Cambridge-based biotech firm expanding to Woburn

WuXi NextCODE Genomics USA Inc. is expanding its Massachusetts presence, complementing its Kendall Square headquarters with a lab in nearby Woburn.

WOBURN, – WuXi NextCODE Genomics USA Inc. is expanding its Massachusetts presence, complementing its Kendall Square headquarters with a lab in nearby Woburn. The international bioinformatics firm has leased 5,000 square feet at 2 Gill Street from Cummings Properties. It maintains additional facilities in Shanghai, China and Reykjavik, Iceland.

WuXi NextCODE formed in 2015 when Chinese firm WuXiAppTec acquired NextCODE, a startup spun out from deCODE Genomics. Its clients, including Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and the DNA testing company 23andme, use its platforms for storing, sharing, and interpreting massive sets of genomic data.

Fast Company named WuXi NextCODE to its 2018 list of “The World’s Most Innovative Companies.”

The global firm selected the Gill Street site due to its existing infrastructure and its location within a science-centric community, according to Leasing Officer Steve Cusano of Cummings Properties, who worked directly with WuXi NextCODE on the lease.

“More and more firms are realizing that a thriving biotech cluster as well as significant cost savings are available to them here in Woburn,” said Cusano.

WuXi NextCODE will join Medtronic, MitraBiotech, Pellion Technologies, and other biotech firms in the Gill Street area.

Cummings Properties manages a portfolio of 11 million square feet of commercial space in 11 suburban communities north and west of Boston. Most of these properties are owned by Cummings Foundation, with 100 percent of all rental profits supporting hundreds of local charities. The Cummings organization awards $25 million annually to Greater Boston nonprofits, and it has awarded more than $225 million to date. More information is available at www.cummings.com.

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