. Hompesch explained that having nal research sites,” Strick- do things,” Jenusaitis said. subject matter experts guide decisions ear- land said. Additionally, right across the street from ly in the process is a huge benefit that pays With their partners the Moores Cancer Center there are more off when making decisions for a company, at UC San Diego and opportunities for cutting edge research especially a small biotech figuring out the its School of Medicine to grow into commercial solutions at the best investment for their capital. they’ve cultivated a re- Center for Novel Therapeutics (CNT). While it could be pricier in the short- search environment that Jenusaitis said that this facility, which was term to invest in a local CRO versus an Jill Strickland is inclusive of the region- designed to accelerate cancer research to international one, building the relation- SVP & Chief al and global communities clinical trials and then to market, offers ship with a specialized company pays off Administrative Officer as they search for treat- space for researchers to grow their discov- in the long run. Rady Children’s ment and cures to pedi- eries into something bigger. “I think we are just at the beginning of Hospital-San Diego atric diseases, Strickland Having subject matter experts at the Marcus Hompesch, seeing growth in the specialty CRO do- said. head of a commercial operation is a huge M.D. main we’re really working with subject “Within the ever-growing field of medical research, advantage for a startup both clinically and CEO & Chairman of matter experts who know your indication exploring ways to identify, treat, prevent and even financially, said Marcus Hompesch, M.D., the Board by heart and deeply, care about the science cure pediatric health concerns presents a set of chal- CEO and chairman of the board at Pro- and good science behind your integration, ProSciento lenges that is often quite different from adult studies Sciento, a specialty CRO. who can enable...early decision making for and trials,” Strickland said. “Because children have With 17 years of experience, ProSciento does the com- you,” Dr. Hompesch said. “You have every opportunity their own unique needs, pediatric-focused research is prehensive planning of programs for life science compa- to discover every relevant safety or efficacy concern, ear- essential to advancing effective, safe and innovative nies, with a specific focus on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis ly on, if you’re giving it the right thought.” n pediatric-focused care — as we always emphasize, chil- dren are not tiny adults and deserve solutions created just for them.”
Connecting with Experts Working with subject matter experts and specialized contracting organizations is also a key to what makes San Diego’s biotech community so vibrant and attractive for growing companies. Matthew Jenusaitis, chief administrative of- ficer, Oncology and Ra- diation Therapy at the UC San Diego Health and Moores Cancer Cen- ter said that as a leading cancer research institu- tion, they have been one of the top innovators in the field. Recent funding to research institutions and commercial compa- Matthew Jenusaitis, nies is really just provid- MSE, MBA ing the fuel to accelerate Chief Administrative innovation that is part of Officer — Oncology the DNA of the industry. and Radiation Therapy “The university is UC San Diego Health working very collabora- and Moores Cancer tively with the private Photo by Earnie Grafton, courtesy of Rady Children's Hospital. Center sector, and it’s bringing A clinical laboratory scientist works in the Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine lab. 14 CROwww.sdbj.com & CMO AUGUST 16, 2021 Ranked by number of local THE LIST CRORanked & byCMO number of local employees as of July 1, 2021 employees as of July 1, 2021 WWW.LEVEL10GC.COM
Rank Company # of employees: (Last Address S.D. County Type(s) of Top local executive year) Website Phone Companywide research Area(s) of focus Headquarters Year est. locally BioLegend accelerates biomedical BioLegend Inc. 700 Clinical research and discovery with our broad 1 portfolio of high-quality reagents, Gene Lay 8999 BioLegend Way, San Diego 92121 740 Preclinical San Diego 2002 (NR) www.biolegend.com 858-750-5245 assays, and other life science technologies Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services offers Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services 524 Clinical comprehensive CDMO capabilities for 2 small and large molecule APIs, Nobuhisa Shimba 11040 Roselle St., San Diego 92121 1,500 Preclinical San Diego 1998 (1) www.AjiBio-Pharma.com 858-882-0123 including high potency, ADCs and oligos
