A new district in The Woodlands hopes to expand on the area’s resurgence in life sciences developments.    Post pandemic, life sciences companies have been establishing facilities in The Woodlands, particularly along Research Forest Drive. And now, Developers Howard Hughes and Vitrian are building upon that growth by adding an additional 86.3 acres for future development, aiming to attract more biomanufacturing companies to the area. The duo has dubbed the area The Woodlands Innovation District.  “This joint venture further diversifies the innovative industries that are represented in The Woodlands with the advancement of life science,” said Jim Carman, President of the Houston Region for The Howard Hughes Corporation in a statement. “The Woodlands continues to attract companies from a variety of industries seeking a highly-skilled talent pool, business-friendly environment, and high quality of life for their employees.”  The district joins the area’s cluster of existing life sciences companies, such as Millipore Sigma and VGXI. Cellipont Bioservices, a San Diego-based cell therapy contract development and manufacturing organization, recently opened a 76,000-square-foot facility in the area. The facility is dedicated to cell therapies and serves as the company's new headquarters.  Cellipont’s move to the greater Houston region, announced in 2022, kickstarted a surge in life sciences activity in The Woodlands. Bionova Scientific, another California-based biotech company, recently announced plans to expand into the area, with a 100,000-square-foot manufacturing and research facility. The company, which produces materials used by cancer-fighting cell therapy companies, is expected to begin operations at the new location in 2025.  Nearby, Nurix Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in San Francisco, has relocated to the Alexandria Center for Advanced Technologies. This 12-acre life sciences campus, formerly the Lexicon Pharmaceuticals site, was inaugurated last year with support from Lexicon’s Founder and CEO and now Nurix's Chief Executive Officer, Arthur Sands. Backed by California-based real estate firm Alexandria Real Estate Equities, the campus is still being built out, with the goal of becoming a smaller version of The Texas Medical Center.   These recent developments have established The Woodlands as a leader in life sciences in the region. According to CBRE’s 2023 U.S. Life Sciences Outlook, The Woodlands accounted for 60% of the Houston region’s life sciences lease transactions in 2022.  The Woodlands Innovation District will encompass five sites, each providing tenant facilities ranging from 40,000 to over 200,000 square feet. These sites will offer build-to-suit shell spaces, anticipated to be move-in ready by Spring 2025.  Learn more about Houston’s life sciences and biotechnology industries. 

Houston continues to evolve as a premier destination for life sciences and biomanufacturing through a multifaceted strategy that capitalizes on its existing strengths and fosters innovation and growth.   Since its inception in 1945, the Texas Medical Center has evolved into a vast medical district spanning 5 square miles  and serving over ten million patients annually.  More than 60 institutions operate within the Texas Medical Center, serving as a catalyst for Houston’s collaborative ecosystem, with efforts like the Cell Therapy Manufacturing Center, JLABS@TMC and CUBIO. This helps set the stage for groundbreaking research and provides direct access to nearly 5,000 active clinical trials, a major boon to innovation.   Recent years have witnessed significant strides in laying a robust foundation for Houston's position as a leader in innovative life sciences and biotechnology. These efforts came into focus last month at Bisnow’s Life Sciences Evolution event, with leaders in the life sciences industry, real estate and innovation envisioning the future growth of the Houston life sciences market. Among the assets shared as advantages were access to clinical trials, business environment, workforce efforts and quality of life.   “Having access to the patient population is critical to success, especially a diverse population,” Monique Knighten, PhD of Portal Innovations said. “There’s a key benefit to have access to these clinical trials and the expertise involved, as well as living close to where the science is being developed.”   Legislative actions, such as the passage of Proposition 10 in November which provides new incentives for medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturing companies, enhances the region's competitiveness and economic prospects. Additionally, investments in workforce development, exemplified by collaborations between educational institutions and industry partners like San Jacinto College and the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT), ensure a skilled talent pool for the future.  “The relationships with companies, colleges and high schools are integral,” Pearland EDC Vice President Brian Malone said on the panel at Bisnow discussing suburban life sciences growth. “We’ve really worked hard on that with a business retention plan to find out what type of training and what type of workers these companies need.”   Furthermore, substantial real estate investments further support life sciences research and development. TMC’s Helix Park opened in 2023 with the TMC Collaborative Building and industry research hub Dynamic One, with new tenant Houston Methodist leasing 75,800 square feet. Just north inside the Medical District, Hines’ Levit Green is now leasing nearly 300,000 square feet of purpose-built lab and office space as part of a future 53-acre district. On the northeast side of the metro, McCord’s master-planned Generation Park recently broke ground on a new Center for Biotechnology in partnership with San Jacinto College. In The Woodlands, Alexandria is developing 8800 Technology Forest Place into 325,000 square feet of Class A space.   Initiatives such as the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) and a thriving innovation ecosystem further reinforce the city's position at the forefront of bioscience breakthroughs and economic impact.  With strategic advantages like its top-ranked port, diverse population, and accessibility to global markets, Houston is poised to further elevate its status as a hub for life sciences innovation. As Houston continues to advance its life sciences and biotechnology sector, opportunities for collaboration and growth abound, driving progress in public health and driving the next wave of bioscience innovation.   Explore Houston's dynamic life sciences ecosystem.