Sanyal Biotechnology Moves Corporate Headquarters to VABeachBio Accelerator and Adds Eight New Jobs
June 21, 2016
Sanyal Biotechnology has announced plans to move its corporate headquarters and research facility from Richmond to Virginia Beach. The company will occupy the new 1,500-square-foot VABeachBio Accelerator, located at the Regional Health Professions Center at Tidewater Community College. Sanyal Biotechnology was founded to further the work of Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) professor Dr. Arun Sanyal, who spent a decade developing methods to test the impact of drugs designed to fight non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Dr. Sanyal will remain at VCU, where he treats patients and has a research lab, after the company moves to Virginia Beach."By 2025, it is predicted there will be 25 million patients with NASH in the U.S.," said Rebecca Caffrey, CEO of Sanyal Biotechnology. "The silent NASH epidemic is massive, and this burgeoning public health threat is linked to the twin epidemics of Type 2 Diabetes and obesity. Our research will accelerate discovery of treatments for this dangerous, asymptomatic disease."Sanyal Biotechnology has exclusive worldwide rights to the DIAMOND™ mice (Diet-induced Animal Model of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease), a mouse strain that naturally develops NASH and other diseases in response to a high-fat, high sugar diet. The mice become insulin resistant, obese and dyslipidemic just like humans. Disease progression in the DIAMOND™ mice parallels human disease progression right down to the histopathology.Recently, Sanyal Biotechnology created a partnership with Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS), where its specialized mouse colony will be used to study the effectiveness of pharmaceuticals. "Our diabetes and obesity researchers are excited about collaborating with Sanyal and their scientists," stated William Wasilenko, EVMS senior associate dean of research. "The research community within EVMS recognizes how Sanyal's unique model can benefit the study of this growing liver disorder." "We are thrilled to welcome Sanyal Biotechnology to Virginia Beach," said Mayor William D. Sessoms, Jr. "The addition of Sanyal Biotechnology to our growing biomedical corridor in Princess Anne Commons will go a long way to enhance our reputation as the destination of choice for biomedical and healthcare firms.""This is exactly what we envisioned with the VABeachBio initiative," said Warren Harris, director of Virginia Beach Economic Development. "Our partnerships with Tidewater Community College and Eastern Virginia Medical School made Virginia Beach particularly attractive to Sanyal Biotechnology. Eastern Virginia Medical School's input on the VABeachBio Initiative, its partnership with Sanyal Biotechnology and TCC's partnership with the City to create a biomedical accelerator created the perfect environment for Sanyal's next phase of growth."The Virginia Beach Development Authority has awarded Sanyal Biotechnology an Economic Development Investment Program grant in the amount of $25,000 based on the number of jobs created. The company will add eight new scientific and technical jobs in Virginia Beach with annual salaries averaging $100,000.To learn more about VABeachBio, visit www.vabeachbio.com.The mission of the Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development is to attract and retain national and international businesses to stimulate capital investment and create jobs. Virginia Beach is the most populous city in Virginia with a population of 450,000, and it is the 37th largest in the United States. It is recognized as one of the Best Run Cities in America by 24/7 Wall St. The Department of Economic Development received re-accreditation through the International Economic Development Council in 2016 and is one of only 29 economic development organizations in the world to have this recognition. It is listed among the Top Five Overall Mid-sized American Cities of the Future, Top 10 for Economic Potential and Top Five for Infrastructure by fDi magazine. CNNMoney.com ranked Virginia Beach as the Easiest Place to Start a Business and the 2nd Most Business-Friendly City in the country. For more information, visit www.yesvirginiabeach.com. # # #
