Two recent articles are highlighting Greater Philadelphia’s prominence as a cell and gene therapy hub. “Both do a wonderful job of communicating the connectivity and collaboration in our region, said Claire Greenwood, executive director, CEO Council for Growth, and senior vice president, Economic Competitiveness at the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia. “In combination, they reach a diverse audience and are a reflection of ongoing efforts by the Cell & Gene Therapy and Connected Health Initiative, in cooperation with our regional partners and stakeholders, to share the story of Greater Philadelphia’s leadership in cell and gene therapy.”

On November 23, The Philadelphia Inquirer published, “How one high-tech Philly industry may be the future of medicine and create lots of jobs”, by Robert I. Field, a frequent contributor to the publication. Field, a professor of law at the Drexel University School of Law and professor of health management and policy at the School of Public Health at Drexel University, reports on the history of cell and gene therapy in the Philadelphia region, the emergence of more than 40 cell and gene therapy companies, and how the growing ecosystem is bringing new opportunities for well-paying jobs and a demand for lab space. Field writes, “Gene therapy, a technology to replace defective genes that cause incurable diseases with new ones, is having its moment in medicine. And Philadelphia, birthplace of many firsts in health care, has been the cradle of this one as well.”

On December 7, David Alvaro, Ph.D., the scientific editor in chief at Nice Insight, shared his article, “Expanding the Cell and Gene Therapy Ecosystem in Philadelphia”, in Pharma’s Almanac. As scientific editorial director for That’s Nice and the Pharma’s Almanac content enterprise, Alvaro is responsible for directing and generating industry, scientific, and research-based content, including client-owned strategic content. The article was a collaboration with IPS-Integrated Project Services LLC. Alvaro writes about how the region got its start in the field, and efforts to expand recognition of Greater Philadelphia as the global hub of research, talent, capital, and companies in cell and gene therapy. It addresses how leaders in the field are attracting entrepreneurs and talent, providing practical training, developing therapies, and driving commercialization.

Links to both articles can be found below. You are invited to share them with your network and encouraged to use #DiscoveryStartsHerePHL when using social channels.

The Philadelphia Inquirer

Pharma’s Almanac