Governor Northam Announces Biotech Company Aditxt to Build State-of-the-Art Facility in Richmond and Create Over 300 New Jobs
Governor Ralph Northam today announced that Aditxt (Aditx Therapeutics, Inc.) (Nasdaq: ADTX), a biotech innovation company focused on improving the health of the immune system, will establish its first high-capacity AditxtScore™ Center in the City of Richmond in the second half of 2021. Aditxt plans to create more than 300 new jobs and targets making a capital investment of $31.5 million over three years to scale up its state-of-the-art immune monitoring center, including projected new jobs, laboratory equipment, and construction. Governor Northam and company officials announced the project during an event at the Virginia Bio+Tech Park, a campus of Activation Capital, where the company will occupy 25,000 square feet of Bio+Tech 8 with plans for future expansion.
“The Richmond region has emerged
as a hub for cutting-edge biotech companies, and this thriving industry will be
bolstered by the addition of Aditxt’s Immune Monitoring Center,” said
Governor Northam. “The Virginia Bio+Tech Park is an ideal location for the company
to continue its groundbreaking work to improve the health of our communities
and help us better understand our own immune systems—something that has become
extremely important over the past year. We are honored to welcome Aditxt to the
Commonwealth, and we thank the company for creating more than 300 well-paid
jobs for the people of Virginia.”
AditxtScore™ is pioneering a new
approach to immune health monitoring that will provide a personalized profile
of the immune system. By assessing an individual’s immune biomarkers,
AditxtScore™ is able to measure indications of immunity to specific disease.
AditxtScore™ applications include the recently commercialized AditxtScore™ for
COVID-19, developed for use in detecting antibodies and neutralizing antibodies
against SARS-CoV-2 antigens.
Since going public in June 2020,
Aditxt has moved aggressively to fulfill its mission to prolong life and
enhance quality of life by improving the health of the immune system. Alongside
AditxtScore™, the company is developing the AditxtReprogramming™ therapeutic
platform which is currently in a pre-clinical stage and is designed to retrain
the immune system to induce tolerance with an objective of addressing rejection
of transplanted organs, autoimmune diseases, and allergies. Aditxt expects to
initiate clinical studies in patients by the end of 2021.
“Aditxt has the potential to
significantly improve human health and longevity, and we are proud to welcome
this innovative company to the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Commerce and
Trade Brian Ball. “Greater Richmond offers world-class education
institutions, research assets, and a pipeline of skilled talent that will
support Aditxt’s mission, and we look forward to working with the company as it
grows in Virginia.”
“Richmond is an ideal location for
our first high-capacity AditxtScore™ Center given its skilled workforce,
location, and infrastructure,” said Amro Albanna, Co-founder and CEO
of Aditxt. “As we begin rolling out the AditxtScore™ platform and
applications for immune monitoring, the establishment of an AditxtScore™ Immune
Monitoring Network is vital to realizing our full vision for AditxtScore™,
which is to transform immune diagnosis from reactive testing to proactive
monitoring. We look forward to working with the community to complete this
important step in the execution of Aditxt’s strategic plan, and we are grateful
to the Commonwealth of Virginia, Governor Northam, his team, and all involved
for their support and welcoming reception.”
The Virginia Economic Development
Partnership (VEDP) worked with the City of Richmond and the Virginia Bio+Tech
Park to secure the project for the Commonwealth. Governor Northam approved a
$1.3 million grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist the City
of Richmond with the project. Aditxt is eligible to receive state benefits from
the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, administered by the Virginia Department
of Housing and Community Development, and a Research and Development Expenses
Tax Credit for qualifying research and development expenses.
Support for Aditxt’s job
creation will be provided through the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program, a
workforce initiative created by VEDP in collaboration with the Virginia
Community College System and other higher education partners, with funding
support from the Northam Administration and the Virginia General Assembly.
Launched in 2019, the program accelerates new facility start-ups through the
direct delivery of recruitment and training services that are fully customized
to a company’s unique products, processes, equipment, standards, and culture.
All program services are provided at no cost to qualified new and expanding
companies as an incentive for job creation.
“Life science innovation is a growing
industry in Richmond, and we continue to get better with the addition of
Aditxt,” said Mayor Levar Stoney. “The company’s anticipated
investment into the City of Richmond and the potential 300 plus new jobs
created will absolutely have a positive impact on the city’s economic
growth. Equally important, the work the company does will have a
far-reaching impact, advancing the health of our community and others
around the world. Richmond is proud to be part of these advancements as home to
Aditxt’s first high-capacity AditxtScore™ Center.”
“Aditxt choosing to locate its
operations in downtown Richmond within the Virginia Bio+Tech Park is a signal
that central Virginia has the talent, infrastructure, and resources needed for
supporting life sciences companies,” said Chandra Briggman, President and
CEO of Activation Capital and the Virginia Bio+Tech Park. “This
announcement is significant for Richmond and the Commonwealth, and we are
looking forward to welcoming Aditxt to our innovation ecosystem.”
“I am pleased that Richmond has
been selected as home to Aditxt’s first immune monitoring center,” said
Congressman A. Donald McEachin. “Today’s announcement is not only a
testament to Virginia’s talented workforce and rich capacity for innovation,
but it also exemplifies the power of public-private partnership in the
Commonwealth to serve the greater good while creating well-paid jobs and
expanding opportunities throughout all of our communities. I look forward to
seeing Aditxt grow and prosper here in Virginia’s fourth congressional
district.”
“The potential creation of over
300 high-quality jobs and an expected multi-million dollar investment in our
city is an exciting opportunity for Richmond,” said Senator Jennifer
McClellan. “The AditxtScore™ Center will complement our expanding
biotechnology and life science industry and our growing skilled workforce
pipeline. I am looking forward to seeing the success of Aditxt in continuing
the economic growth of our community.”
“I am happy to welcome Aditxt to
the City of Richmond,” said Delegate Jeff Bourne. “The company’s work in
the life sciences field underscores Richmond’s status as a growing city for
innovation and investment. I am proud that Aditxt chose to call Richmond home.”
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