AURORA, Colo. (August 12, 2021) – Today, Fitzsimons Innovation Community breaks ground on its new bioscience building, Bioscience 5, further delivering on the Community’s vision to advance health and care. The 90,000 square-foot facility is the first building in the Fitzsimons Innovation Community with full-scale manufacturing, for cell and gene therapy. Bioscience 5 is designed to support its member companies’ overall development and optimize the scientific advancements within the Community ecosystem. Bioscience 5 represents the next stage of planned expansion for Fitzsimons Innovation Community, which currently encompasses four buildings dedicated to advancing life sciences discoveries. The addition of Bioscience 5 brings the total amount of square footage under management to 429,000. Fitzsimons Innovation Community is growing with companies from an incubator with small start-ups (Bioscience 1) to growth- and later-stage companies (Bioscience 2 and Bioscience 3), and the ability for commercial companies to continue scaling in Bioscience 5 with cell and gene therapy manufacturing to take significant products to market. Steve VanNurden, president and chief executive officer of Fitzsimons Innovation Community, announces the expansion saying, “Fitzsimons Innovation Community invests in a collaborative, entrepreneurial community to attract innovators representing early-stage, emerging, and established companies to our region. With our dedicated full-scale cell and gene therapy commercial manufacturing in the new Bioscience 5, companies will have the ability to grow with us here on our campus, allowing them to concentrate on health breakthroughs.”
Colorado Life Sciences Ecosystem Remains Strong
Colorado’s life sciences companies raised a combined $704 million during the first quarter of 2021. VanNurden anticipates continued growth potential for the sector. “Over the past year, the Colorado life sciences industry has experienced an accelerated pace of investment, a strong talent pipeline, and breakthrough scientific advancements – signals that the upward trajectory of this sector will continue.” The Bioscience 5 state-of-the-art, flexible bioscience facility will accommodate cell and gene therapy manufacturing, representing a strategic alignment with the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, situated directly across the street. The CU Anschutz Medical Campus has national recognition for its expertise in cell and gene therapy research and innovation, with nine world-leading researchers in the field, conducting significant clinical trials with the campus health system partners (UCHealth and Children’s Hospital Colorado), and advancing partnerships with the industry. Don Elliman, chancellor of the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and chairman of the Fitzsimons Innovation Community Board of Directors, describes the value of the partnership as the ability to foster research and clinical relationships for our Community members. “Bioscience 5 aligns the Fitzsimons Innovation Community member pipeline of cell and gene therapy innovation to related expertise on our CU Anschutz Medical Campus.” Fitzsimons Innovation Community is home to a number of these companies, including Taiga Biotechnologies, Atara Biotherapeutics, and InVitria.
Fitzsimons Innovation Community Stimulates Local Economy
In early 2020, Fitzsimons Innovation Community opened Bioscience 3, home to growth and commercial companies that are entering the next phase of developing clinical trial technologies. Bioscience 3 is currently more than 70-percent leased, and poised for space planning with other innovative companies. The new groundbreaking of Bioscience 5 demonstrates the quick pace at which the Community develops. Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman touts the economic impact of Fitzsimons Innovation Community, saying, “The City of Aurora values the Fitzsimons Innovation Community collaboration with business leaders and economic development partners to attract and retain life sciences companies that stimulate our local economy, provide employment opportunities, and strengthen our community.” Additional buildings are proposed for Fitzsimons Innovation Community with up to 70 acres available for life sciences development. For more information, please visit: www.fitzsimonsinnovation.com
About Fitzsimons Innovation Community
At Fitzsimons Innovation Community, visionaries boldly transform science into the future of health and care. Our Community pushes boundaries in a unified pursuit of health breakthroughs. From concept through commercialization, organizations choose Fitzsimons for its entrepreneurial environment, leading-edge facilities, and campus-wide support. Visionaries discover, develop, and collaborate with direct access to the renowned clinicians and researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. We are united to advance health.
Media Resources
Images, video, and media resources are available in the Fitzsimons Innovation Community online news center. Interviews and tours available upon request.
Bioscience 5 Groundbreaking Press Release
Bioscience 5 Groundbreaking Event Video
Bioscience 5 Groundbreaking Official Photo
Bioscience 5 Groundbreaking Official Photo Caption
Bioscience 5 Building Rendering
Media Contact
Annie Coghill 303-547-6692 annie@theprimaveragroup.com
