Welcome & Impact
A word from our founder
In 2022, LabCentral saw our community’s influence and impact expand to new horizons - despite much harsher realities for our industry. While there was a significant pullback in the capital and funding environments for innovative companies overall, our community continued to build and advance science and pushed the boundaries of knowledge. LabCentral resident and alumni companies launched 37 new clinical trials in 2022 and treated an additional 4,504 patients and probands with potentially life-saving therapeutics. They were granted a total of 56 patents for their novel technologies and continue to ideate toward a brighter future.
LabCentral companies demonstrated resilience in the face of an economic downturn and the reverberating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, capturing 21% of the total Series A funding for biopharma in the United States. LabCentral alumni company, Affinivax, landed one of the top 10 pharma deals of the year – a $3.3B acquisition by GSK based on their novel vaccine design.
LabCentral and LabCentral companies are thinking boldly in how we can meet demands in investment and for skilled personnel.
LabCentral Ignite, in its second year, continues to prove our most daring path forward into innovation in the life sciences. Ignite remains the first and only of its kind platform to address the systemic talent gap and the underrepresentation of certain demographic groups in biotech. Based on the recognition of the intersection between the need for new talent, new perspectives and new ideas in biotech, we are growing Ignite rapidly to expand its programming, launch multifaceted campaigns, and provide new membership and sponsor opportunities to an expanding sector. At LabCentral, we choose to see a world where innovation and science will improve patient outcomes and save lives, and we take on the task to do this more rapidly, effectively, and with lasting impact. We choose this not because this is easy, but because it is hard. This goal will empower the next generation of biotech and life science innovators, and this challenge will accelerate the development of breakthrough technologies and therapies to better humankind. LabCentral exists in a neighborhood noted for innovation, in a city noted for knowledge, in a State noted for progress, and we move forward in the pursuit of all three. We are excited to share with you our 2022 Impact Report and to share with you our bold vision for change in the life sciences.
- Johannes Fruehauf, President & Co-Founder, LabCentral
Media Mentions
- Boston Globe
- NECN
- NBC Boston
- Yahoo Finance
- WBUR
- WCVB
- STAT News
- Boston Business Journal
- Boston25 News
- Boston.com
- Cambridge Day
- C&EN
- Economy Chosun
Our executive team
Gretchen Cook Anderson
Johannes Fruehauf
Maggie O'Toole
Mike LaRhette
Pete Shanley
Our impact in 2022
Clinical trials
Participants dosed
Acquired Companies, 1 IPO
Affinivax Acquired by GSK for $3.3B
In one of the biggest biotech deals of 2022, Affinivax was acquired by GSK for $3.3B. Affinivax is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel vaccine technology and a proud LabCentral alum. Read the press release here.
LIFE SCIENCES IN FULL COLOR
Launched by LabCentral Ignite in 2022, this public education campaign was deployed across Greater Boston to inspire, inform, and activate a more diverse talent pool. Life Sciences in Full Color highlights the full spectrum of experiences, backgrounds, and roles possible within our community of entrepreneurs, scientists, movers, and shakers.
OPENING OF LABCENTRAL 238
In 2022, LabCentral 238 fully opened with 100,000 square feet ready for up to 13 early-to-mid stage companies. The colorful, state-of-the-art facility supports the transition from R&D bench-scale science into scalable product of pre-clinical material prior to full-scale GMP production.
