With a broad and deep industry base, Ohio is home to more than 1,345 bioscience-related organizations with 1,800+ locations.
It is a growing and robust community for sure, but also diverse. From innovative start-ups supported by biotech incubators TechColumbus, BIOSTART, BioEnterprise, and The Innovation Center to emerging stars — like Meridian Bioscience, Atricure, Diagnostic Hybrids, and Ganeden Biotech — to some of the largest corporations in the world — like Cardinal Health, P&G, Boehringer-Ingelheim, and Abbott.
- From 2004 to 2010, at least 413 new bio-related companies began operation in Ohio - an average of 59 each year.
- Meridian Bioscience’s growth continues to garner attention: 2005-2009 Fortune Small Business Fastest-Growing Companies and Business Week’s 2007 100 Hot Growth Companies.
- Battelle, the world's largest independent R&D organization, is investing $200 million to expand its health and life science research facilities and capabilities.
Ohio is ranked in the top 10 in biotechnology strength by Business Facilities magazine.
Nearly $2.4 billion was invested across Ohio to accelerate Ohio’s bioscience growth in 2010. The sources of funding include venture capital, angel funds, IPOs, acquisitions, SBIR/STTR, state biomedical R&D grants, and NSF and NIH grants. There are now 80 sources of private capital in Ohio for bioscience commercialization and expansion. There were only 12 in 2001.
Ohio was awarded Site Selection magazine’s Governor’s Cup four consecutive years (2006-2009) and placed second in 2010, an unrivaled five-year run symbolizing top ranking in the U.S. for new or expanded business facilities. Prominent examples of major bioscience-related manufacturing companies coming to and expanding in Ohio are Amylin, Alkermes, Charles River Labs, Ben Venue and Eurand.
Ohio is the 7th largest state (11.3 million), and 3 of the top 35 largest U.S. metro areas are in Ohio—Cleveland, Cincinnati-Hamilton, and Columbus. Those three metro areas were listed in the top 30 U.S. Biotech Locations by Business Facilities magazine.
Total employment in Ohio’s bioscience sector in 2009 was 62,533. Bioscience employment in Ohio has grown 2% on average each year, adding 10,222 jobs, a 19.5% increase from 2000-2009.
Distinguished and diverse, the breadth of Ohio’s bioscience research capabilities matches that of any other region in the world.
Overall in 2010, Ohio institutions and companies attracted $778.1 million in NIH funding, placing it in the top 10 states. Five institutions—Case Western Reserve University, The Ohio State University, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, and The Cleveland Clinic —ranked in the top 100 NIH funding recipients. In FY2009, the NSF's Directorate of Biological Sciences awarded $24 million in biological sciences grants to Ohio institutions. Ohio organizations collectively received $70 million in STTR/SBIR awards, $25 million of which was related to bioscience.
Innovative collaborations among Ohio’s research institutions include:
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The Global Cardiovascular Innovation Center (GCIC) is a $250 million cardiovascular research and product development consortium led by the Cleveland Clinic and comprised of the following five leading Ohio institutions: Case Western Reserve University, The Ohio State University, The University of Cincinnati, The University of Toledo and University Hospitals of Cleveland.
- The Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, a consortium of Case Western Reserve University, The Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals of Cleveland (UHC), The Ohio State University, and Athersys.
- The Biomedical Structural, Functional and Molecular Imaging Enterprise—Ohio’s first Wright Center of Innovation, led by Ohio State with support from Case Western Reserve University and Philips Medical Systems.
Click here for videos of featured research collaborations.
In addition to these unique private-public sector collaborations, Ohio has initiated a $150 million Research Scholarship Program to accelerate the state’s world-class research capacity.
Many nationally-recognized contract research organizations are based in Ohio, such as the Battelle Memorial Institute, the largest in the world. And Cincinnati's Kendle International has been named “Best CRO” at the Scrip Awards for two straight years.
Ohio possesses an unparalleled network of clinical excellence.
U.S. News & World Report’s 2011 "America’s Best Hospitals" report ranks the Cleveland Clinic 4th among all hospitals, and their Heart Center has been ranked first in the nation for 17 straight years. Overall, 12 Ohio hospitals are named in U.S. News & World Report’s "America’s Best Hospitals" and "America's Best Children's Hospitals." Ohio is home to 4 of the country’s top pediatric hospitals, 3 of the top 40 adult cancer facilities, 2 top 25 adult heart and heart surgery centers, 3 top 40 diabetes & endocrinology hospitals, 3 top 40 sites for orthopedics, and 6 top 50 pulmonology hospitals. The Ohio State University, Case Western Reserve University and the University of Cincinnati’s medical school research programs rank in the top 50 in the nation.
And Ohio is the ideal bioscience and technology proving ground. At any given time, more than 3,800 registered clinical trials are in progress or actively recruiting patients in Ohio.
Bioscience is leading Ohio’s economic resurgence.
Ohio’s Governor John Kasich has continued the state’s commitment to establishing bioscience as a pillar in Ohio’s economic future.
Current Department of Development initiatives include the Wright Centers of Innovation, the Biomedical Research and Technology Transfer Trust Fund, and the Thomas Edison Program Centers—such as bioscience-focused BioOhio.
And Ohio’s $1.6 billion Third Frontier Project has proven to be a dynamic catalyst in Ohio’s emergence as a global leader in the “knowledge economy.” Launched in 2002, the project committed $500 million to fund new technology, biomedical research and technology transfer; $500 million to enhance research facilities; and a $100 million program to support entrepreneurs and bring products to market. In May 2010, voters approved a $700 million renewal that will extend the Third Frontier Project through 2016. Thus far, nearly 50% of allotted 3FP funds are accelerating bioscience-related initiatives.
Ohio boasts an extensive network of venture and investment firms and professional service providers to support the continued growth of Ohio’s Fortune 500 bioscience companies, emerging firms, and fledgling startups.
- VC firms: like Charter Life Sciences, Primus Venture Partners, Reservoir Venture Partners, River Cities Capital, Draper Triangle, Ohio Innovation Fund, CID Equity Partners, Triathlon Medical Ventures, and Oakwood Medical Investors
- Biotech incubators: like BioEnterprise, BIOSTART, TechColumbus, and Ohio University’s Innovation Center
- Legal/Intellectual Property Firms with bioscience medtech expertise
- Biotech-savvy marketing and communications firms