Senate President Karen Spilka nominates Lykan Bioscience for Manufacturer of the Year

On October 14, 2020, Massachusetts State Senate President Karen E. Spilka nominated Hopkinton-based Lykan Bioscience for a ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ award, part of a series of awards given by the state legislature’s Manufacturing Caucus to companies across the state to promote “Made in Massachusetts.” These awards recognize companies across the Commonwealth which support outstanding innovation in the field of manufacturing.

This year, the caucus is acknowledging the many manufacturers who have demonstrated an unprecedented response to the needs of Massachusetts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lykan Bioscience was selected from among many outstanding manufacturing firms located in the Second Middlesex and Norfolk district, which Senate President Spilka represents in the State House.

The company offers manufacturing services for autologous and  allogeneic cell-based therapies for individuals with serious health conditions, such as cancer. During the pandemic, the company built a 64,000 sq. ft. purpose-built manufacturing facility in Hopkinton, which will create more than 150 new jobs by 2022. The company is now online and is equipped to manufacture advanced therapy medicines for thousands of patients with unmet needs.

“Biotech is an exciting field and one of our strengths in Massachusetts–particularly in the MetroWest area. As the Chair of the Biotech Legislative Caucus, I sought to bring the industry to the center of our conversations on Massachusetts’ economy, environment and health.” stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “I applaud Lykan Bioscience’s work, and I am grateful to Senator Eric Lesser and Representative Jeff Roy, Joint-Chairs of the Manufacturing Caucus, for extending this opportunity to me to recognize one of our rising stars.”

“We are honored to have been nominated for this award and thrilled to have our brand-new facility available to meet clients’ demand,” said Lykan Bioscience CEO Anthony Rotunno.  “Being based in MA allows us to be able to efficiently and cost-effectively supply treatments to so many patients, starting in the Northeast region.  As a company, offering treatments to as many patients and saving as many lives as possible, is our passion.”

A ceremony to confer this and other manufacturing awards took place on Tuesday, October 27, 2020 at 11:00 AM, in a virtual forum.