ProSciento is the leading specialized 3 ProSciento, Inc. 260 clinical research organization (CRO) Marcus Hompesch 855 Third Ave., Suite 3340, Chula Vista 91911 270 Clinical focused on NASH, diabetes, obesity, Chula Vista 2003 (2) www.prosciento.com 619-427-1300 and related metabolic diseases
Catalent’s San Diego facility focuses on 4 Catalent Pharma Solutions 220 Clinical early stage development of small Somerset, NJ Bryan Knox 7330 Carroll Road, San Diego 92121 15,000 Preclinical molecule and peptide drug candidates 2007 (NR) www.catalent.com 858-805-6383 from the bench to the clinic
Argonaut provides contract 5 Argonaut Manufacturing Services Inc. 140 manufacturing for biopharmaceutical Wayne Woodard 2841 Loker Ave. E., Carlsbad 92010 140 CMC Drug Products, diagnostics and life Carlsbad 2016 (5) www.argonautms.com 888-834-8892 science organizations
MicroConstants is a GLP-compliant 6 MicroConstants 120 Clinical clinical and preclinical CRO focused on Gilbert Lam 9050 Camino Santa Fe, San Diego 92121 120 Preclinical performing regulated bioanalysis, drug San Diego 1998 (3) www.microconstants.com 858-652-4600 metabolism, and PK analysis
PCI Pharma Services 105(1) Provides clinical trial material Mark Shepanski 7 6166 Nancy Ridge Drive, San Diego 92121 Clinical management services for clinical San Diego (1) 2010 (4) www.pciservices.com 858-997-1490 4,000 studies
HD Biosciences Inc. Target validation, plate-based 8 87(1) Chunxia Wang 6122 Nancy Ridge Drive, San Diego 92121 Preclinical pharmacology, infectious disease, Shanghai, China 2014 (6) www.hdbiosciences.com 858-888-7888 na Immuno-oncology, custom service
Absorption Systems is a leading 9 Absorption Systems, a Pharmaron company 80 Clinical scientific, non-clinical CRO that Vatsala 7901 Vickers St., San Diego 92111 12,000 CMC provides pharmaceutical, biotech, Beijing Naageshwaran (NR) www.absorption.com 858-427-0892 Preclinical medical device companies and 1999 regulatory agencies w
Automation for medical devices: Miq Partners Olaf Tessarzyk 10 28 Clinical Assembly, leak testing aseptic filling, Carlsbad 1920 Palomar Point Way, Carlsbad 92008 120 inspection, heat staking, traceability, 2013 (NR) www.miqpartners.com 760-659-5167 etc. / ISO 13485 / ISO 9001 / AS9100D
Infinity Laboratories 25(1) Clinical Infinity Laboratories is a network of Sophia Sueck 11 10840 Thornmint Rd, Suite 113, San Diego 92127 CMC premier chemical & microbiological Castle Rock, CO (1) 1997 (8) www.infinitylaboratories.com 858- 618-4708 200 Preclinical laboratory testing services
12 Abbiotec 15 CMC Antibody manufacturing for research Hervé Le Calvez 350 W. 9th Avenue, Suite 107, Escondido 92025 20 Preclinical and diagnostics Escondido 2007 (12) www.abbiotec.com 858-586-0500
Analytical development consulting and 13 EZ Labs, LLC 14 Anna Eidelman 6195 Cornerstone Court East, Suite 109-110, San Diego 92121 14 CMC R&D laboratory services for CMC drug San Diego 2016 (10) www.ezlabs-LLC.com 858-784-1816 development (small molecules)
CATO SMS, formed by the merger of Cato Research SMS Clinical CATO Research and SMS-oncology, is a Randal Lane 14 10 high-performance team that can tackle Cary, NC 6480 Weathers Place, Suite 104, San Diego 92121 400 CMC 1988 (9) www.cato.com 858-452-7271 Preclinical the toughest challenges with confidence
We support the research and early 15 Tioga Research 10 CMC development of next generations of John M Newsam 6330 Nancy Ridge Drive, Suite 102, San Diego 92121 11 Preclinical topical, transdermal & other skin- San Diego 2011 (11) www.tiogaresearch.com 858-202-1569 applied products
16 Somatek 7 Bioprocess development, assay Mark Fitchmun 9466 Black Mountain Road, Suite 150, San Diego 92126 7 CMC development, program and outsource San Diego 2002 (NR) www.somatek.com 619-734-9000 management
CytoLogistics provides research and 17 CytoLogistics LLC 6 drug development services: custom Leonardo Ancheta 6352 Corte del Abeto, Carlsbad 92011-1408 6 Preclinical conjugations, cell-based assays, Carlsbad 2000 (NR) www.CytoLogistics.com 858-642-1988 compound screening, and flow cytometry
Route scouting and route development, 18 CalChem Synthesis 3 synthesis of APIs for preclinical and Jalal Haddad 3550 General Atomics Court, San Diego 92121 3 Preclinical toxicology studies, process R&D and San Diego 2012 (NR) www.calchemsynthesis.com 858-455-6100 scale up and tech package transfer.
