Johnson & Johnson Innovation, New York State and New York Genome Center Collaborate to Launch JLABS in New York City

NEW YORK, Jan. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson & Johnson Innovation LLC, New York State and the New York Genome Center today announced a collaboration to launch a new JLABS in New York City. Called JLABS @ NYC, the 30,000-square foot facility will be located at the New York Genome Center (NYGC) in SoHo and will open in 2018. The project is receiving $17 million in New York State funding. The site will be open to biotech, pharmaceutical, medical device and consumer health companies. A QuickFire Challenge seeking companies working in these areas, particularly startups working on cross-sector solutions to prevent, intercept or cure diseases, will be launched by Johnson & Johnson Innovation, with the winner(s) eligible for one year of residency at JLABS @ NYC.

"The ever-evolving life science sector is discovering solutions to the most pressing problems of our time, helping to cure disease and save lives around the world," said Governor Cuomo. "New York is poised to be a global leader in this industry, and the new, vital incubator JLABS will be the catalyst that pushes our state into the forefront of this exciting field. I look forward to working with Johnson & Johnson and the New York Genome Center to build momentum in the life science industry and establish New York as the home of discoveries that will drive the economy and create a better future for all."

"The New York Genome Center is excited to be a partner with Johnson & Johnson Innovation, Governor Cuomo and New York State in bringing JLABS to New York," said NYGC President and COO Cheryl A. Moore. "JLABS' support of talented scientists in New York as they take their innovative ideas to market aligns with our mission of fostering intellectually vibrant collaborations that advance the development of new treatments, therapies and therapeutics against human disease. This initiative would not have been possible without the leadership of the Partnership for New York City and the Partnership Fund for New York City. We are grateful for the commitment of all of our business and academic partners to enhance the life sciences infrastructure in New York."

Johnson & Johnson Innovation seeks to find the best science and technology, no matter where it is located, to solve the greatest unmet medical and healthcare needs of our time. JLABS, in addition to offering emerging life science companies modular lab units, office space, shared core laboratory equipment and business facilities, will link the entrepreneurs of New York with the full breadth of Johnson & Johnson Innovation, including opportunities for funding, third-party services, educational events and R&D experts from medical technology, consumer healthcare product and Janssen pharmaceutical teams. In addition to providing access to scientific, industry and capital funding experts from across the industry, JLABS @ NYC will also follow the same no-strings attached approach currently in operation in San Diego; San Francisco; South San Francisco; Boston; Lowell, MA; Houston; and Toronto.

"Expanding the JLABS model to New York City, home to world-class academic and medical institutions, furthers Johnson & Johnson Innovation's commitment to providing resources that catalyze and foster the growth of life science ecosystems around the world," said Paul Stoffels, M.D., Chief Scientific Officer, Johnson & Johnson. "Our hope is that JLABS @ NYC will provide a resource-rich environment for innovators throughout the New York region where today's ideas can become healthcare products that truly impact patient's lives."

JLABS facilities have incubated more than 200 companies to date and are currently home to over 140 companies advancing biotech, pharmaceutical, medical device, consumer and digital health programs. To date, a total of 33 collaborations have been formed between companies residing at JLABS and the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies.

"Home to more than 100 research foundations and nine medical centers, New York City has the foundational elements for a thriving biomedical ecosystem, yet lack of infrastructure and commercialization support has been a roadblock for entrepreneurs in the life sciences in the greater New York region," said Melinda Richter, Head, JLABS. "By providing healthcare startups with the laboratories, equipment, expertise, tools and capabilities that they need to build and grow their companies, we believe JLABS @ NYC will fill a key gap in resources and remove a barrier to growth for the region's life science innovation ecosystem, providing well-paying jobs and allowing potentially transformative solutions for patients to advance."

Applications to join JLABS @ NYC and other JLABS sites are currently being accepted from biotech, pharmaceutical, medical device, consumer and digital health companies.

About the New York Genome Center
The New York Genome Center (NYGC) is an independent nonprofit at the forefront of transforming biomedical research and clinical care. Affiliated with renowned academic, medical and industry leaders across the City and region, NYGC focuses on translating genomic research into clinical solutions for serious diseases.  Its member organizations and partners are united in this unprecedented collaboration of technology, science and medicine, harnessing the power of innovation and discoveries to improve people's lives. Member institutions include: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, American Museum of Natural History, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Columbia University, Cornell University/Weill Cornell Medicine, Hospital for Special Surgery, The Jackson Laboratory, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York Presbyterian Hospital, The New York Stem Cell Foundation, New York University, Northwell Health (formerly North Shore-LIJ), Princeton University, The Rockefeller University, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Stony Brook University and IBM.

About Johnson & Johnson Innovation
Johnson & Johnson Innovation LLC focuses on accelerating all stages of innovation worldwide and forming collaborations between entrepreneurs and Johnson & Johnson's global healthcare businesses. Johnson & Johnson Innovation provides scientists, entrepreneurs and emerging companies with one-stop access to science and technology experts who can facilitate collaborations across the pharmaceutical, medical device and consumer companies of Johnson & Johnson. Under the Johnson & Johnson Innovation umbrella of businesses, we connect with innovators through our regional Innovation Centers; Johnson & Johnson Innovation | JLABS; Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc.; JLINX; and our business development teams to create customized deals and novel collaborations that speed development of innovations to solve unmet needs in patients. JLABS provides the laboratories, expertise, education, tools and resources needed to help life science startups thrive, all with no strings attached. A Johnson & Johnson Innovation Center for Device Innovation at the Texas Medical Center (CDI @ TMC) has been established to accelerate the development of medical devices. For more information about Johnson & Johnson Innovation, please visit: www.jnjinnovation.com.

SOURCE Johnson & Johnson Innovation

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