Accelerate the Pace of Research and Development while Minimizing Financial Risk
Small and emerging biopharma and biotech companies drive scientific innovation and fuel the drug development pipeline, playing a central role in determining the future of many novel therapies with the potential to address a multitude of complex and devastating diseases. But the development and delivery of these therapies requires that sponsors identify the right approach to navigate critical components of the drug development journey – or much of this promise will never be realized.
The ability to streamline operations, cut down on upfront capital investment, and fast-track R&D programs is crucial to advancing life-saving treatments in a fluctuating and constricted V&C funding environment. Leaner business models mean today’s leaders must therefore look to new solutions and outsourcing options to optimize their R&D budgets and reach their next inflection point.
The role of infrastructure and operations in early discovery
Among a biotech company’s most time- and capital-intensive investments when beginning the R&D journey are infrastructure, technology, and operations. When resources – including money and time – need to be managed carefully to simultaneously maintain momentum, extend runway, and continue to grow stakeholder confidence, founders find themselves balancing the pursuit of groundbreaking scientific discoveries with critical resourcing decisions as they move from concept to clinical trials.
Optimized for scientists
Procuring and building out infrastructure plus negotiating with vendors and tackling supply chain issues eats up precious runway and time. Scientists do their best work when they are focused on conducting research, not worrying about day-to-day lab operations and resourcing services and systems. When there’s more time for science, there is a higher likelihood of success.
SmartLabs provides an integrated platform that includes both enterprise-grade lab spaces and operational amenities including GxP compliance, environmental health and safety, information technology, and more, enabling scientists to have the flexibility and freedom to make critical decisions. Our spaces support every stage of the R&D lifecycle, from discovery research to preclinical studies, to cGMP manufacturing.
Speed to market matters
Speed to market is one of the strongest predictors of success, but today's modalities do not follow a linear and efficient path to FDA approval. Biotech startups often need to expand, pivot, or set up temporary, experimental operations. These inflection points can lead to major delays as research teams wait for the buildout and readiness of new lab spaces.
SmartLabs lab solutions are ready in weeks, not months or years, providing a smoother and more efficient path to reach the next milestone. Programs can be started much faster than traditional models (lease, sublease, or own) and expanded to fast-track a company’s ability to make strategic pivots more quickly with minimal interruption or delays.
A capital-efficient model that reduces risks
Founders must strike a balance to preserve cash and ownership while also mitigating risk. Infrastructure procurement and buildout, along with talent and equipment, are massive upfront costs. It not only eats up precious runway and time, it also can make it significantly more difficult to shift if a company’s development needs change.
SmartLabs programs can be secured with an all-inclusive license agreement that features flexible terms, providing both capital efficiencies and IP ownership without major tradeoffs. De-risk your endeavors with lower upfront capital investment and operational costs, shorter commitments, and flexibility to pivot in new directions as data changes the initial course or hypothesis.
WHY SMARTLABS
SmartLabs not only enables scientists to work faster, better, and smarter, we also provide greater financial flexibility by reducing upfront capital investments and consolidating large, fixed costs for infrastructure, technology, and operations into an all-inclusive, variable-cost package. Our end-to-end lab and manufacturing programs are uniquely designed to grow and adapt to a company’s needs — from early discovery all the way to commercialization — allowing for optimized financial strategies and success in any economic environment.
Discover how we can help your team successfully navigate early discovery, one step at a time.
Turnkey Lab Programs supporting every stage of development
R&D Labs
Private, enterprise-quality labs to meet the diverse needs of pharma and biotech, with the capacity to scale and support teams made up of several individuals to larger teams of hundreds of people.
Vivarium Research Facilities
Turnkey AAALAC-accredited vivarium spaces with services including animal husbandry, cage management, in-house IACUC oversight, and preclinical study support from board-certified veterinarians.
cGMP Manufacturing
FDA-compliant production environments that support a range of clinical and commercial manufacturing needs, customized to your unique workflows.
The three pillars of our model
Infrastructure
Flexible, enterprise-grade labs that can rapidly adapt and re-adapt as assets progress through the R&D journey. Supporting programs of all sizes, across multiple modalities, from early discovery to preclinical to manufacturing.
Operations
Scientist-centered operations relentlessly focused on accelerating and improving the efficiency of your R&D, offering concierge-like services encompassing environmental health and safety, lab design, waste management, onsite cafeteria, and IT services —all designed to deliver a best-in-class lab experience.
Expertise
Leaders with deep, cross-functional expertise grounded in the experience of serving 120+ clients that represent the most cutting-edge science, including trailblazers in gene editing, mRNA, and advanced biologics.