CRO Contract Research Org. CMO Contract Manufacturing Org. the list, omissions and typographical errors sometimes occur. Please send corrections or additions to the Research Department at the San Diego CMC Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls Business Journal. Eric Alderete, [email protected]. This list may not be reprinted in whole or in part without prior written permission from the na Not Available editor. Some companies have declined to participate or did not return a survey by press time. It is not the intent of this list to endorse the participants Source: The companies. or to imply a company's size or numerical rank indicates its quality. In case of a tie, companies are ranked by number of companywide employees, and then alphabetically. (1) Business Journal estimate To the best of our knowledge, this information is accurate as of press time. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and thoroughness of WWW.LEVEL10GC.COM 16 LIFE SCIENCE RESEARCHwww.sdbj.com INSTITUTIONS AUGUST 16, 2021 Ranked by number of faculty THE LIST LIFE SCIENCERanked by number RESEARCH of faculty members INSTITUTIONS as of July 1, 2021 members as of July 1, 2021 # of: Institution Faculty Address members Companywide Institution description (area(s) of focused Top local executive Rank Website Phone Employees(1) employees research) Headquarters Year est. locally Rady ChildrenÕs Hospital - San Diego Research Rady Children's Hospital is committed to 1 3020 Children's Way, 250 5,100 discovering treatments and cures for childhood San Diego Jill Strickland San Diego 92123 250 diseases. 1954 www.rchsd.org/research 858-966-5910 NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health dedicated to scientific innovation & clinical 2 3855 Health Sciences, 70 900 excellence in 200+ types of cancer. Ranked La Jolla Scott Lippman La Jolla 92093 900 No. 1 in San Diego for cancer care by U.S. 1978 http://cancer.ucsd.edu 858-822-5913 News & World Report. Salk Institute for Biological Studies 10010 N. Torrey Pines Road, 54 1,456 The Salk Institute is a basic research institution La Jolla Rusty Gage 3 La Jolla 92037 953 for the life sciences. 1960 www.salk.edu 858-453-4100
Sanford Burnham Prebys Dedicated to finding cures for human disease, C. Randal Mills 4 10901 N. Torrey Pines Road, 39 509 improving quality of life, and educating and La Jolla Kristiina Vuori La Jolla 92037 508 training the next-generation of scientists. 1976 www.sbpdiscovery.org 858-646-3100 J. Craig Venter Institute J. Craig Venter Institute is advancing the 4120 Capricorn Lane, 25 150 science of genomics to develop unique La Jolla J. Craig Venter 5 La Jolla 92037 100 insights and answers about disease, health, 2006 www.jcvi.org 858-200-1800 and the environment for the benefit of all.
La Jolla Institute for Immunology Non-profit independent research institute Erica Ollmann 6 9420 Athena Circle, 20 488 solely focused on studying the power of the La Jolla Saphire La Jolla 92037 488 immune system. 1988 www.lji.org 858-752-6500
Rady ChildrenÕs Institute for Genomic Medicine Enabling Rapid Precision Medicine™ via rapid 7 3020 Children's Way MC5129, 17 70 Whole Genome Sequencing™ to newborns San Diego Stephen Kingsmore San Diego 92123 66 and infants with rare diseases. 2014 www.radygenomics.org 858-576-1700
University of Southern California, AlzheimerÕs Therapeutic Research The mission of the Alzheimer's Therapeutic Institute 7 Research Institute's (ATRI) is to to rigorously Paul Aisen 8 9860 Mesa Rim Road, 160 160 test methods for early detection of and Sorrento Mesa 2015 San Diego 92121 treatments for Alzheimer's disease (AD). www.keck.usc.edu/atri 858-964-4644
CureScience Mission: Transdisciplinary approaches for pre- 9 10225 Barnes Canyon Road, A207, 5 14 symptomatic detection and personalized San Diego Shashaanka Ashili San Diego 92121 5 therapeutics 2013 www.curescience.org 858-800-2973 Human BioMolecular Research Institute 6351 Nancy Ridge Dr, Suite B, 0 4 HBRI’s mission is to conduct basic research San Diego John Cashman 10 San Diego 92121 3 related to cancer and cardiovascular disease. 1998 www.HBRI.org 858-458-9305
Source: The institutions. editor. Some companies have declined to participate or did not return a survey by press time. It is not the intent of this list to endorse the participants In case of a tie, institutions are ranked by number of employees in San Diego County. or to imply a company's size or numerical rank indicates its quality. To the best of our knowledge, this information is accurate as of press time. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and thoroughness of (1) Employees include faculty, postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, research support and administrative staff, facilities technicians, etc. the list, omissions and typographical errors sometimes occur. Please send corrections or additions to the Research Department at the San Diego Business Journal. Eric Alderete, [email protected]. This list may not be reprinted in whole or in part without prior written permission from the AUGUST 16, 2021 www.sdbj.com 17
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