Vertex to expand in Boston with new cell/gene therapy facility
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Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) said on May 17 that it intends to build another 344K square foot facility in the Boston Seaport area to expand its cell and genetic therapies programs.
The Boston-based biotech made the announcement at the inauguration of its Jeffrey Leiden Center for Cell and Genetic Therapies (Leiden I) at the Boston Seaport.
Vertex dedicated Leiden I, which is a cell and genetic therapies research and clinical manufacturing site, located at 316-318 Northern Avenue to its Executive Chairman and former CEO Jeffrey Leiden.
The site accommodates more than 400 employees, with 70% of the facility dedicated to lab and research space.
The company said the expansion site, being developed in collaboration with Related Beal, Boston Real Estate Inclusion Fund and Kavanagh Advisory group, is a 344K square foot facility located at 20-22 Drydock Avenue.
After the completion of the new site, which is expected in 2025, the two buildings will be known as the Leiden Campus. The new building will accommodate ~500 employees.
The company noted that after completion it will occupy 1.9M square feet of real estate in the Seaport across five sites, making it the largest biotech in Boston in terms of square footage.
Separately, Vertex and its nonprofit charitable foundation Vertex Foundation said they have committed $50M over five years to clinical trial diversity, access to quality care, and education of health care workforce.