Bayer AG opened its new Research and Innovation Center at Kendall Square in Boston-Cambridge, MA, expanding its footprint into one of the world’s most innovative pharmaceutical research and development locations. Bayer invested $140 million in the 62,100-sq.-ft. building housing a new center of precision molecular oncology research equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories and offices for the development of novel targeted cancer therapies for patients. In addition, the center comprises a newly established research team focused on leveraging chemical biology techniques to further propel the company’s oncology drug development process. 
 
“Our new Bayer research and innovation center at Kendall Square is part of our strategy to be at the forefront of scientific discovery and breakthrough innovation for better patient healthcare,” said Stefan Oelrich, Member of the Board of Management, Bayer AG and President of Bayer’s Pharmaceuticals Division. “Being part of this unique innovation ecosystem will support our teams in creating breakthrough innovations for patients together with the experts here.”
 
The new center currently provides space for 100 employees, while the company is prepared to fill an additional 50 roles in the coming months. It’s designed to enhance the collaboration between Bayer research and development, its internal partners such as BlueRock Therapeutics, Asklepios BioPharmaceutical (AskBio) and Vividion Therapeutics, as well as external partners to accelerate the development of transformative treatments for patients. In addition to the new center at Kendall Square in Cambridge, Bayer has also established strategic research collaborations with top scientific partners in Boston, including joint laboratories in the areas of lung disease with Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital and precision cardiology with the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.
 
The Research and Innovation Center also marks a strategic investment into Bayer’s oncology efforts and to ensure sustainable long-term growth for the company. Bayer aims to become a top 10 oncology company by 2030 and is investing a significant portion of its global R&D budget in oncology. The new precision molecular oncology research center aims to drive the development of targeted next-generation cancer therapies, including molecular tests and targeted treatments through biomarker testing.