Governor unveils plans for $450m CGT innovation hub in New York

New York Governor Kathy Hochul revealed plans for a $430 million cell and gene therapy (CGT) hub in Nassau County, New York. The state will invest $150 million through Empire State Development (EST) grants in the new NYBGP hub, which will be developed by the Albanese Organization Inc.

The hub will house advanced laboratories and support CGT research, development, manufacturing, and commercialization across the state while seeking to attract talent and drive economic growth in the region. The construction will provide 830 jobs, and once fully built, the facility will employ more than 700 permanent staff members.

“With this groundbreaking hub, New York has the opportunity to stake its claim as the epicenter of cell and gene therapy innovation,” Hochul said. “We're not just advancing medical science; we're creating a powerhouse that will drive our economy, generate thousands of high-skilled jobs, and bring hope to millions facing life-threatening diseases. This investment reaffirms our commitment to leading the future of healthcare and ensuring that the next medical breakthrough happens right here in New York.”

During Tuesday’s launch event, Hochul discussed her January 2023 promise to bring New York to the forefront of an industry that would “change the way we treat people who are sick” while bringing economic development to the state. “New York is not just a place to build a life. It’s a place to save one as well,” she said of the new development. “This is the largest state investment in dedicated cell and gene therapy, not just in Long Island, not just in New York, but in the nation.”

The 700,000 square-foot project will proceed in multiple phases, with the first comprising a 331,000-square-foot facility on Northwell Health’s campus in Lake Success. That construction will include both a CGT and contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) tower.

Michael Dowling, CEO of Northwell Health, praised the location for its access to collaborators within the CGT space, including Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York, which itself is celebrating a recent $98 million expansion of its CGT research facility with a $30 million state investment.

Dowling also touted the location’s proximity to the most diverse populations in the United States in New York, with people from all over the world speaking 160 languages. “We can take advantage of that diversity to do research on populations in which research previously has never been done,” he said.

“This global market is going to go from $8.5 billion a year to over $21 billion a year, and we’ll be at the forefront of this movement,” Hochul said.