Around Town

OP-ED: How Safe is Watertown From a Bio Lab Emergency? Part 1

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By Linda ScottWatertown Resident

In both numerous news articles about Watertown becoming a biotech hub and from our own personal observations here in Watertown, the vast and rapid proliferation of biotech buildings is looming large. It has become a grave concern for me and for many in this community. And in Waltham, a neighboring city, it was recently reported in the Globe that there was a chemical spill at the Waltham Azenta Life Sciences Lab, involving a liter to a gallon of acid-based, flammable solvent, and requiring the Waltham Fire Department and the Massachusetts State Hazmat team to be called in for assistance. Because of the massive proliferation of bio lab space in Watertown and a recent bio lab chemical spill just next door in Waltham, I decided that it was worth taking a closer look at Watertown’s biosafety preparedness status. To do so, I reviewed the Watertown Biosafety Committee meetings and regulations and City Council meetings.

Around Town

Watertown BioSafety Committee Shares How it Oversees Life Science Companies

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An illustration of the different BioSafety Level labs. Watertown has more than 60 life science companies, and more on the way, and they must go through the Watertown BioSafety Committee before they can start operating. Last week, the City Council got an update on what the committee has been doing in its first 2.5 years. The BioSafety Committee was formed as part of the Watertown Biotechnology Regulation, which was adopted by the Watertown Board of Health in 2019 and took effect in July 2020. Existing companies had to come before the BioSafety Committee within a year of the regulations taking effect, and new companies had to come before the committee.

Around Town

Watertown Company Creating Way to Dramatically Cut the Number of Pills Patients Take

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Lyndra TherapeuticsA prototype of Lyndra’s stellate medical platform is placed in a machine to undergo stress testing. A company with headquarters in the East End of Watertown will soon start the final trials for a way of delivering drugs that would allow patients to take just one pill a week instead of seven pills or more. And the company is working on technology that could cut it to just two or even one a pill a month. Lyndra Therapeutics moved to its space on Grove Street in 2017, and employs nearly 130 people there, in Lexington, or who work remotely. The company also helps train the next generation of life scientists by working with students from colleges in the area, and has also started reaching out to classes at Watertown High School.

Business

Watertown Company Acquired by Major Pharmaceutical Firm

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The following announcement came from Novo Nordisk:

Novo Nordisk and Forma Therapeutics, Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: FMTX) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Novo Nordisk will acquire Forma Therapeutics for USD 20 per share in cash, which represents a total equity value of USD 1.1bn. Forma Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on transforming the lives of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) and rare blood disorders. The acquisition of Forma Therapeutics, including its lead development candidate, etavopivat, is aligned with Novo Nordisk’s strategy to complement and accelerate its scientific presence and pipeline in haemoglobinopathies, a group of disorders in which there is abnormal production or structure of the haemoglobin protein in the red blood cells. “Novo Nordisk has worked for more than 40 years to develop and deliver transformative medicines to patients around the world with rare and devastating diseases. By adding Forma’s differentiated approach to address unmet needs for patients, we are taking a step forward in enhancing our sickle cell disease pipeline,” said Ludovic Helfgott, executive vice president and head of Rare Disease at Novo Nordisk.

Biotech

Watertown Company Developing COVID Therapy, Trying to Inspire Future Scientists

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Charlie BreitroseBryan Goodwin, chief biologist at Enanta Pharmaceuticals, and Watertown High School Senior Phil Centola look at a new microscope donated by the biotech company. Watertown-based Enanta Pharmaceuticals has a potential therapy for COVID-19 ready for human testing, and it also hopes to develop some future scientists with a donation to Watertown High School. On Monday morning, representatives from Enanta presented three new microscopes donated by the company to the WHS Science Department. The equipment can be hooked up to a tablet or cellphone to make it easier to see objects under magnification, and images can even be shared with other devices. The school had one of the microscopes, said Lynsey Kraemer, the district’s Science Curriculum Coordinator for Grades 8-12, but the district could not afford more.

100 Forge

9 Story Building at Arsenal Yards Fully Leased, 5 Life Science Tenants Coming 100 Forge

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Boylston PropertiesA rendering of what the nine-story 100 Forge building at Arsenal Yards will look like. Developers are creating 165,000 sq. ft. of space for biotech companies. The following announcement was provided by Boylston Properties:

Boylston Properties, a Boston-based developer of mixed-use destinations, today announced that 100 Forge, its 165,595 s.f. life sciences building in the heart of Arsenal Yards in Watertown, is fully leased.

Around Town

Hear About Biotech’s Impact from Co-founder of Moderna at Charles River Chamber’s Fall Breakfast

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The Charles River Regional Chamber will host its annual Fall Breakfast on Wednesday Nov. 17, 2021 from 10-11:30 a.m.

The Chamber sent out the following information:

Our Fall Business Breakfast returns – virtually – on Wed. Nov. 17th. This signature annual event – our 106th – is a celebration of the leadership, resilience and impact of our region’s businesses and nonprofits.

23 Elm St.

Life Science Building in East Watertown Approved by Zoning Board

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Elm Street PartnersA rendering of the new life science lab building approved to be built at 23 Elm St. The building to the right is the Residence Inn by Marriott hotel. Months after it first appeared before the Zoning Board of Appeal, a three story life science lab building at 23 Elm Street got approval to be constructed on Wednesday night. The proposal first came before the ZBA in February, at a meeting where board members expressed their concerns about the amount of parking for the then 78,000 sq. ft.