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Roche to provide technology and financial support to LabCentral

Cambridge, MassachusettsFriday, November 14, 2014, 17:00 Hrs  [IST]

LabCentral and Roche announced an agreement in which Roche would provide technology and financial support to LabCentral, a first-of-its-kind shared laboratory space designed as a launchpad for high-potential life-sciences and biotech startups.

"We are thrilled to welcome Roche as our newest gold sponsor," said LabCentral's Co-Founder and President, Johannes Fruehauf, M.D. "Having the world's largest biotech company on our roster of supporters is a testament to LabCentral's model designed to spur science innovation and fast-track startups to be successful and improve human health."

"Translating life science research into improved ways to diagnose disease is critical to the development of personalised healthcare solutions and better patient care," said Roche Diagnostics North America president and chief executive officer, Jack Phillips. "Today, LabCentral and its resident companies are at the centre of some of the most-promising healthcare research, and Roche is excited to be a part of their effort to foster this kind of innovation."

Roche instruments will expand capacity for LabCentral resident companies performing high-throughput DNA studies. They include a MagNA Pure 96 robotic workstation for automated purification of nucleic acids, LightCycler 96 Real-Time PCR system, and automated reagent freezer.

A 28,000 square-foot facility in the heart of the Kendall Square, Cambridge, biotech innovation hub, LabCentral is a first-of-its-kind shared laboratory space designed as a launchpad for high-potential life-sciences and biotech startups. It offers fully permitted laboratory and office space for 28 startups comprising approximately 100 scientists and entrepreneurs. LabCentral provides first-class facility and administrative support, skilled laboratory personnel, a domain-relevant expert speaker series ? as well as the other critical services and support that early-stage companies need to begin laboratory operations on day one. A private, nonprofit institution, LabCentral was funded in part by a $5 million grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, with support from its real-estate partner, MIT. Founding sponsors include Triumvirate Environmental and Johnson & Johnson Innovation.

 
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