Are you interested in pursuing a career in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals? Perhaps you’re looking for a home base for your biotech business and want to scope out the competition. No matter what your goals are, you’ll discover that Arizona creates the perfect environment for the biotech industry. The warm weather, proximity to major airports, universities with life science programs, and high population density make it a great place to set up shop or jumpstart your career in this rapidly-growing sector.
Arizona has gone to great lengths to accommodate the life science market, including providing grants to help biotech companies purchase commercial property, lease lab safety equipment, hire capable staff, and more. The hope is that investing in this sector will help to stimulate the local economy and enhance patient treatment and experience.
Now that you understand what makes Arizona such a great state to pursue a career or start a business in biotechnology let’s look at some companies that have found success.
PriZm Therapeutics
PriZm Therapeutics is a late-stage clinical biotech company with facilities located in Chandler, AZ. They specialize in developing therapies to treat rare diseases in infants and children. The company has been instrumental in studying and treating AHDS, a condition in which genes in the X-chromosome mutate and cause thyroid hormone deficiencies. Their latest innovation, known as SRW101, serves as a synthetic T3 molecule, which can help treat AHDS and improve deficiencies when taken three times a day.
Caris Life Sciences
According to CEO and Founder David D. Halbert, Caris Life Sciences was created to help save lives. The diagnostics company was founded in 2008 and primarily focuses on advancing precision medicine. Using advanced technologies, innovative clinical testing, and a bank of clinical data, these experts work to help doctors and patients to understand, diagnose, and treat cancer. Some of Caris’ most significant accomplishments include developing a circulating nucleic acids sequencing (cNAS), which later became known as one of the most effective liquid biopsy assays ever created.
FlexBioTech
In Scottsdale, FlexBioTech is a biotechnology company specializing in developing rapid, low-cost diagnostic tools for infectious diseases and cancer. Their objective is to find effective ways to diagnose medical conditions quickly and comfortably at home, in clinics, and in healthcare facilities. FlexBioTech is currently working to develop a saliva-based test that will use DNA and RNA biomarkers to detect COVID-19. Their diagnostic products are portable, easy to use, and affordable, making them an ideal choice for patients and healthcare professionals alike.
Johnson & Johnson
You can’t talk about biotechnology and pharmaceuticals without mentioning Johnson & Johnson. The medical research organization has more than 250 companies with facilities around the world. One of its branches is in Phoenix, Arizona, employing thousands of people. Johnson & Johnson’s main objective is to conduct research that leads to innovative solutions to provide adequate healthcare to patients. One of the latest developments was the COVID-19 vaccine, which has helped millions of people reduce their risks, ease their symptoms, and avoid hospitalization.
GenoSensor Corporation
GenoSensor Corporation is a genomic technology company in Tempe. Their products and services have been instrumental in improving bioscience applications like drug discovery, therapeutic assessments, predisposition gene screening, and genomic research. They assist laboratories nationwide with sampling, nucleic acid preparation, gene screening, and genetic profiling.
MedFix International
MedFix international is a biotechnology company in Tucson, AZ, that specializes in creating efficient surgical devices for surgeons nationwide. Its mission is to develop cost-effective solutions for surgical equipment, devices, implants, and supplies, particularly in the spine, neurosurgery, and orthopedic fields. The company’s state-of-the-art inventions have made surgical processes more straightforward and affordable for surgeons and patients.
Exploragen
Last but not least, Exploragen is a biotech firm that develops applications to help people learn more about their DNA. Consumers can submit their DNA and use the mobile application to analyze the results including things like fitness, nutrition, and ancestry. The data can ultimately help people learn more about their heritage and improve their habits for a better quality of life.
As the number of citizens with life-altering diseases continues to rise, the need for biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies will remain. Arizona’s Biotech companies are helping to improve healthcare and save the lives of local residents and individuals around the world. Whether you’re looking for a job in a promising field or scouting for an ideal location to establish your biotech firm, Arizona is certainly worth considering. As you can see from the few companies listed above, the skies truly are the limit.
