Biosciences

Pennsylvania Biosciences Industry: World-class research. World-class industry. World-class results.

No matter where you focus on the continuum of the biosciences - basic research, emerging industry, mature industry and global pharmaceuticals - Pennsylvania leads. Read the 2005 Pennsylvania Biosciences Brochure to discover why Pennsylvania is a world-class biosciences center.

Pennsylvania boasts companies that are developing, manufacturing and distributing drugs, vaccines, medical devices and diagnostics that are providing better treatments and testing to patients around the world in delivering biosciences therapies to the market. Since 1998, the number of biosciences establishments has grown 85%, annual wages have risen 25% and total wage growth was 82%. The 2003 Pennsylvania Bioscience Industry Report shows that the industry today in Pennsylvania is bigger and stronger than ever with:

  • 83,860 jobs
  • $5.5 billion in total wages
  • An average employee salary of $65,060
  • 2,038 establishments

The biosciences industry has become one of the Commonwealth’s key economic drivers due in large part to Pennsylvania’s:

  • Location in the heart of the bio-pharma corridor—8 of the world’s largest global pharmaceutical companies are located within a 50-mile radius of Philadelphia—providing access to a deep talent pool, an exceptional workforce, and partners for our region’s biotechnology companies
  • Close proximity to world’s financial center in New York City and the regulatory center in Washington DC makes us an easy springboard to European markets
  • High quality of life for families and a competitive cost of doing business, with stable real estate rates to help companies plan for growth
  • Strong heritage of innovation
  • Continuum of support from the Commonwealth with a $2 billion multi-year Biosciences Enterprise commitment to the industry and a $2 billion Economic Stimulus program to bolster capital available for businesses
  • World-class academic/research institutions that garner substantial NIH funding-- $1.3 billion in 2003
  • Strong allied skills—ancillary industries and a robust service provider network that support the growth of the industry
  • High quality of life, competitive cost of doing business, and stable real estate markets

And finally, Philadelphia has the 3rd most vibrant biosciences cluster in the nation, according to a June 2005 Milken Institute study.

Click here to view an article about why PA is a biosciences leader.