The American Biotech Innovation Alliance (ABIA) has announced its launch, bringing together biotechnology leaders from across the US around a shared objective: to define a national strategy to sustain and extend U.S. leadership in biotech innovation.
The Alliance launches with 21 founding member companies, representing a cross-section of the industry from preclinical innovators to commercial-stage organisations, and spanning both established and emerging biotech hubs, including Massachusetts, California, Florida, New Mexico, and beyond.
The US leads in biotechnology today but that lead is narrowing.
“We’ve spent decades building the world’s leading biotech ecosystem but we’re now operating in a very different environment,” said Patroski Lawson, founder of ABIA.
“If we don’t start thinking more strategically about what comes next, we risk losing ground. ABIA was created to bring leaders together to define that next phase and to turn those conversations into something actionable.”
At the centre of ABIA’s work is the development of a national biotech innovation strategy, culminating in a report outlining the policy, investment, and structural priorities required to sustain US leadership. The report will address key areas, including regulatory policy, capital formation, manufacturing capacity, and workforce development.
“The U.S. has built an extraordinary foundation in biotechnology, with a legacy of delivering continuous innovative treatment options for patients. But, the environment is evolving quickly—scientifically, economically, and globally,” said Sheila Frame, president and head of U.S. business, Gamida-Cell Inc.
“Sustaining leadership and scientific advancements requires continuous prioritization, focus and alignment, capital, and policy advances that set a pace globally. ABIA creates a forum to step back, take a longer-term view, and help shape a more coordinated path forward.”
ABIA is not designed to represent the industry; it is designed to help define where the industry needs to go next. Unlike traditional industry organisations focused on broad advocacy, ABIA is structured as a focused platform for strategic alignment, bringing together a smaller group of leaders to move beyond fragmented discussions and toward a cohesive, forward-looking framework.
Declining public investment, capital market volatility, regulatory complexity, and increasing global competition are reshaping the landscape. Other nations are investing strategically to attract talent, capital, and advanced manufacturing capacity.
Biotech innovation in the US is no longer concentrated in a small number of coastal hubs. It is increasingly distributed across the country, with growing centres emerging in regions such as the Southeast, Southwest, Texas, and the Mid-Atlantic.
ABIA reflects this shift and is designed to bring together perspectives from across the full US ecosystem.
“From New Mexico, we’re seeing firsthand how innovation is expanding beyond traditional biotech centres,” said Casey Perkins, vice president, corporate strategy and business development, Mercury Bio.
“What’s been missing is a cohesive national strategy to connect these emerging ecosystems and ensure they can scale and compete. ABIA creates a platform to bring those perspectives into a broader, more coordinated vision for the future of the industry.”
“Innovation in biotechnology is no longer confined to a handful of traditional hubs,” said David Moss, CEO of INmune Bio.
“ABIA recognises the importance of bringing together voices from across the US ecosystem to help shape a more inclusive and forward-looking strategy for the field.”
ABIA is designed to complement existing industry organisations by focusing on strategic alignment rather than broad representation.
Its model centres on small-group convening, sustained dialogue, and the development of actionable frameworks to guide the future of US biotech innovation. Through curated gatherings across the US, the Alliance will foster candid discussions and generate insights that will directly shape its national strategy.
Over the coming year, ABIA will expand its engagement across the US biotech ecosystem, building a broad, nationally representative coalition of leaders and organisations. Insights from these convenings will directly shape the Alliance’s national strategy document, intended to serve as a resource for policymakers, industry leaders, and stakeholders across the innovation ecosystem.