Geographic Expansion

Massachusetts continues to be the global hub of the life sciences, attracting companies from around the world that seek to be a part of our thriving ecosystem. With world-class research institutions, public-private partnerships, and access to top talent, the Commonwealth remains the best place to be for scientific discovery.

The MLSC’s Tax Incentive program is offered to companies engaged in life sciences research and development, commercialization, and manufacturing in Massachusetts, and provides incentives to companies of all sizes looking to expand their efforts by creating new, long-term jobs in the state. 

This year, the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the MLSC made two announcements of Tax Incentive awards, which included an initial round and then a subsequent mini round made possible through the Mass Leads Act, which increased the annual statutory cap for the program. Together, these awards totaled $40 million towards the creation of nearly 2,000 new jobs.

Empowering Statewide Growth:
Tax Incentives Add Jobs in Every Region

The 2025 Tax Incentive awards represent a diverse group of companies advancing drug discovery, medical devices, diagnostics, and biomanufacturing. Of the 48 companies receiving tax incentive awards, 34 are expanding in communities outside of Boston and Cambridge, accounting for 68 percent of new jobs made possible through these two rounds. Highlights of this program include Lila Sciences, Sartorius Stedim Biotech, and Astellas Pharma.

A Flagship Pioneering company, Lila Sciences is developing the world’s first scientific superintelligence platform and fully autonomous laboratories to advance research in life, chemical, and materials sciences. By integrating artificial intelligence across every step of the scientific method, the company aims to transform how innovation and discovery are achieved.

Sartorius Stedim Biotech celebrated the opening of their new Center for Bioprocess Innovation in Marlborough. The state-of-the-art facility is designed to foster collaboration, co-development and learning on site with customers and other external innovation partners, applying Sartorius’ latest technologies in real-life bioprocess workflows.

The 63,000-square-foot facility houses research and service laboratories, as well as facilities for customer demos and trainings. Dedicated expert teams will offer process development, optimization and validation services. Currently hosting a team of 50 scientists and product developers, the new hub will have the capacity to accommodate more than 120 internal and external bioprocessing experts.

Astellas Pharma, a previous Tax Incentive awardee, officially opened its Astellas Life Sciences Center in September 2024 to foster pioneering science through collaboration with external partners. According to the company, approximately 400 Astellas employees will operate out of the new building. The new Cambridge facility is part of Astellas’ growing presence in Massachusetts. In 2020, the company launched the Astellas Institute of Regenerative Medicine (AIRM) located in Westborough, as a global hub for pioneering the development of regenerative medicine and cell-based therapies. Through its Tax Incentive program, the MLSC has previously awarded almost $1.3 million to Astellas toward the creation of 85 jobs.

Since its inception, the Tax Incentive program has supported the creation of more than 20,700 jobs statewide, leveraging public investment to spur private-sector growth and ensuring that Massachusetts remains the best place in the world to innovate, work, and grow.

The MLSC joined state officials and Merrimack College leadership, faculty, and students to celebrate the grand opening of their state-of-the-art Instrumentation Lab, made possible by a $750,000 capital grant from the MLSC.

This grant enabled Merrimack College to develop a curriculum that focuses on giving students the hands-on experience and training necessary to be successful in the life sciences industry. Merrimack College was able to purchase key instrumentation commonly used in the industry, thus infusing its curriculum with skills-based opportunities for students. Training and use of the instruments has been embedded into both undergraduate and graduate curricula.

Specifically, the college has been able to enhance its curriculum with a focus on experiential learning. Starting in the introductory labs all the way through the graduate courses, students gain valuable experience using instrumentation, conducting experiments, and solving real world problems. Additionally, the MLSC grant enhances Merrimack’s ability to focus on developing students’ skills that will empower them to be successful in life science careers.

This grant builds on a previous award of $500,000 made in 2016, bringing the MLSC’s total investment in the college to $1.25 million.

The MLSC has also sponsored more than forty internships for Merrimack College students since 2011 through its Internship Challenge, a program that enables small life sciences companies to connect with college students and receive funding for intern wages.