Janssen Research & Development, LLC Opens JANSSEN LABS at San Diego

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, (Janssen) today opens Janssen Labs at San Diego, a 30,000-square-foot life science innovation center, located within the company's Janssen West Coast Research Center.  The innovation center provides a capital efficient, flexible lab environment for start-up companies pursuing new technologies and research platforms to advance medical care.

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"A thriving biotech ecosystem is crucial for the success of the pharmaceutical industry as a whole," said Diego Miralles, M.D., site head for the West Coast Research Center.  "Recent challenges in the economic environment have made it difficult for many emerging biotech companies.  We believe that supporting and nurturing these companies will be good for the entire industry."

San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders will present Janssen with a commendation in recognition of their contributions to the vibrant and growing life science industry in San Diego.

"This new venture is part of our overall strategy to spur innovation, and underscores our commitment to advance novel discoveries quickly and efficiently from the bench to the patient bedside," said Miralles. "By providing a flexible and cost-efficient way to test new ideas, Janssen Labs provides early stage companies a way to overcome the typical hurdles faced by start-up companies, which are even greater in the current economic climate." 

The Janssen Labs model provides small companies many of the advantages of being in a big company, without the capital investment.  Companies can license for space and equipment modular wet lab units on a short-term renewable basis and only pay for the space that they need, with an option to quickly expand when they have the resources to do so.  The companies will also have access to core research labs hosting specialized capital equipment and core administrative areas maintained by Janssen Labs operations management team.

"This arrangement allows the companies to focus on the development of the science instead of setting up and managing the labs," said Miralles.  "We believe this open innovation model will minimize cost and time and is an effective way for companies to develop and focus on research."

Because Janssen Labs is an open innovation model, the agreement for the space does not grant Janssen any stake in the companies nor will the companies have a guaranteed future affiliation with Janssen.   If either Janssen or a residing company is interested in furthering the business relationship, the process would be the same as for any external partnership or collaboration. 

To date, the management team of Janssen Labs has received and reviewed more than 100 applications. Companies are evaluated based on criteria such as compelling science and/or technology, area of significant medical or market need, credible science/technology team, demonstrated financial solvency, etc.  The applying companies represent diverse sectors across healthcare including biotech, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, instrumentation and diagnostics.  The facility can accommodate a maximum of 18 to 20 companies, and the application and assessment process will continue throughout 2012.  

"We are pleased by the overwhelmingly positive response since we announced our plans to open Janssen Labs at San Diego a few months ago," says Miralles.  "Across sectors, stages and geographies, entrepreneurs and start-up companies are interested in this 'no-strings-attached' capital-efficient model to progress their scientific work.  Our goal with Janssen Labs is to give novel technologies a greater opportunity to reach the patient by reducing some of the hurdles of early stage discovery."

Janssen's operational management of Janssen Labs will be supported by Prescience International, an external firm that specializes in setting up and operating innovation centers in life sciences. 

The following companies are the first to be selected to become residents of Janssen Labs:

Janssen Research & Development, LLC

Janssen Research & Development, LLC, (Janssen), is one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies.  Janssen is headquartered in Raritan, N.J., and has facilities in Europe, the United States and Asia. Janssen is leveraging drug discovery and drug development in a variety of therapeutic areas, including Neuroscience, Oncology, Immunology, Infectious Diseases, and Cardiovascular and Metabolism to address unmet medical needs worldwide.  

More information can be found at http://www.janssenrnd.com/our-innovation/partnerships/janssen-labs-at-san-diego.

SOURCE Janssen Research & Development, LLC