EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
*Mr. Nathan P. Tinker, PhD
GENERAL AND
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL
Mr. Donald Mazzullo, Esq
Partner
Harter, Secrest & Emery LLP
CHAIRMAN
*Mr. Peter G. Robinson
Vice President and
Chief Operating Officer
University of Rochester
Medical Center and
Strong Health
TREASURER
*Mr. Thomas G. Carbone AN OPEN LETTER TO GOV. ANDREW CUOMO
Partner
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
SECRETARY
April 25, 2011
*Mr. Joel Papernik, Esq
Partner
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Gov. Andrew Cuomo
Glovsky & Popeo, P.C. State Capitol
IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN Executive Chambers
*Ms. Sharon Mates, PhD
Chairman and CEO Albany, NY 12224
Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc.
Mr. Daniel Brettler Dear Governor Cuomo:
Senior Vice President
Conner Strong Companies
Mr. Richard Catalano
As the Executive Director of the New York Biotechnology Association (NYBA) I represent researchers, academics and entrepreneurs
Partner across New York State in the field of biopharmaceuticals and life sciences. I am writing to draw your attention to several recent
KPMG LLP
developments that have a critical bearing on the future of New York’s economy and its healthcare system.
Ms. Barbara Dalton, PhD
Vice President, Venture Capital
Pfizer As you may know, biopharm is regarded as a particularly promising sector for high-skill, high-wage job creation. Indeed, the sector is
Mr. Peter Dworkin at the forefront of the development of new medicines to combat serious diseases and conditions such as cancer, heart disease,
Vice President,
Corporate Communications
diabetes and arthritis, and thereby helping to drive down healthcare costs for all.
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Ms. Lyn Dyster, PhD For these and other reasons, many states have made it a top priority to grow, recruit and retain biopharm employers. For example, in
Co-Founder and
Vice President of
New Jersey, Gov. Christie has established biopharm development as the cornerstone of his economic growth agenda and, as part of
Research Operations this effort, he has sought to reduce regulatory burdens and encourage investments by the industry.
Kinex Pharmaceuticals LLC
Mr. Robert Easton
Chairman New Jersey’s approach contrasts sharply with New York’s. In this regard, the biopharm sector was hit hard in the new state budget:
Scisive Consulting LP tax incentives designed to help grow emerging companies were allowed to expire and Medicaid was hit with significant cuts. But
Mr. Bernhard Ehmer, MD while we fully understand that in a time of financial crisis everyone needs to make sacrifices and that these actions may produce
President
ImClone Systems savings for the state in the short run, in the longer term they will serve only to undermine the viability of the industry in New York.
*Ms. Diane Fabel
Director of Operations The evidence of this is ample, for while New York ranks third in the nation in attracting NIH funding for academic research, it ranks
Center for Biotechnology,
SUNY Stony Brook 38th in biopharm industry growth.
Ms. Barbara Gebhardt
President And just two weeks ago Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals announced that it has chosen New Jersey over New York as the site for
Opus Staffing, Inc.
construction of a new corporate campus. As Gov. Christie has been bragging in the press, this facility will employ some 1,500 high-
Mr. Steven Gordon, JD
Senior Vice President
wage workers, including several hundred jobs previously located in New York State.
and General Counsel
Kadmon Pharmaceuticals LLC
I ask that you and your economic development team carefully review the Bayer situation, as it is indicative of the larger trends at play
Ms. Margaret Long
Senior National Director
in the state. I would also ask that you consider a new report issued by the Public Policy Institute which cites the tremendous potential
State Government Affairs to develop biopharm clusters in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany and Long Island. In each of these regions, premier academic
Astellas Pharma US, Inc.
institutions form the basis for future high-tech economic development – but only if state leaders act aggressively on a series of
Mr. Charles Ryan, PhD, JD
Senior Vice President,
recommendations.
Chief Intellectual
Property Counsel
Forest Laboratories, Inc.
The report also cites a particularly frustrating situation that my colleagues and I constantly struggle with: on the strength of its
Ms. Emily Sheridan
enormous research capabilities, more startup life science companies are created in New York than any other state. But fully two-
Director, Business thirds of these firms subsequently move out of New York for other states that are more conducive to growth, taking with them both
Development
Alexandria jobs and tax revenues. This must change, and the PPI report suggests ways to address this problem.
Real Estate Equities
*Mr. Robert Van Nostrand Thank you for your attention to this matter. My colleagues and I look forward to continuing this dialogue with you.
*Ms. Jane Wasman, JD
Executive Vice President,
General Counsel, and
Sincerely,
Corporate Secretary
Acorda Therapeutics, Inc.
*Executive Committee
Nathan Tinker, PhD
Executive Director
New York Biotechnology Association, Inc.
25 Health Sciences Drive, Suite 202, Stony Brook, NY 1 1790 631.444.8895 Fax: 631.444.8896 Email: info@[Link]
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