BioSpace Cites NC as Life Science 'Hotbed'

“One of North Carolina’s slogans is ‘A better place to be.’ For people interested in life science jobs, it just might be.”

That’s the conclusion of Mark Terry, a Detroit-based freelance writer, in an article just published on BioSpace.com, a life science industry news and information source.

The story, hailing North Carolina as the “Bio NC Hotbed,” cites a recent report by Los Angeles-based CBRE Group, the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, tagging the Research Triangle region at #5 among the nation’s largest and fastest-growing markets in the life sciences. It praised the region’s “whopping” life science growth this century of 108 percent.

“The region benefits from an abundance of life sciences talent and a disproportionate amount of NIH funding compared to other regions,” adds Terry

The BioSpace story also highlights life science activities in southeastern and eastern North Carolina.

“The Southeastern part of the state by Wilmington is the site of dozens of clinical research organizations (CROs),” it says. “There are more than 30 CROs in the state that support more than 60 companies. The North Carolina Biotechnology Center’s Southeastern Office pulled together many of these companies and organizations under the umbrella of the NC Coast Clinical Research Initiative, an economic development collaboration to strengthen and grow the clinical research industry in the Wilmington area. There are currently more than 100 clinical trials ongoing in the region.

“The objectives of the initiative are to create a more cohesive cluster of CRO and biotech companies in the area, promote Southeastern NC’s clinical research community, increase physician-led trials in the area, attract, train and retain top talent, increase access to the area’s clinical trials, and create a favorable impact on economic development.

“Duke Energy recently awarded a $390,000 grant to UNC Wilmington’s College of Health and Human Services in partnership with the NC Biotechnology Center Southeastern Office. The program will work to create educational programs for the area’s clinical research workforce.”

The article also highlighted eastern N.C.’s Pharmaceutical Services Network, which was created to expand available training support. “This was largely the result of expansion in the area by Pantheon and Mayne Pharma. The network is made up of training facilities at East Carolina University (ECU) and Pitt Community College.”

Terry also recounted recent legislative efforts by NCBIO that have helped boost the state’s support of life science activity.

“There is a wealth of biopharma startups, pharma manufacturing and CROs operating in the state of North Carolina,” said Terry. And that’s what makes it stand out as a BioSpace Hotbed Region.