As part of the agreement, for each year of active sponsorship, Bristol-Myers Squibb can nominate up to three innovative life-sciences and biotech startup companies per year to take up residence in BioLabs’ facilities at 180 Varick Street in Manhattan. The nomination process will launch in early 2018.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and BioLabs, a network of shared lab facilities for high-potential life-science startups, located in the nation’s key biotech innovation clusters, today announced Bristol-Myers Squibb as the Founding Sponsor of BioLabs’ newest location, BioLabs@NYULangone. This BioLabs site was launched in partnership with NYU Langone Health. As part of the agreement, for each year of active sponsorship, Bristol-Myers Squibb can nominate up to three innovative life-sciences and biotech startup companies per year to take up residence in BioLabs’ facilities at 180 Varick Street in Manhattan. The nomination process will launch in early 2018.

"We are thrilled to have Bristol-Myers Squibb as Founding Sponsor in New York, and excited to have them as part of BioLabs’ growing roster of sponsors," said BioLabs CEO Johannes Fruehauf, M.D., Ph.D. "Clearly, there is a huge pent-up need for our model in The City; our sponsors are helping make BioLabs@NYULangone the best place to start a science-based startup in New York."

Commenting on the Golden Ticket nomination program, he continued, "At LabCentral in Cambridge, where Bristol-Myers Squibb Company is a Platinum Sponsor, BMS Golden Ticket winners to date were first-time CEOs, fresh out of academia working to move early-stage science from the lab bench toward clinical trials. They speak regularly of the valuable insights they have gained from interactions with Bristol-Myers Squibb."

"Bristol-Myers Squibb is excited to sponsor BioLabs New York, which serves as a launchpad for scientific innovation," said Carl Decicco, Senior Vice President and Head of Discovery at Bristol-Myers Squibb. "The BioLabs model enables companies to advance research in a collaborative environment, which is aligned with our focus on accelerating discovery and development of transformational medicines for patients with serious diseases. We’re looking forward to learning about these emerging companies that will take up residence in the BioLabs@NYULangone."

"Our companies will hit the ground running as part of the largest fully managed biotech co-working space in Manhattan," said Nicole McKnight Ph.D., managing director of BioLabs New York. "It’s a pleasure to work with the Bristol-Myers Squibb team to bring this project to fruition."

A Golden Ticket represents one underwritten bench space per year for one scientist at BioLabs, and a priority spot on the waiting list. The Golden Ticket also promotes collaboration among sponsors and the start-up companies; the program provides sponsors with early access to potentially transformational targets and technology, and the start-ups with the mentorship of their sponsor teams.