Biotech in Triad

July 12, 2010 Terry Howerton

Atkins School of Biotechnology

Biotech in North Carolina

Source: North Carolina Biotechnology Center

Applications of BiotechnologyMedical Agriculture Environmental

Industrial

Marine

Forensics

• Over 520 life science companies• 57,000 employed in life sciences• 123,000 additional employed in supporting

services companies• Biotech accounts for 180,000 jobs• $45.8 billion in revenue• Average salary is $69,000 vs $33,000 per capita

income• Third largest biotech industry in the nation• Ranks second in agricultural biotech• While NC unemployment rate was 11.2% last

year, employment in the biotech sector increased 1%

Source: Greensboro News and Observer (Feb 22, 2010)

Types of Jobs• Research and Development• Biomanufacturing • Contract Research Organizations • Pharmaceutical Manufacturing• Chemical Manufacturing• Engineering/Construction• Medical Devices• Clinical Trials• Industrial• Regulatory• Administration• Finance • Sales and Marketing

Biotechnology in the Triad

• Over 265 Life Science companies– 86 Bioscience-related companies– 179 service/support companies

• $7 billion in revenue• Banner Pharmacaps, Cook Medical, LabCorp,

Targacept, Transtech Pharma• 9500 people work in the regions biotech industry

Source: Piedmont Triad Partnership

Local Initiatives

• National Center for the Biotechnology Workforce

• Gateway University Research Park

• Center for Innovation in Nanobiotechnology

• Piedmont Triad Research Park

• Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine

Source: North Carolina Biotechnology Center

A Sampling of Triad Biotech Companies

• Algaen Corp.• Aqualutions, LLC• Clean EarthTechnologies, LLC• Cook Medical• Corn Products• DNA:SI Labs• GBF Medical Group• KeraNetics, LLC• NanoMedica Inc• Patriot Biodiesel LLC• Pharma Core• Targacept

Where do we go from here?

• Heaviest emphasis is currently on R&D

• Will we move into manufacturing?

• What other needs will be developed from current research?

– Nanotechnology– Regenerative Medicine

Education/Training Pipeline• Nine community colleges with programs

tailored to needs of life science

• BIOWORK certificate program

• NCCCS Bionetwork

• Eleven area 4-year colleges and universities

• UNCG, NCA&T, and WFU offer doctoral programs with “high research activity”

• One high school (Atkins) programSource: Piedmont Triad Partnership