$430 million cell and gene therapy center is coming to Long Island. Here’s more on New York Biogenesis Park.

By Carolyn Gusoff

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    LAKE SUCCESS, New York (WCBS) — Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday announced a $150 million investment in a new state-of-the-art cell and gene therapy hub to be built on Long Island.

Coming to the Northwell Health land in Lake Success, in the shadow of North Shore Towers, will be a $430 million center to be called New York Biogenesis Park. The state’s investment, the largest in the nation, is aimed at positioning New York as the global leader in life-saving therapies.

“We are leading the way in gene and cell therapy, a game-changing new form of medical treatment that repairs damaged cells and kills those that have mutated into tumors,” Hochul said.

The Albanese Organization, a Long Island-based developer, won the bid to construct build and operate the 700,000 square-foot center. Approvals could take two years before groundbreaking.

“We are talking about curing cancer, genetic diseases”

Doctors, researchers and economic leaders say they welcome the thousands of high-skilled and construction jobs, and the hope that cell and gene therapy changes the way disease is treated by literally repairing and modifying mutated genes and unhealthy cells.

“We are talking about curing cancer, genetic diseases. Ground-breaking research is going to be taking place right here,” state Assemblymember Gina Stilliti said.

And not only cancer, but organ transplantation, cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, and much more.

“It will focus on looking at ways of manipulating genes, themselves, or fixing or repairing DNA. It will look at cells to be the source of the therapy, to kill them or cells that come in maybe to make insulin,” said Dr. Kevin Tracey, of Northwell Health’s Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research.

Northwell CEO sees a hub for medical excellence

Michael Dowling, the CEO of Northwell, envisions a large campus that will bring together researchers, entrepreneurial companies, and a diverse collection of patients.

“The people will be working on personalized medicine, where you have medicine unique [to the] genetic makeup of your body so you can intervene now,” Dowling said.

“Unfathomable not too long ago. We have already seen progress for different kinds of cancers,” added Dr. Ayanna Bryon, senior director of the New York Blood Center.

Eager researchers say there are cures we cannot even yet imagine.

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