Watertown, MA The Davis Companies (Davis) and Boston Development Group (BDG) have entered into lease agreements with life sciences firms LifeMine Therapeutics and a new stealth mode biotech (NewCo) at 66 Galen St., a purpose-built class A life science building owned in a joint venture between Davis and BDG. The new tenants will occupy more than half of the leasable space at 66 Galen.
LifeMine, a biopharmaceutical company pioneering Top-Down Drug Discovery, a bold innovative approach that leverages evolutionary insights from fungi to unearth next-generation precision medicines, will fully occupy the 56,456 s/f fourth floor. The stealth-mode, NewCo well-funded by life science venture firms will occupy the third floor, comprised of 61,189 s/f. Both companies operate under the leadership of transformational biotech pioneer and serial life science entrepreneur Greg Verdine, Ph.D.
The 225,000 s/f, LEED Gold certified, class A purpose-built life science building is designed with market-leading infrastructure and quality, featuring a hotel-style lobby and cafe, rooftop gathering space with kitchen facilities, multiple private outdoor terraces for tenant use, integral garage parking and floor to ceiling window walls, providing views and natural light throughout the building. Located in Watertown Sq., the building is situated within the city’s growing innovation and life sciences hub, with convenient access to a wide array of public transportation options, as well as the Mass. Pike, ensuring that tenant companies have access to the region’s expanding talent pool, enabling them to scale and grow on campus.
“66 Galen provides state-of-the-art lab space, superior amenities, and proximity to other major life science clusters in the region, giving tenants an unmatched opportunity to scale their businesses,” said Jon Needham, senior vice president at Davis. “The decision to move the operations of two life sciences firms to the same building is a powerful affirmation of 66 Galen’s infrastructure and architectural excellence. We’re confident that they are exactly the type of tenants that will thrive on this growing campus.”
Located on the Charles River within Watertown Sq., this location offers tenants views of Boston, easily visible from the building’s shared rooftop patio and adjoining entertainment space. Tenants also have access to the area’s bustling retail and restaurant hub as well as numerous local amenities such as bike paths along the Charles River.
With 40% of the 66 Galen site dedicated to open green space, the building also features indoor greenery and curated landscaping in an open-concept design that promotes optimal air circulation throughout common spaces. Designed with smart building systems, the campus is powered by 25,000 s/f of rooftop solar panels, with energy-efficient lighting, air purification, and smart thermal control technology.
The decision to move both LifeMine and the stealth NewCo under the same roof is expected to foster ideas and accelerate the pace of innovation. The proximity to the Greater Boston life science cluster will also support talent recruitment efforts.
“We are delighted to partner with Davis and BDG,” said Greg Verdine, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO of LifeMine Therapeutics, and Co-founder of the stealth NewCo. “The property they’ve conceived and constructed at 66 Galen is welcoming, beautiful, and highly functional. Both of our teams fell in love with this distinctive, differentiated facility. We are eager to make it the new home for both of our companies”.
The building features 14-plus-foot floor-to-floor heights on tenant floors, 20-foot heights in the first-floor lobby and 22-foot height in the mechanical penthouse.
Duncan Gratton, Connor Barnes and Joe Pearce of Cushman & Wakefield represented 66 Galen as the landlord’s leasing agents. Evan Gallagher and John Carroll of Colliers represented the tenants.
