Life Sciences

Commerce Lexington facilitates business attraction, retention, and growth in the the eight-county Bluegrass Region, one of the nation's most dynamic economies.

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In the Bluegrass Region and Kentucky, Lexington is a hub for the life sciences industry. Lexington has leveraged its culture of innovation and commercialization, a superior business climate, top ranked research programs at the University of Kentucky, and an expansion network of medical center to provide an environment where any market niche of the life sciences industry can grow.

In the area of direct patient care Lexington has a strong base of health care providers with six major medical centers including Baptist Health Lexington, KentuckyOne Health, Shriner’s Hospitals for Children, and the UK Medical Center. The UK Healthcare System is an extensive network that includes three hospitals and fifteen clinics. In fact, the UK HealthCare System is an extensive network that includes four hospitals, over 80 specialized clinics, more than 140 outreach programs, and six health professional colleges. In 2015, the UK HealthCare network served over 581,000 outpatient visitors and performed 31,200 surgeries. The Lexington Clinic, a multi-specialty medical group with 25 locations through the Bluegrass Region, employs 200 physicians and provides services to more than 2,000 patients every day and 600,000 patients every year.

Direct patient care represents a major employment industry for Lexington, which means there is a high quality stock of human capital for medical professionals. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 19,000 people were employed as health care practitioners and technicians in 2015, including more than 5,100 physicians, 1,100 dentists, 184 optometrists, 560 specialty therapists, and 7,200 registered nurses.

Biotechnology includes institutions involved with animal and plant science research and designing and manufacturing medical/veterinary products. Biotechnology is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States, and Lexington is committed to fueling its growth in the Bluegrass. In fact, over 50 biotech companies have chosen to locate in Lexington.

Health care and biotechnology are supported by strong ties to academic programs at the University of Kentucky. UK has one of the nation’s top pharmacy programs, and ranks nationally in the number of R&D expenditures. In addition, Lexington is home to the only research and development business park in the state of Kentucky – UK’s Coldstream Research Campus. Coldstream, a 735 acre office park, was specifically designed for recruiting high-tech and biotech companies, as well as university centers and start-ups.

Lexington focuses on three segments of the life sciences industry:

  • Plant and Genetic Engineering
  • Medical Application Technology
  • Medical Device Manufacturing

Click here to read Commerce Lexington’s Life Sciences and Biotech White Paper.

Check out our BIO Brochure by clicking here.

Select Life Sciences Companies in Lexington

CompanyServicesEmployees
AlltechAnimal Health & Nutrition650
CatalentPharmaceutical Processing400
Coldstream LaboratoriesPharmaceuticals87
Laboratory & BiodiagnosticsProduct Analysis & Testing38
Summit BiosciencesNasal Spray Products35
Gibson LaboratoriesPrepared Culture Media30
TransposagenStem Cell Technology20
Murty PharmaceuticalsPharmaceutical Manufacturing14
PDx BioTechOral Healthcare11
OrthopeuticsMedical Devices4
MEP Equine SolutionsEquine Health Technology3

Source: Commerce Lexington, May 2016