LabCentral Signs New Agreement in Support of Life-Sciences Startups

Life Technologies partners on first-of-its-kind project in the heart of the Cambridge Biotech Innovation Hub

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Dec 04, 2013, 05:00 ET

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- LabCentral, an innovative, shared laboratory space designed as a launchpad for life-sciences startups, announced that Life Technologies will provide an innovative technology suite of instruments representing the latest platforms developed by the company under an agreement inked last month. Life Technologies will also provide training and service support to LabCentral-based startups conducting genetic and cellular analysis.

"Life Technologies has a strong heritage of supporting innovation and new ideas that lead to major breakthroughs in scientific research," said Chief Scientific Officer, Vice President of Global Research & Development for Life Technologies, Alan Sachs, M.D., Ph.D. "Our partnership with LabCentral is grounded in that commitment with the intent to foster novel discoveries among scientists from startups that will work in this collaborative lab space."

"We are thrilled to add Life Technologies to the growing list of LabCentral collaborators dedicated to creating the next generation of biotech leaders," said LabCentral President and Executive Director Johannes Fruehauf. "These generous offerings by Life Technologies give LabCentral scientists access to the most leading-edge tools to accelerate scientific discovery."

Admission to LabCentral is through a competitive review process where only the highest-potential startups are selected. To date, six early-stage companies have begun laboratory operations at the Cambridge facility; 10 resident startups are expected by year's end. LabCentral began reviewing applications from scientists, entrepreneurs, and life sciences startups in July 2013. The application process starts with a short form available at: www.labcentral.org/apply-for-a-space/. Following submission of the form, the LabCentral team interviews applicants to finalize their candidacy and ensure consistency with LabCentral's mission. Tours of the facility can be arranged. Accepted candidates are invited back to choose an appropriate space and finalize terms of a contract.

About LabCentral (www.labcentral.org; twitter @labcentral)
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 as many as 25 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 real-estate partner, MITIMCo. Founding sponsors include Triumvirate Environmental and Johnson & Johnson Innovation.

About Life Technologies (www.lifetechnologies.com)
Life Technologies Corporation is a global biotechnology company that is committed to providing the most innovative products and services to leading customers in the fields of scientific research, genetic analysis and applied sciences. With a presence in more than 180 countries, the company's portfolio of 50,000 end-to-end solutions is secured by more than 5,000 patents and licenses that span the entire biological spectrum − scientific exploration, molecular diagnostics, 21^st-century forensics, regenerative medicine and agricultural research. Life Technologies has approximately 10,000 employees and had sales of $3.8 billion in 2012.

Life Technologies' Safe Harbor Statement
This press release includes forward-looking statements about our anticipated results that involve risks and uncertainties. Some of the information contained in this press release, including, but not limited to, statements as to industry trends and Life Technologies' plans, objectives, expectations and strategy for its business, contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. When used, the words "believe," "plan," "intend," "anticipate," "target," "estimate," "expect" and the like, and/or future tense or conditional constructions ("will," "may," "could," "should," etc.), or similar expressions, identify certain of these forward-looking statements. Important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are detailed in filings made by Life Technologies with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Life Technologies undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Caroline A. Grossman, +1.781.771.5579, [email protected]

SOURCE LabCentral