From Boston to Basel: LifeMine selects Switzerland for next frontier drug discovery
Location
Basel-Stadt
Industry
Biotech
Employees
100+
Country of origin
United States
For the renowned scientist and multi-entrepreneur Greg Verdine, the Basel Area is more than just a geographical location – it represents a thriving hub for life sciences and innovation that rivals even the most esteemed regions in the United States. Verdine’s company, LifeMine Therapeutics, made a strategic decision to expand its reach by choosing Basel as the location for its third research site.
LifeMine Therapeutics is at the forefront of a groundbreaking approach to drug discovery. Headquartered in the Greater Boston Area, in Cambridge, and with a second site at Gloucester Harbor, the company is expanding their research capabilities, including the addition of a facility in 2022 in Basel, Switzerland.
By expanding to Basel, Greg Verdine and his team are not only tapping into a world-class scientific workforce but also positioning themselves at the forefront of cutting-edge research and development in the biotechnology industry in Europe. This third research site in Basel comprises 40,000 square feet dedicated to chemistry. With access to top-tier talent, state-of-the-art research facilities, and a collaborative network of industry partners, Basel offers the ideal environment for LifeMine to thrive and grow.
For Verdine, combining a Basel site with a Boston site also allows for synergistic collaboration. With a focus on emerging excellence in life sciences comparable to top U.S. regions, Basel promises a dynamic environment ripe for growth.
The primary factor influencing the company’s decision to select the Basel Area is the access to top-tier talent within the regional research community.
As a connoisseur of Switzerland, Verdine noticed a shift towards risk tolerance and entrepreneurship over the past five years, particularly among younger individuals, fostering a culture conducive to innovation. Basel emerges as the epicenter of this cultural and scientific convergence in Europe, making it an ideal location for tapping into entrepreneurial opportunities and driving forward scientific advancements.
”The entire culture is undergoing a shift here toward entrepreneurship. And Basel, as I look at it, is right now the hub for that entire convergence: cultural, scientific and beyond.
Greg VerdineCo-founder and CEO LifeMine
As LifeMine embarks on this new chapter in the Basel Area, the possibilities for growth, collaboration, and success are endless. With the region’s rich history, collaborative ecosystem and exceptional talent pool, it is truly where innovation meets opportunity for companies looking to make a mark in the world of life sciences.
Scientist Stories
Greg Verdine: a leader in biotechnology
LifeMine Therapeutics grew out of visionary founder Gregory Verdine’s life passion to discover and commercialize new drug modalities. With a background that spans academia, entrepreneurship and scientific research, Verdine has established as a trailblazer in the field, known for his innovative approach to drug discovery and development.
Greg Verdine’s career trajectory is marked by a relentless pursuit of turning scientific innovations into successful ventures. Greg founded multiple biotech companies, including Variagenics, Enanta Pharmaceuticals and Wave Life Sciences, which achieved FDA approval for three marketed drugs. He also has pivotal roles in biotech companies like FogPharma and now LifeMine Therapeutics as CEO and co-founder.
The future of human biology, panel discussion with Greg Verdine.
As an Erving Professor at Harvard University, he pioneered hyperstabilized alpha-helical peptides and made significant contributions to understanding DNA repair and epigenetic DNA methylation. With a Ph.D. from Columbia University and postdoctoral fellowships at MIT and Harvard Medical School, Greg’s expertise spans chemistry, molecular biology and beyond, earning him widespread acclaim in the field.
When asked about his experience in the Basel Area with his company LifeMine Therapeutics, Greg shares his enthusiasm for the excellence and the long-term commitment of the talent he finds in the area:
”The people here have such high energy, are extremely excited about what they're doing, are very committed, are very collegial with each other, and have few silos or barriers.
In terms of the excellence of the employees, it has far exceeded my expectations. This is a multicultural society, there are people in from France, from Germany… that's unique in Europe, the diversity that's here in Basel. I myself fell in love with Basel as a city and as an area for all kinds of reasons. I love walkable cities.
More About LifeMine Therapeutics
Founded in 2007 in the US, Massachusetts, LifeMine Therapeutics is revolutionizing drug discovery by leveraging advanced genomic techniques, including machine learning and AI. Their platform taps into the rich diversity of the biosphere, mining genetically encoded small molecules (GEMs) from sources like fungi.
LifeMine’s approach represents tremendous potential for developing precision medicines across a wide range of disease areas. The company has raised more than $295 million from leading life science investors and developed strategic partnerships, such as the collaboration with GSK. Fierce Biotech named LifeMine Therapeutics one of its “Fierce15” Biotech Companies of 2022.
