Sana Biotechnology Inc., a Seattle-based life science company, has taken a step toward realizing its goal of developing a manufacturing facility in the Puget Sound region by breaking ground at the end of July on an 80,000-square-foot project in Bothell. The company’s initiative had been in the works for some time and is part of a broader initiative to save over $100 million in manufacturing costs by relocating this part of its operations from Fremont, Calif.
In June 2022, Sana announced the construction of its Bothell facility, located at 3555 Monte Villa Parkway. According to a release by the company, it plans to have the facility completed and operational by 2025. The primary objective behind establishing this in-house manufacturing capability is to enhance Sana’s long-term success by achieving considerable savings over the next three years while gaining access to a strong biotech talent base in the region.
Sana CEO Steve Harr highlighted the importance of internal manufacturing in the company’s news release: “We have long viewed an internal manufacturing capability as core to our long-term success. This new facility enables us to continue to develop our internal manufacturing with no anticipated impact on the timing of our programs and in a more cost-effective manner.”
The decision to move from Fremont to Bothell was driven by financial incentives. In 2021, Sana signed a 10-year lease for a 163,193-square-foot facility in Fremont, with options for two additional five-year terms. However, while still in the design phase for the Fremont facility, the company reconsidered its path forward and found a more affordable and equally capable alternative in the Pacific Northwest.
The cost-saving benefits primarily come from reduced expenses associated with building out the Bothell site, as well as lower operating costs and tenant allowances. Sana’s shift to Bothell includes a 16-year lease with the option for three additional five-year terms, allowing the company to secure a stable presence in the area, according to a report in the Puget Sound Business Journal.
Sana Biotechnology was founded in 2019 with a focus on repairing and controlling genes in cells, providing treatments targeting cancer, diabetes, central nervous system diseases, and sickle cell disease. Currently, the company’s treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia is undergoing Phase 1 trials, while its other treatments remain in the pre-clinical stage.
Apart from the Bothell facility, Sana operates in South San Francisco and Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company made a significant stride in 2021 when it went public in a $587.5 million public offering.
Like many other companies, Sana also faced challenges in 2022. The company had to lay off approximately 15 percent of its staff and ceased further investment in a program targeting heart failure. As of January 1st, 2023, the company employed 421 people.
