CAMBRIDGE, MA– MassBio held its annual State of Possible Conference on Wednesday, March 26, where it awarded several companies and individuals, recognising them for their contributions to the life sciences in Massachusetts. Awardees included Eli Lilly and Company, RedPoint Oncology, State Speaker of the House Ronald Mariano, and Nobel laureates Dr. Gary Ruvkun and Dr. Victor Ambros.
Commenting on the organization’s annual conference MassBio CEO and President Kendalle Burlin O’connell said “ Massachusetts is the global leader in the life sciences because we have everything necessary to go from a scientific discovery to a medicine administered to patients in need, and this year’s MassBio awards exemplify our perfect recipe, You have two outstanding scientific researchers who made a game-changing discovery, a biotech on the cutting-edge of cancer research, a global pharmaceutical company tapping into the talent and innovation happening in the Bay State, and a government leader who has ensured a favorable environment for science and businesses to thrive. Congratulations to this year’s MassBio award recipients on ensuring that this is the place to make possible happen”
Eli Lilly and Company received the Spirit of Massachusetts Award, an award that recognizes an organization’s embodiment of Masaachsuetts’s history of innovation, collaboration, and leadership, as well as demonstrating a commitment to advancing the local life sciences industry. MassBio wrote of Eli Lilly and Company: “Despite the company’s size, Lilly embodies an ethos that is essential when you come to the Commonwealth: a desire to complete not compete.” Lilly’s Innovation Center is where its workforce will grow from 200 to 500, scientists will work on genetic medicines, and the company will welcome more than a dozen startups at Lilly Gateway Labs. Last year, the Lilly Endowment also awarded grants to the Boston Children’s Museum, Boston College, and Boston University. Andrew Adams, group vice president, Molecule Discovery and Director of Lilly Institute for Genetic Medicines, Eli Lilly and Company said “The opening of the Lilly Seaport Innovation Center is a key milestone in advancing genetic medicine at Lilly, Our relationship with MassBio fosters an environment of collaboration and innovation. Massachusetts’ life sciences ecosystem allows us to leverage cutting-edge technology and expertise to develop life-changing medicines. Together, we are building to a legacy of scientific excellence and community engagement that will drive the future of healthcare.”
RedPoint Oncology was named MassBioDrive Startup of the Year. RedPoint is based in Holden, Massachusetts and is committed to overcoming therapy-resistant cancers by developing next-generation payloads for targeted therapies. Therapy resistance is responsible for more than 90% of cancer-related deaths, and RedPoint’s payloads are specifically designed to induce a form of cell death that these difficult-to-treat cancer cells are particularly vulnerable to. The modular nature of these payloads allows them to be compatible with various targeted delivery methods, enabling the generation of numerous new medicines. “We’re incredibly honored to receive the MassBioDrive Startup of the Year award,” said Mandy Wang, Ph.D., CEO & Co-founder at RedPoint Oncology, Inc. “The MassBioDrive program has been instrumental in our journey, helping us reach critical milestones and significantly accelerating our growth. We’re deeply grateful for this support and committed to bringing impactful therapies to patients battling difficult-to-treat cancers!”
Massachusetts Speaker of the House Ronald Mariano was given the Industry Champion Award. This award recognizes Speaker Marinano’s steadfast and tireless leadership in getting the third iteration of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Initiative approved, with full funding, during last year’s legislative session. As well as recognizing the Speaker’s decades-long record of supporting the growth of the life sciences industry, understanding the unique challenges faced by companies developing medicines and therapies. On accepting the award Speaker Mariano said “I would like to thank MassBio for this honor. As House Speaker, I’m proud to lead an institution that has long recognized the importance of nurturing the life sciences industry, The cluster of innovation that we enjoy in Massachusetts today is the product of a deliberate policy choice, and of a long-term strategy by the Legislature to capitalize on our world-class universities and hospitals to fuel a true innovation economy. The House knows that if we want the life sciences industry to be successful, and in turn for Massachusetts to be successful, we need to make bold, long-term commitments. The investments that we made last session will not only create and maintain jobs in this sector, but they will also continue to provide the world with life-enhancing and life-saving treatments.”
Drs. Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun were co-honored with the Scientific Impact Award. This award recognizes researchers who have had a profound impact on a field of study, therapeutic area, or patient population through a scientific or commercial breakthrough. Drs. Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun were working with tiny worms in 1993 when they discovered microRNA, which ultimately earned them the 2024 Nobel Prize in medicine. The two scientists were working in Massachusetts labs when they made the discovery, Ambros at Harvard Medical School (he’s now at UMass Chan Medical School) and Ruvkun at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. The award was accepted on their behalf by Dr. Robert Kingston, the current chief academic officer and the former chair of the department of molecular biology at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH).
