New Hampshire Life Sciences Launches with Mission to Make Granite State a National Hub for the Industry
Novocure and Novo Nordisk join as first Founding Members, BIA and MassBio join as Collaborative Partners
BEDFORD — New Hampshire Life Sciences (NHLS) announced today that Novocure, a global oncology company with its North American flagship location in Portsmouth, and Novo Nordisk, a global healthcare company with 350 employees in New Hampshire have joined NHLS as inaugural Founding Members. In a parallel stride, the Business and Industry Association (BIA), New Hampshire’s statewide chamber of commerce and leading nonpartisan business advocate, and the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MassBio), an industry leader for nearly 40 years, have joined as Collaborative Partners.
NHLS is New Hampshire’s first-ever statewide life sciences association built for the industry, by the industry, founded upon the common mission of improving patient lives and making the Granite State the preeminent hub for life sciences. NHLS, an official nonprofit organization, is poised to champion New Hampshire’s cutting-edge life sciences sector and the top-tier talent it attracts, opening an exciting new chapter in the state’s economic landscape.
“We are very pleased to announce Novocure and Novo Nordisk as our first Founding Members within the industry,” said Andrea Hechavarria, President and CEO of NHLS. “Both Novocure and Novo Nordisk are true champions for the life sciences community here in New Hampshire. Their strong support and belief in the value NHLS can bring to the state and the industry, have been instrumental in our successful launch.”
“Since establishing our North American headquarters in New Hampshire nearly two decades ago, Novocure has provided our unique therapy, Tumor Treating Fields, to thousands of patients with aggressive forms of cancer. New Hampshire’s life sciences industry fosters a culture of innovation that aligns with our patient-forward mission,” said William Doyle, Executive Chairman of Novocure. “Novocure is honored to join NHLS as its first Founding Member and is eager to work together to elevate the Granite State’s robust life sciences sector.”
"We at Novo Nordisk are proud to be a founding member of NHLS," said Peter Gariepy, Corporate Vice President of Novo Nordisk's West Lebanon site. "Our company has been contributing to our region's economic development since 2014 and we are excited to see the establishment NHLS to expand life science awareness, growth, and innovation in New Hampshire. We look forward to collaborating with colleagues and stakeholders across the state to strengthen the life sciences industry."
“The BIA joining as a member and collaborative partner of NHLS is significant. This strategic partnership reflects the importance of the life sciences industry to the state as well as the collaboration with multiple stakeholders to strengthen the industry in New Hampshire,” said Hechavarria. “As we continue to grow NHLS, we will look for partners who are passionate about the life sciences sector and believe in the strategic value of New Hampshire.”
“Our mission at the BIA is to be the unifying voice of the business community that champions a competitive business climate and prosperous economic future for New Hampshire,” said Michael Skelton, President and CEO of the BIA. “The continued rapid growth and success of New Hampshire’s life science sector strongly aligns with this mission, and we look forward to collaborating with NHLS to ensure our state’s public policies and business climate support this key industry.”
NHLS is also announcing a partnership with the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MassBio), an industry leader for nearly 40 years, to extend access to the trade association’s MassBioEdge savings program to NHLS members. The expanded program will operate under NHLSEdge and will aggregate the purchasing power of each organization’s member companies to allow them to have a strong presence in the marketplace and benefit from competitive discounts, preferred terms and conditions, and personalized customer service. NHLS Edge boasts an impressive roster of Preferred Partners, including Fisher Scientific (lab supplies), Veolia Environmental Services (hazardous waste removal), Middlesex Gases (packaged cylinder & bulk gases), and W.B. Mason (office supplies).
“For each of our organizations, we have made a commitment to patients to deliver savings to our member companies that allow them to put more of their resources toward developing the drugs that change lives,” said MassBio CEO and President Kendalle Burlin O’Connell. “MassBio is excited to welcome NHLS as a sister organization and to partner with them to extend our aggregated purchasing power and industry expertise across the northern Massachusetts border.”
“With MassBio’s support we are able to offer incredible value to our members right out of the gate, enabling savings for our members on everything from industry-leading lab equipment to office supplies,” said Andrea Hechavarria. “MassBio is an incredible advocate for the industry at large and for NHLS, and we are thrilled to announce this strategic partnership.”
In June, the State’s Department of Business and Economic Affairs (BEA) announced its Life Sciences Assessment report. The study found that the life sciences industry saw $4.3 billion in sales in 2021 and represents 11,290 jobs, with average salaries of $130,848 per year.
"While BEA always understood the life sciences industry was a driver of the state's economy, the report we released helped quantify its importance and impact," BEA Commissioner Taylor Caswell said. "From the innovative pharmaceuticals being developed to the important medical devices manufactured here, as well as the leading-edge biofabrication institute in Manchester's Millyard, the state is not only an active player in the life sciences sector, but rapidly becoming a regional, national, and global leader."
Media Contact:
Andrea Hechavarria
ABOUT NOVOCURE
Novocure is a global oncology company working to extend survival in some of the most aggressive forms of cancer through the development and commercialization of its innovative therapy, Tumor Treating Fields. Novocure’s commercialized products are approved in certain countries for the treatment of adult patients with glioblastoma, malignant pleural mesothelioma, and pleural mesothelioma. Novocure has ongoing or completed clinical trials investigating Tumor Treating Fields in brain metastases, gastric cancer, glioblastoma, liver cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer and ovarian cancer. Headquartered in Root, Switzerland and with a growing global footprint, Novocure has regional operating centers in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and Tokyo, as well as a research center in Haifa, Israel. For additional information about the company, please visit Novocure.com and follow @Novocure on LinkedIn and X.
ABOUT NOVO NORDISK
Novo Nordisk is a leading global healthcare company, founded in 1923 and headquartered in Denmark. Our purpose is to drive change to defeat serious chronic diseases, built upon our heritage in diabetes. We do so by pioneering scientific breakthroughs, expanding access to our medicines, and working to prevent and ultimately cure disease. Novo Nordisk employs about 61,400 people in 80 countries and markets its products in around 170 countries.
Novo Nordisk’s manufacturing site in West Lebanon, NH, produces the active pharmaceutical ingredients to treat blood disorders (hemophilia A) and growth hormone disorders. The site currently employs 350 people and is growing its workforce to meet the ever-increasing patient demand for its medicines.
For more information, visit novonordisk.com, Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn and YouTube.
ABOUT BIA
The Business and Industry Association is New Hampshire’s statewide chamber of commerce and leading business advocate. Through advocacy with state legislators and regulators, we shape business-friendly public policy and provide counterbalance to legislation and regulations that threaten the growth and prosperity of New Hampshire businesses.
The BIA is New Hampshire’s only broad-based business advocacy organization. We monitor and respond to many issues that arise each year that directly impact businesses of all industries and sizes, providing them a direct connection to the legislative process.
The BIA represents more than 400 members in a variety of industries, including advanced manufacturing, high technology, professional services, financial services, health care, hospitality and tourism, public utilities, higher education, and insurance. Member firms employ 89,000 people throughout the state, which represents one in seven jobs, and contribute $4.5 billion annually to the state’s economy.