Mayo Clinic recently announced that it will lease “a minimum of 8,000 square feet of space in” the recently completed Two Discovery Square building to house biologic manufacturing operation that is a collaboration between Mayo Clinic’s Center for Regenerative Medicine and biomanufacturer National Resilience Inc.
ROCHESTER
Mayo Clinic is the first tenant to be announced for the new Two Discovery Square complex as the base for a new manufacturing facility to create “novel biotherapeutics.”
Mayo Clinic recently announced that it will lease space in the recently completed Two Discovery Square building at 300 Second Ave. SW., which is connected to the smaller One Discovery Square facility.
“We are currently in the process of space programming in alignment with our anticipated needs. We expect to lease a minimum of 8,000 square feet of space, and we anticipate the space to be on the 4th floor,” wrote Senior Mayo Clinic Communications Specialist Susan Buckles in response to questions about the proposed biomanufacturing project.
Mayo Clinic’s Center for Regenerative Medicine signed a “strategic collaboration” with La Jolla, Calif.- based biomanufacturer, National Resilience Inc., to create therapies derived from human sources known as biologics — cells, blood, enzymes, tissues, genes or genetically engineered cells — for use in medicines.
National Resilience is a technology development company that will “optimize and streamline” Mayo Clinic’s biomanufacturing facilities.
“We are seeking to build a community of innovators to explore ideas, develop new products and create thriving biotherapeutic companies,” stated Dr.
Julie Allickson of Mayo Clinic’s Center for Regenerative Medicine in the announcement. “This nexus of entrepreneurs, startups and industry experts will help position Mayo Clinic as an authority in regenerative biotherapeutics.”
Buckles added that Mayo Clinic hopes to occupy the space in Two Discovery Square in the latter part of 2023.
Details like how many Mayo Clinic employees will staff the new site or how many of those will be new jobs have not been finalized.
“We are still developing our workforce planning and anticipate having a firmer sense of staffing in the new space toward the end of this year. There will be new employees located in this space and potentially some employees that will be relocated from other spaces to gain operational efficiencies,” wrote Buckles.
This project makes Mayo Clinic the first organization to announce plans to occupy space in the 121,000-square-foot science and technology complex built and owned by developer M.A.
Mortenson Co. The five-story building was completed in early 2022.
Mayo Clinic plans for the new manufacturing site has four stated areas of focus: • Process development expertise to advance Mayo Clinic biotherapeutics.
• Working together to attract biotech companies interested in sponsoring clinical trials at Mayo Clinic for novel regenerative biotherapeutics.
• Providing cell and gene products needed for biomanufacturing earlystage therapeutics.
• Analytical testing and quality control required for manufacturing commercial grade biopharmaceuticals.
“Mayo Clinic will advance regenerative technologies from discovery science to early phase clinical trials,” stated Mayo Clinic Executive Dean of Research Dr.
Gregory Gores in the announcement.
Jeff Kiger tracks business action in Rochester and southeastern Minnesota every day in “Heard on the Street.” Send tips to jkiger@postbulletin.com or via Twitter to @whereskiger. You can call him at 507-285-7798.