By SUSAN JONES
The work around Pitt’s BioForge project, which was first announced in fall 2021, is about to reach critical mass.
On June 12, the Board of Trustees Property and Facilities Committee approved $120 million to build the “core and shell” of BioForge, a 185,000-gross-square-foot facility within the Hazelwood Green development along the Monongahela River.
The committee also gave approval for the University to negotiate a lease with ElevateBio Base Camp Inc., for 74 percent of that space. The committee voted to reimburse ElevateBio up to $122 million for the costs of outfitting the space. The terms of the lease with ElevateBio are still being negotiated.
The other 26 percent of BioForge will be for a Manufacturing Institute, which the University’s School of Medicine is in the process of creating. It will focus on advancing cell and gene therapy manufacturing processes. The research will focus on such areas as technology development and automation, cost effectiveness, process acceleration, changeover reduction, quality improvement, and throughput increase.
The University plans to begin construction once the site pad is ready, targeting fall 2024, with exterior construction scheduled to be complete in the first half of 2025. The core and shell construction is expected to create 828 jobs
“The University of Pittsburgh’s BioForge initiative, the planned biomanufacturing facility that will bring commercial cell and gene therapy manufacturing to Pittsburgh, continues to progress with approval on June 12 for the facility’s construction and to proceed with a tenant lease with biomanufacturing partner ElevateBio,” a statement from Pitt said. “This exciting milestone advances the University’s vision to create a transformational life science ecosystem on the Hazelwood Green site that will create jobs and save lives.”
At the June 23 Board of Trustees meeting, Chancellor Patrick Gallagher said: “This specialized bio manufacturing facility for innovative cell and gene therapies will be one of the most significant regional developments in recent years because we're acting as the catalyst to bring in an entirely new economic sector to take advantage of the intellectual and healthcare riches that we have in our region.”
He also noted that Pitt is committed to working with the Hazelwood community “to ensure that the economic benefits of all of this work are realized regionally and in the place and not simply around the technology itself.”
Pitt’s third Community Engagement Center is being planned for the Hazelwood community, and Pitt officials have been meeting with community members about the impact of the BioForge project. According to Pittwire, the CEC and BioForge will work together to create life sciences learning opportunities in pre-K-12 education, ensure workforce development and promote community development for residents of greater Hazelwood and beyond.
Funded by a $100 million grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, Pitt BioForge will be located at an old steel mill site and former brownfield. The Mellon Foundation grant — the nonprofit’s largest single-project investment in its 74-year history — will be disbursed in $10 million increments over 10 years.
Pitt and ElevateBio agreed last fall to a 30-year strategic partnership to accelerate development of innovative cell and gene therapies.
In December, the board committee approved up to $10 million to buy 3 acres at Hazelwood Green for the project. That sale is still being finalized.
At the December meeting, one trustee, commercial real estate executive John H. Pelusi Jr., voted no on the land purchase, but not for the project. He objected to the right of first offer that is part of the purchase deal, which gives developer Tishman Speyer HG Developer, LLC, several months to accept or refuse Pitt’s purchase offer when it is made.
At this month’s meeting, Pelusi once again suggested the University review the ownership structure of the property.
Pelusi also suggested an amendment to review ElevateBio’s financials. A University spokesman said, “This step is part of the University’s due diligence. We are pleased with selection of ElevateBio.” ElevateBio made headlines in May when it raised $401 million in the year’s largest venture capital deal for any biotech company.
Susan Jones is editor of the University Times. Reach her at suejones@pitt.edu or 724-244-4042.
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