Page 32 - Westchester County - 2018 Economic Development Guide

WESTCHESTER SMART BIOTECH
A BOOMING BIOTECH SECTOR
As one of the county’s strongest growth sectors, the Westchester/ Hudson Valley Biotech corridor is home to leading-edge bio- tech companies, while gaining a reputation for its world-class medical and research in- stitutions such as NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Westchester Medical Center.
As the Hudson Valley’s only biotech- nology incubator, BioInc@NYMC offers shared resources, turnkey wet lab space, and sponsored professional services to prom- ising, high-potential entrepreneurs and start-ups. Beyond providing best-in-class infrastructure and operational services, Bio- Inc@NYMC assists its members in refining their business strategies, conserving capi- tal, building strong teams, and achieving development and funding milestones.
With nearly 500 employees, Ards- ley-based Acorda Therapeutics markets Ampyra, which improves walking in people with multiple sclerosis. The drug generated roughly $542 million in sales in 2017. The company has another medication to treat Parkinson’s disesase currently under review by the FDA. According to Tierney Sacca- vino, executive vice president for corporate communications for Acorda, the county provides an ideal environment for the com- pany’s work. “The population of Westchester is highly educated,” she says. “There are a large number of hospitals and institutions. There is a good talent pool of highly edu- cated individuals, medical professionals and well-skilled workers. For these reasons,West- chester County felt like the best place for us.”
Based in Tarrytown, Regeneron is the state’s largest biotech company. With more than 6,000 employees, the company re- peatedly has been ranked by Science maga- zine as the world’s number one employer in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry. Regeneron employs a large portion of its workforce – more than 2,000 employees – at its Westchester corporate headquarters and state-of the-art laboratory facilities. Regeneron has experienced tremendous growth and expansion and the company currently occupies nearly 1.5 million square feet of space in Westchester County.
Regeneron recently expanded its West- chester footprint with the purchase of 1 Rockwood Road in Sleepy Hollow, as the
Regeneron’s Tarrytown campus
company continues “to grow rapidly as we advance our pipeline of innovative medicines for people with serious diseases,” according to Regeneron’s Erin Loosen. “This building provides us with access to much-needed of- fice space.”
Additionally, the Greenburgh Town Board has approved a site-plan application for Regeneron’s proposed 1-million-square-
foot expansion just south of the company’s campus at 777 Old Saw Mill River Road. According to Loosen, this site plan approval “will provide us the flexibility to potentially expand our R&D campus in the future as needed, and we appreciate the continued support of our communities, county and New York State in helping us plan for our ongoing growth.”
“Nearly 30 years ago, we opened our first labs in Westchester County. With an entrepreneurial spirit and top scientific talent, we set out to fundamentally change the lives of people with serious diseases. Our decision to locate our headquar- ters here has greatly supported our success. Westchester and the Hudson Val- ley boast a highly educated workforce, top schools, tremendous natural beauty, and an unmatched history and culture – all located just minutes from New York City. The unique benefits of the region make this a fantastic place to live, work, and enjoy.”
Leonard S. Schleifer, M.D., Ph.D. President and Chief Executive Officer George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D. President and Chief Scientific Officer
WESTCHESTER BIOTECH BY THE NUMBERS
• 80 biotech companies in Westchester and the Hudson Valley
• 8,000 Westchester employees
• Representing nearly 20 percent of New York State’s biotech workforce
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WESTCHESTER COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE