A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) and AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly (Lilly), and Merck to develop the Virginia Center for Advanced Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (APM) has been implemented by Governor Glenn Youngkin.
This public-private industry partnership commits $120m of workforce investment from AstraZeneca, Lilly, and Merck, and builds directly on their recently announced $12.5bn of capex expansion investment in Virginia, which will create thousands of new jobs over the next several years.
The Virginia Center for APM will span Virginia’s Richmond-Petersburg-Charlottesville corridor in central Virginia – a U.S. EDA-designated tech hub for advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing – and create a neutral, industry-aligned workforce training and education centre.
The Center will prepare students and workers for the next generation of advanced manufacturing jobs in biopharma through hands-on GMP-simulated training, industry credentials and certifications, and employer apprenticeships and internships. Operating in collaboration with Virginia’s universities and community colleges, including the University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Tech, Old Dominion University, James Madison University, and Hampton University, as well as Brightpoint Community College, Reynolds Community College, Piedmont Virginia Community College, and Blue Ridge Community College, the Center will enable workforce training pathways across technician levels as well as associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD programmes.
VIPC is Virginia’s designated statewide economic development authority for accelerating innovation ecosystem growth throughout the Commonwealth and across key strategic industries by fuelling research, commercialisation, entrepreneurship, talent, place-making infrastructure, access to capital, and public-private partnerships. VIPC has supported Virginia’s life sciences innovation ecosystem by catalysing new statewide initiatives including Virginia’s Research Diamond for university research and science development, Virginia’s Lab-to-Launch for technology commercialization, the Virginia Accelerator Network for startup entrepreneur support, and Virginia Invest for access to investor capital. VIPC leads with collaboration, working closely with regional stakeholders and other state economic development agencies including VEDP, GO Virginia, Virginia Works, Virginia Small Business Financing Authority, and the Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission.
“Talent and workforce are essential ingredients in cultivating a thriving innovation ecosystem. VIPC is thrilled to partner with life sciences industry leaders, regional ecosystem stakeholders, and our world-class universities and community colleges to grow talent, innovation, and opportunity in the Commonwealth,” said Joe Benevento, president and CEO of VIPC.
“Together, we are accelerating growth in Virginia through the power of collaboration and innovation.”
“This moment reflects the power of partnership at its best: public and private sectors coming together to build better medicine, create meaningful careers, and strengthen the supply chain infrastructure that serves us all,” said Robby Demeria, founding board chair of the Alliance for Building Better Medicine.
“This transformative investment embodies the mission that has guided the Alliance since its formation and represents the type of momentum we set out to create as a region just five years ago. Together, we are building better medicine.”
“The industry partnership with AstraZeneca, Lilly, and Merck – alongside – the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation – demonstrates – the power of collaboration to drive transformative growth in our life sciences ecosystem,” said John Newby, CEO of the Virginia Biotechnology Association.
“Virginia is building a model that connects innovation, education, and industry like never before. This initiative will strengthen Virginia’s position as a national leader in biomanufacturing and ensure a robust talent pipeline to support the industry’s future, in Virginia and beyond.”
Jim Cornall is editor of Deeptech Digest and publisher at Ayr Coastal Media. He is an award-winning writer, editor, photographer, broadcaster, designer and author. Contact Jim here.