First Foundry for American Biotechnology Launched in New Hampshire

Concord, NH – Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that the nation's first Foundry for American Biotechnology will be launched in Manchester, New Hampshire and will be led by Dean Kamen's Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI). The Foundry is a public-private partnership with the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response intended to respond to, and protect against, health security threats; enhance daily medical care; and add to the U.S. bioeconomy.

"New Hampshire has served as a hub for innovation when it comes to advanced regenerative manufacturing and biotech research," said Governor Chris Sununu. "I am thrilled that the nation's first Foundry for American Biotechnology will be housed in Manchester in partnership with Dean Kamen's Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute. The selection of Manchester to host the Foundry, a first-of-its-kind initiative, is a major vote of confidence in the world-class research and development being done right here in the Granite State."

"As the outbreak of the novel coronavirus reminds us, protecting the health and security of the American people requires constantly investing in biotechnology innovation and partnering with the private sector," said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. "The creation of the first Foundry for American Biotechnology in New Hampshire is a milestone achievement in the innovative work that ASPR has done to support America's development and manufacturing of medical countermeasures. Every year, America faces natural disasters and other public health emergencies, and some day, Americans will be able to recover faster from these emergencies and stay healthier because of products that come out of this Foundry."

"ARMI is excited to announce the HHS ASPR Next Foundry for American Biotechnology (NextFAB) to produce innovations to enhance health security and foster the U.S. bioeconomy" said Dean Kamen. "An initial focus of NextFAB is the automated, on demand, and distributed manufacturing of medical therapies. ARMI's NextFab builds on the successes of ARMI's BioFabUSA program to advance the sacalable, consistent, and cost effective manufacturing of replacement human tissues and organs."

"In a global health emergency like a pandemic, the countries in which active pharmaceutical ingredients, medications, and vaccines are produced could require manufacturing companies to provide the medications or vaccines to their own country before manufacturing and delivering products to other countries," Joe Hamel, ASPR's Strategic Innovation and Emerging Technology Manager explained. "Medicines on demand technology eliminates this complication, which would greatly decrease our emergency response time and help secure the U.S. supply chain."

For more details on the Foundry for American Biotechnology see the US Department of Health and Human Service's press release.