Media Contact: Jennifer Rizzi, Director, Communications, Penn Facilities & Real Estate Services, 215.573.6107, rizzi@upenn.edu

October 5, 2021

The University of Pennsylvania’s (Penn’s) Division of Facilities and Real Estate Services announced today its newest tenant at Pennovation Lab, Interius BioTherapeutics (“Interius”), has signed a 17,743 SF lease advancing cell and gene therapy research at the Pennovation Works innovation ecosystem.

Interius is the ideal tenant for the Pennovation Lab which was designed for companies who are graduating from the incubator phase having secured early-stage funding and need a state-of-the-art flexible lab facility to help advance their research.  Interius, co-founded by Saar Gill, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, is developing new ways to engineer cells inside the human body using next-generation delivery technologies. Interius aspires to transform cell and gene therapy through direct patient administration of genetic medicines to generate therapeutic immune and blood cells.

“Opening our first laboratory on the Pennovation Works campus allows us to remain in close proximity to the company’s scientific founder, Dr. Saar Gill, and to Penn’s world-renowned leadership in cell and gene therapy.  We are excited to grow Interius on a historic site in Philadelphia, continuing the tradition of innovation that started here in 1865,” said Phil Johnson, MD, President and CEO of Interius BioTherapeutics.

Since 2016 when the University of Pennsylvania opened the Pennovation Center, the cornerstone of the Pennovation Works development, incubating companies born out of Philadelphia’s educational and medical institutions have been flourishing on the campus.  The Lab building, Philadelphia’s premier multi-tenant lab and R&D facility, was built to further the innovation ecosystem and allow graduating companies to grow in place.  The Lab building boasts 65,000 square feet of scientifically advanced wet and dry labs and office space, attracting tenants with its highly desirable location adjacent to Penn and positioned in the heart of the Pennovation Works campus. Lab tenants can combine 2,000 square-foot-modules to customize their own unique suite.

“The Interius team started its journey in an Inventor Garage with a few lab benches at the Pennovation Center, and in a matter of months, expanded into the Pennovation Lab building.  Supported by their Series A raise, the company’s growth over the past few months has been meteoric, and we are delighted to support the team as it grows within our ecosystem.  We are currently designing their expanded labs with a targeted completion this winter,” said Anish Kumar, Managing Director of Pennovation Works.

As a tenant, Interius Biotherapeutics has access to building amenities, which include a two-story lobby with a seating area; dedicated lounge space complete with a kitchenette; glass wash and autoclave; and facility for dry storage. Additionally, Lab building tenants have access to Pennovation Plaza, Cafe and Pennovation Works events and services.

About Interius BioTherapeutics

Interius BioTherapeutics is an early-stage biotechnology company expanding the potential of cell and gene therapy by developing next generation delivery technology based on inventions from the laboratory of Dr. Saar Gill at the University of Pennsylvania.  Interius’ lead programs are initially focused on treating hematologic malignancies by leveraging their proprietary platform to generate chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells directly in vivo.   

Additional information about Interius BioTherapeutics is available at www.interiusbio.com.

About Pennovation Works

Pennovation Works is a distinctive blend of offices, labs, and production space developed by The University of Pennsylvania to link the intellectual and entrepreneurial initiatives necessary for advancing knowledge and generating economic development. The master plan articulates a phased approach, with initial activity focused on-site improvements and renovating existing buildings including the 2016 completion of the Pennovation Center, a business incubator that provides lab space and acts as a hub for collaboration and the exchange of ideas for innovators from all disciplines.

The 23-acre property adjacent to Penn's campus accommodates state-of-the-art facilities, researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry partners solving real-world problems and translating inventiveness into viable ventures. By grouping facilities for innovation, technological development, and artistic production/exhibition, Penn envisions a multifaceted workshop for harnessing and commercializing the tremendous creative potential in the region.

Additional information about Pennovation Lab is available at www.pennovationlab.com.  For more information about Pennovation Works, visit www.pennovation.upenn.edu.

Download the full press release. (PDF)

Philadelphia's start up community is flourishing with projects centered around medicine, artificial intelligence, and robotics, but sustainability-focused innovation has been long overdue for its time in the spotlight. On September 30th Pennovation Works in partnership with Penn Center for Innovation hosted a virtual panel for the 2021 B. PHL Innovation Fest.

In September 2021, the Working Dog Center at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn Vet)  launched a new video, “Two Decades Since 9/11: A Tribute.” This  video features the handlers of Search and Rescue working dogs deployed to Ground Zero and the Pentagon immediately following September 11, 2001. The video is dedicated by the Working Dog Center to the canines who served our country in the aftermath of September 11th, and to all dogs who continue to bring humans hope in difficult times.

Penn Dental Medicine and Penn Engineering recently awarded the Center’s first IDEA (Innovation in Dental Medicine and Engineering to Advance Oral Health) Prize to Dr. Henry Daniell, W.B. Miller Professor at Penn Dental Medicine, and his collaborator, Dr. Daeyeon Lee, Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Penn Engineering. Their award-winning project “Engineered Chewing Gum for Debulking Biofilm and Oral SARS-CoV-2,” reduces dental plaque and oral SARS-CoV-2 transmission using chewing gum. 

On Thursday, August 19th, the Pennovation Accelerator held their virtual Pitch Day, the culminating event for the six-week program focused on business development. In case you missed it, you can find a recording of the event here!

Penn Center for Innovation (PCI) Ventures, housed at the Pennovation Center, has worked with more than 200 UPenn faculty and staff members, bringing their discoveries to the commercial market. PCI Ventures supports more than 60 companies within their portfolio as well as the member companies of the Pennovation Center.

In this edition of Meet the Innovator, we welcome Seth Harrington, Team Administrator at Avisi Technologies

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