ATCC Receives Grant from Commonwealth’s Development Opportunity Fund to Apply Toward Its New Biomanufacturing Suite in Virginia
New facility to be located at ATCC’s Manassas headquarters further expands Prince William County’s growing life sciences ecosystem
ATCC will add 75 new positions over the next three years as part of this incentive award
Manassas, VA, United States
September 12, 2024ATCC, the world’s premier biological materials management and standards organization, today announced that it has received a Commonwealth’s Development Opportunity Fund (COF) grant administered by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) to apply toward its new biomanufacturing suite at its Manassas headquarters. The incentive award entails a significant capital investment and support for workforce development. ATCC is slated to add 75 new positions over the next three years and will utilize the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program to expedite recruitment and training.
This centralized facility will be dedicated to the acquisition, manufacture, characterization, authentication, storage, and distribution of key reagents. It will provide scalability and capacity for a government-centric response to emerging and endemic pathogens. The new biomanufacturing suite will increase essential laboratory space and provide a long-term US-based manufacturing source of critical biological standards and reagents for global health issues, such as a pandemic.
“Currently, biomanufacturing facilities similar to our new suite are primarily focused on research rather than supply chain logistics and the operational infrastructure needed to launch an immediate response to a potential threat,” said ATCC chairman and CEO Raymond H. Cypess, DVM, PhD. “As we continue to play a critical role in the federal government’s pandemic preparedness and readiness, this facility will allow us to scale production of biomaterials quickly and because of its location, distribute them both nationally and globally during a health crisis.”
On September 12, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin was on site to celebrate ATCC’s groundbreaking for the new facility and announce the award of the COF grant to ATCC. This award is given to companies at the governor’s discretion to ensure that their location or expansion remains in Virginia. ATCC continues to increase its operations within Innovation Park in alignment with Prince William County’s commitment to strategic investments, a highly skilled workforce, and a collaborative life sciences ecosystem that fosters innovation and growth.
“For more than 50 years, ATCC has supported federal agencies focused on global health,” said Joseph Leonelli, PhD, senior vice president and general manager of ATCC Federal Solutions. “Through this grant, we look forward to collaborating with Prince William County on our new facility to continue strengthening roots in the region and bringing life sciences employment opportunities to local residents.”
About ATCC
ATCC is a premier global biological materials and information resource and standards organization and the leading developer and supplier of authenticated cell lines, microorganisms, and associated data for academia, industry, and government. With a history of scientific contributions spanning nearly a century, ATCC offers an unmatched combination of being the world’s largest and most diverse collection of biological reference materials and data, and is a mission-driven, trusted partner that supports and encourages scientific collaboration. ATCC products, services, partnerships, and people provide the global scientific community with credible, advanced, model systems to support complex research and innovations in basic science, drug discovery, translational medicine, and public health. ATCC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with headquarters in Manassas, Virginia, and a research and technology center of excellence in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Contact: Kim Testa, senior director, Corporate Communications & Public Affairs, ATCC, [email protected]