WASHINGTON — A new national coalition of biotechnology leaders has launched with the goal of developing a long-term strategy to strengthen U.S. leadership in biotech innovation.
The American Biotech Innovation Alliance said it will bring together executives and organizations from across the country to create a national biotech innovation roadmap. The group plans to focus on policy, investment and structural priorities that it says are needed to keep the United States competitive in a changing global biotechnology landscape.
The alliance launched with 21 founding member companies representing a range of biotech organizations, from preclinical innovators to commercial-stage companies. Members span established and emerging biotech hubs, including Massachusetts, California, Florida and New Mexico.
“We’ve spent decades building the world’s leading biotech ecosystem but we’re now operating in a very different environment,” said Patroski Lawson, Founder of ABIA. “If we don’t start thinking more strategically about what comes next, we risk losing ground. ABIA was created to bring leaders together to define that next phase and to turn those conversations into something actionable.”
ABIA said its work will culminate in a flagship report outlining priorities for sustaining U.S. biotechnology leadership. The report is expected to address regulatory policy, capital formation, manufacturing capacity and workforce development.
“The U.S. has built an extraordinary foundation in biotechnology, with a legacy of delivering continuous innovative treatment options for patients. But, the environment is evolving quickly—scientifically, economically, and globally,” said Sheila Frame, President and Head of U.S. Business, Gamida-Cell Inc. “Sustaining leadership and scientific advancements requires continuous prioritization, focus and alignment, capital, and policy advances that set a pace globally. ABIA creates a forum to step back, take a longer-term view, and help shape a more coordinated path forward.”
The organization said it is not intended to serve as a traditional industry advocacy group. Instead, ABIA described itself as a focused platform for strategic alignment, designed to convene a smaller group of leaders around long-term issues affecting the sector.
The alliance said the U.S. biotech industry faces mounting pressure from declining public investment, capital market volatility, regulatory complexity and growing international competition. Other countries are investing to attract talent, capital and advanced manufacturing capacity, creating what ABIA described as a strategic inflection point for the U.S. sector.
ABIA also said biotechnology growth is increasingly spread beyond traditional coastal hubs, with emerging centers developing in the Southeast, Southwest, Texas and the Mid-Atlantic.
“From New Mexico, we’re seeing firsthand how innovation is expanding beyond traditional biotech centers,” said Casey Perkins, Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Business Development, Mercury Bio. “What’s been missing is a cohesive national strategy to connect these emerging ecosystems and ensure they can scale and compete. ABIA creates a platform to bring those perspectives into a broader, more coordinated vision for the future of the industry.”
“Innovation in biotechnology is no longer confined to a handful of traditional hubs,” said David Moss, CEO, INmune Bio. “ABIA recognizes the importance of bringing together voices from across the U.S. ecosystem to help shape a more inclusive and forward-looking strategy for the field.”
Over the coming year, ABIA said it plans to hold curated gatherings across the country and use the findings from those discussions to shape its national strategy document. The organization said the report is intended to serve as a resource for policymakers, industry leaders and other stakeholders in the innovation ecosystem.
ABIA is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(6) organization and describes itself as a national convening platform for leaders across biotechnology, investment, academia and policy.
