A Bucks County biotechnology center pilot program is seeking to bring life sciences companies to the Keystone State, writes John George for the Philadelphia Business Journal.  

The Academic Innovation Zone program at the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center of Bucks County in Doylestown was created to support these companies in their early stages.  

The program, awarded a $5 million grant in 2022, provides lab space, funding, staffing, and supplies at its incubators in Doylestown and Philadelphia.  

The center’s CEO Lou Kassa says that while the center was thrilled with the $5 million to help these start-ups, he’s seeking more state support to expand the program’s impact.  

“Some [companies] want to come here, and others want to stay but without more support they may be forced to leave,” said Kassa.

With the initial $5 million grant, the AIZ program was able to provide $250,000 in funding to Aprea Therapeutics, Envrys Bio, and Virion Therapeutics. Other organizations received up to $150,000 and free lab spaces. The program has helped eight companies at the Doylestown Center since September last year. 

Kassa hopes that Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s proposed budget will also include funding for the AIZ Program.  

Read more about the AIZ program at the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center of Bucks County and its impact in the Philadelphia Business Journal.  

Colliers LabNotes / Lou Kassa of Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center