Business

Watertown Remains a Bright Spot for Life Science, Chamber to Host Forum on the Industry

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Life science clusters in Watertown in 2025. The image appears in Watertown Bio’s 2025 Life Science Industry Report. The biotech industry, while slowed, still has some life in Watertown, according to a recently published study. The City boasts the third most life science firms of any community in Massachusetts, the fourth most venture capital investmentd, and 20 new firms came to town in 2025. The 2025 Watertown Life Science Industry Report was released by Watertown Bio founder Sam Ghilardi, and looks at the economic impact of life science firms, the profile of firms in town, the drug development pipeline, and real estate/life science space in Watertown.

Business

Watertown Life Science Company to be Acquired by Eli Lilly

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Orna Therapeutics Logo

Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly will be acquiring a company in the East End of Watertown Arsenal, the two companies announced on Feb. 9. Orna Therapeutics is based at 500 Forge, a building near Home Depot that used to house Miller’s Ale House and offices into lab space. The following announcement was released Monday:

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) and Orna Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company dedicated to engineering immune cells in vivo, today announced entry into a definitive agreement for Lilly to acquire Orna. Orna is advancing a new class of therapeutics utilizing engineered circular RNA paired with novel lipid nanoparticles to allow the patient’s own body to generate cell therapies that can treat underlying disease.

Business

Life Science Company Moving from Cambridge to Watertown

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An illustration of the plans for the former Mount Auburn Club at 99 Coolidge Ave. A life science company will relocate from Cambridge to Watertown, and will lease a space on Coolidge Avenue. Foghorn Therapeutics will move its 112 employees from Kendall Square to 99 Coolidge Ave., the former Mount Auburn Club owned by the National Development and Alexandria Real Estate Equities, reported the Boston Business Journal. “We are very excited about this move and for most of our employees, the commute will be shorter,” Karin Hellsvik, Foghorn’s VP of corporate affairs told the BBJ’s Hannah Green. The company will lease 72,850 sq.

Business

2 Life Science Companies Sign Leases at Galen Street Building

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Elkus Manfredi ArchitectsA view from Water Street of the life sciences building at 66 Galen St. A prominent life science building on Galen Street Watertown has signed two tenants, developers announced on Friday. LifeMine Therapeutics will lease the fourth floor of 66 Galen, a 225,000 sq. ft. life science lab building on the Southside of Watertown.

Around Town

WBC Life Science Panel Spotlights Collaboration Between Schools & Life Science Companies

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If you missed the fourth annual Watertown Business Coalition Life Science Panel on April 9 focusing on the collaboration between the Watertown Public Schools and local life science companies, you can see the video produced by Watertown Cable Access Television. The collaboration is known as CoLAB High School STEM Career Collaboration, and has been organized by Watertown’s Merle Kummer and the group’s board. CoLAB is a nonprofit organization in Watertown where local life science professionals and high school educators collaborate to inspire student interest in STEM careers — Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math — and build new levels of STEM self-confidence.  The Life Science Panel was held at Mosesian Center for the Arts. The event included panelists from Addgene and Acrivon Therapeutics, and a Watertown High School Junior shared his experience on what it is like to have a real scientist as a mentor.”We are proud to partner with life sciences professionals, working together to mentor our students and future scientists,” the Watertown Business Coalition said after the event. See the video below:

Around Town

LETTER: City Needs to be Accountable for Noise Standards and Company Compliance

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Dear Newton Neighbors (and especially Cedar),

I want to thank you for reaching out and sharing your neighborhood’s story. I remember seeing you, Cedar, when you addressed our City Council in June. It takes a lot of thought and talent to get your whole point across in just two minutes (the time Watertown residents are allowed to express a concern in that venue), but I remember that you did it admirably, and I’ve often wondered how you and your neighbors fared. Now I know, and your neighborhood’s anger and frustration is shared by many here in Watertown who feel unheard. It is unusual for people to express a concern and propose a possible solution, taking part of the work out of it for our City.

Around Town

LETTER: Attend the Community Meeting on Manley Way, Proposed to be One of Many Bio Labs Around Watertown

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A rendering of the building at 10-30 Manley Way proposed to be redeveloped into lab/R&D/non-nuisance manufacturing space. (The Seyon Group)

This letter is about 10-30 Manley Way, but humor me, please, while I get there. With at least 25 bio lab buildings and more on the way in a four square mile area, (Alexandria hasn’t even begun the massive transformation of the Watertown Mall yet). 

Here’s a list of just Alexandria’s current holdings in Watertown:  

I hear they have their eyes on more Watertown land. Alexandriatown … how does that sound to you?  

This is a case of being careful about what you wish for.  We have about 70 labs in these buildings so far. There’s plenty of unused lab space without converting one more inch into labs … just my opinion, but it seems to be shared by others. 

To give you an example of the enormity of these projects (besides the in-your-face street presentation of them … hello, Galen Street), there’s a permit meeting for a Coolidge Street lab this month to approve a 7,000 gallon oil tank on the roof of a parking garage that will hold 497 cars.

Around Town

Neighbors Concerned About Size of Proposed, Noise & Traffic from Project at Cannistraro Site

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A rendering of the proposed life science project at former Cannistraro property on Pleasant Street, Rosedale Road, and Acton Street. (Courtesy of Broder)

Developers heard from dozens of residents who showed up Monday night for an in-person community meeting about the project proposed for the former Cannistraro site, pro and against. Many with concerns lived in the residential neighborhood across the street, who fear they will be negatively impacted by the size of, and noise and traffic from the life science project. The project includes parcels on Pleasant Street, Rosedale Road and Acton Street. The proposal calls for a four-story, 148,0000-sq.-ft.