CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Unum Therapeutics, a company developing a universal cellular immunotherapy to treat multiple cancers, today announced its move into new office and laboratory facilities in Cambridge, MA. The company’s new headquarters, located at 200 Cambridge Park Drive, was designed to help facilitate Unum’s anticipated growth to more than 80 employees in the near future. As part of the program to recognize Unum’s recent progress and advancing drug development portfolio, Robert Coughlin, President & CEO of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, Mike Kennealy, Assistant Secretary for Business Growth at the Executive Office of Housing & Economic Development, and Angus McQuilken, Vice President for Marketing & Communications for the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony earlier today.
“I congratulate Unum Therapeutics on the opening of their new facility, and on the work they are doing to find new treatments and advancements in healthcare,” said Governor Baker. “I look forward to their continued contributions to job creation and innovation here in the Commonwealth.”
“We believe that our ACTR technology platform fuels one of the industry’s most promising immunotherapy drug development programs,” said Chuck Wilson, PhD, President & CEO of Unum Therapeutics. “To reach our full potential, we need to continue recruiting top-level talent. This move allows us to expand our hiring efforts within the world-class Cambridge, Massachusetts life sciences hub, to house a larger team of scientists, and to continue to leverage our proximity to leading research and academic institutions and healthcare companies. Unum is excited to be joining a growing biotech community in West Cambridge.”
Unum designed its new 33,000 square feet of space specifically to foster continued collaboration, including state-of-the-art laboratories and an open office design. Employees can easily access the centrally located facility via public transportation at The Alewife Reservation (including access to the MBTA Red Line) and local highways, including Route 2 and Route 16.
Coming just a year after the company’s launch, this move follows several major milestones for Unum including initiation of a Phase 1 study in B-cell malignancies in Singapore, a $65M Series B financing, and a major strategic collaboration with Seattle Genetics. Unum evolved from the LabCentral incubator program in Kendall Square, where it was located prior to the Cambridge Drive facility.
“We are pleased to celebrate the grand opening of Unum’s new headquarters in Cambridge,” said Travis McCready, President & CEO of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center. “This new facility will allow the company to continue to grow and make important contributions to cancer therapeutics, one of the core strengths of our Commonwealth's life sciences ecosystem. The company’s growth is just one early return on the MLSC’s investment in the construction of LabCentral.”
“We are thrilled to celebrate Unum’s growth as a great example of the opportunity presented to companies in the Massachusetts ecosystem,” said Robert K. Coughlin, President & CEO of MassBio. “As a company with great science and great talent that has taken advantage of the efficiencies provided by an incubator and the network provided by active participation at MassBio, Unum has provided a clear path to success for other startups here.”
About Unum Therapeutics
Unum Therapeutics uses proprietary T-cell engineering technology in combination with tumor-targeting antibodies to activate the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. Unum’s lead program, based on its Antibody-Coupled T-cell Receptor (ACTR) technology, recently entered Phase 1 clinical testing to assess safety and efficacy. FierceBiotech recently named Unum Therapeutics as one of 2015’s Fierce15 biotechnology companies, designating it as one of the most promising private biotechnology companies in the industry. The company is headquartered in Cambridge, MA. For more information, visit http://www.unumrx.com.
