Home to both theNational Institutes of Healthand theFood and Drug Administration, it's no surprise that Maryland is a vaccine industry hub. Over a dozenvaccine companies, varying in size and focus,are established in the State. But experts say the draw for these and other life sciences companies runs even deeper.
In 2011,Vaxin, Inc.relocated its headquarters from Alabama to Gaithersburg, Maryland. The company is developing vaccines for anthrax and flu that are administered through the nose, providingfast-acting and long-lasting broad immune responses.
Moving the company to Maryland brought immediate benefits, including closer proximity to its main customer, theBiomedical Advanced Research and Development Authoritywithin the federal government,said president and CEO Bill Enright. A high concentration of vaccine developers also helped the company make connections in the community and grow its workforce.
"We were looking to rapidly add people to the company, people who had prior vaccine product development skills and experience taking vaccines through the clinic to commercialization. Montgomery County has an impressive concentration of these resources," Enright said.
Emergent BioSolutions, also based in Gaithersburg, tells a similar story of finding growth and new opportunities upon moving to Maryland more than a decade ago. Thisglobal specialty biopharmaceutical company is best known for manufacturingBioThrax, the only FDA-licensed vaccine to protect against anthrax disease.
The company now employs more than 400 workers across four Maryland locations, including two manufacturing facilities in Baltimore City, one of which is designated by theU.S. Department of Health and Human Servicesas a Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing to help provide surge manufacturing in the event of pandemic influenza or Ebola.
According toMiko Neri,director of corporate communications atEmergent BioSolutions, the State provides a supportive environment for vaccine companies to expand.
"We have enjoyed a great working relationship with local and State governments, to whom we are thankful for fostering economic growth and initiatives that enable companies such as ours to create jobs and focus on our mission to protect and enhance life," said Neri.
Among State government initiatives available to vaccine developers and other life sciences companies is counseling from theBioMaryland Centerwithin theMaryland Department of Business and Economic Development(DBED). DBEDalso helps connect companies with funding resources, includingtheBiotechnology Investor Incentive Tax Credit,theMaryland Venture FundandtheResearch and Development Tax Credit.
Learn more aboutbusiness resources through DBEDand theBioMaryland Center.
