Delaware's DNA conference showcases growth of life science industry

ORIGINAL SOURCE: Delaware Business Now

On Thursday, Delaware's DNA bioscience conference brought hundreds of people to Wilmington's Chase Center on the Riverfront for networking, panel discussions, fund-raising, and updates in a key sector of the economy.

The event in its third year is evidence of what Wilmington Mayor and former Gov. John Carney described as a "30-year overnight success for Delaware's life science industry."

Carney, who gave opening remarks at the conference, offered a brief overview of the three-decade journey from his vantage point as state treasurer, governor, and member of Congress.

Carney credited David Weir and Michael Bowman of the University of Delaware for advancing the life science industry in Delaware during what turned out to be a "hard road" in building an ecosystem with room for start-ups and established players.

A joint venture involving the University of Delaware led to the Delaware Technology Park in Newark, followed by the UD STAR Campus's development. The STAR Campus is the home of NIIMBL, a pharma manufacturing research center.

Carney said a more recent eye-opening experience on the potential of the life science industry came from being part of a delegation that visited Ireland and toured its thriving life science sector.

As governor, Carney was part of successful efforts that brought the headquarters of Incyte Corp. to downtown Wilmington and, recently, Merck, choosing a site near Wilmington for a $1 billion manufacturing and research center.

Carney's remarks were followed by a discussion with John Crowley, CEO of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, and Joris Silon, US country president of the Biopharmaceuticals Business Unit, based in Wilmington.

Crowley, who heads the biotech advocacy organization, is well known in life science circles. Crowley moved from a law career to the pharma industry, raising research funds that saved the lives of two of his children suffering from a rare disease. His work inspired a movie that starred Harrison Ford and Brendan Fraser.

Silon said Delaware has the distinction of having operating and manufacturing sites in the First State. AZ's manufacturing and logistics site near Newark employs 450.

Employment totals 1,800 in Delaware, well below the 4,000-peak headcount.

After struggling with drugs going off patent, the company closed lab facilities and transferred research to the Washington, D.C., area, but has maintained a steady presence since that time.

Silon said education and attracting the right people have been key to AstraZeneca maintaining its presence in the state. He praised recent state and private sector efforts in advancing STEM education and careers.

Crowley said the life science sector faces its share of challenges, including tariffs, trade policies, and drug prices. Silon said AstraZeneca manufactures most of its drugs in the US for patients in this country.

The US accounts for about 43% of AstraZeneca's revenues.

According to Silon, AstraZeneca focuses on unmet medical needs and spends $10 billion annually on research and development. The company focuses on cancer, rare diseases, diabetes, asthma, and other conditions.

AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot has set an ambitious goal of $80 billion in sales by 2030, about half of current revenues.

That effort involves "following the science," and acknowledging high failure rates of R&D. The key is learning from failures and applying those lessons, Silon said.

Silon noted that the company learned a great deal from COVID-19. Pandemic that resulted in a widely used vaccine that was used worldwide, but not in the US

The lessons from that effort led to advancements in streamlining the process of bringing drugs from the lab to the patient.

Silon said he is excited about the future, citing advancements in technology, artificial intelligence being one example.

The event also featured the Startup302 competition from the Delaware Prosperity Partnership, which awards funding for new ventures.