By Stefan Yablonski
It could have happened at any large city anywhere in the world — but it didn’t.
BioSpherix officially celebrated the grand opening of its new Center for Cytocentric Technology (CCT) facility Monday morning (May 18) in the small town of Parish. A legion of regional leaders in biotechnology, manufacturing, economic development, academia and government was on hand for the ribbon-cutting.
Located at 25 Union St. in Parish, the new GMP-level CDMO/CRO facility was established to help accelerate cell and gene therapy development while strengthening New York state’s growing life sciences ecosystem. Strategically positioned near the rapidly growing biotechnology hubs in Syracuse and Rochester, CCT strengthens BioSpherix’s presence within an expanding life sciences ecosystem and reinforces its commitment to advancing access to advanced biotechnology tools and infrastructure across the region.
“I was first introduced to BioSpherix in March of 2023. I immediately knew I wanted to be a part of this amazing organization, because its science made sense, even to a non-scientist like me, quipped Ahmed Mustafa, CEO of BioSpherix.
“Not only is the science logical — but the team here is truly amazing,” he continued. “This small group located in a little town nobody ever heard of was literally changing the ways that cell-based research was being done for more than a decade and I wanted to be a part of the next chapter.”
BioSpherix, a New York-based biotechnology company, is a global leader in the development of advanced closed-system technologies that create physiologically optimized environments for cell culture, bioprocessing and regenerative medicine applications. The company’s Cytocentric® approach focuses on maintaining precise environmental control around living cells to improve consistency, reproducibility and translational relevance across research and manufacturing workflows.
The Center for Cytocentric Technology expands that mission by providing infrastructure, expertise and scalable capabilities for both startup and established biotechnology organizations across the region.
“Cell and gene therapy development is evolving rapidly and there is a growing need for modular, flexible infrastructure that can adapt alongside the science,” said Mustafa. “CCT North was designed to provide companies and researchers with access to scalable, physiologically controlled systems that support everything from early-stage process development through GMP-aligned manufacturing. As demand for advanced therapies continues to grow, facilities like this will play an increasingly important role in helping accelerate innovation while strengthening New York’s life sciences ecosystem.”
“This center will be a catalyst for future discoveries right here in Central New York,” agreed Austin Wheelock, executive director of Operation Oswego County. “This company has planted the flag for the future of bio-science right here in our back yard. This investment could have been made anywhere in the world and we are grateful that you have chosen to be here.”
The launch comes at a pivotal time for the biotechnology industry as demand for cell and gene therapies continues to rise alongside increased public and private investment in regenerative medicine, biomanufacturing and advanced therapeutics, Mustafa pointed out.
New York state has also identified cell and gene therapy as a strategic growth sector, creating new opportunities for regional collaboration, workforce development and scientific innovation.
By establishing the facility in Central New York, BioSpherix aims to help expand access to advanced biotechnology infrastructure in an area historically underserved by large-scale life sciences investment.
“I often tell people our biggest competitor is the status quo. People are reluctant to change what they have always been doing because it is what they are comfortable with or it’s what they think will be approved,” Mustafa said. “If we all thought that way we’d all be using stone wheels and living in caves. We must take risks and embrace change. Why keep waiting for others to embrace the technology — why not show them it works ourselves? We are going to find partners that want to move with us, at the pace we want to move and others will catch up later. We are not a company that is trying to get out there — we are trying to shift the paradigm.”
Training and education
In addition to supporting therapeutic development programs, CCT North is expected to play an important role in workforce training and education by helping equip the next generation of scientists, engineers and biomanufacturing professionals with hands-on experience in advanced cell culture and manufacturing technologies.
“This will be a facility available to anyone who wants to improve cell-based research,” Mustafa said.
“We are facing strong headwinds from the current economic environment; they are especially challenging for a small company far away from centers in places like California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and North Carolina,” he added. “I want to change that. I want New York to be a state where people come to develop and grow their cell-based companies. This center is going to be a vital part of that. Please help us make everyone aware of this hidden gem in Central New York. Together we can make a difference in lives around the world.”
They have the potential to help find cures “for many terrible diseases.”
“It’s true there are a lot of miracles that are starting to get accomplished and a bunch that have been accomplished,” said Randy Yerden, founder of BioSpherix. “This is an industry that is very exciting in many, many ways. It’s a new industry, but it is going to be very impactful. Basically what Cytocentric Cell Technology is is the first quality control equipment of cell incubation processing and production.”
The opening of the state-of-the-art facility reflects BioSpherix’s broader commitment to advancing regenerative medicine innovation while building stronger partnerships across industry, academia, healthcare and government throughout New York state and beyond.
This Xvivo System, along with other BioSpherix systems found globally, is purpose-built to provide an aseptic, closed, and optimized processing environment for cell culture and manufacturing. By providing a space for all cell handling processes from start to finish, the Xvivo System replaces the need for brick-and-mortar cleanrooms and traditional laboratories that expose cells to ambient air and fluctuating, suboptimal environmental conditions.
Unlike conventional cleanrooms and laboratories that rely heavily on chemical disinfectants, the Xvivo System integrates patented self-sanitizing technology that minimizes biocide use while preserving sterility and protecting cells from unnecessary chemical exposure.
“The opening of the Center for Cytocentric® Technology marks a pivotal step forward for both BioSpherix and the broader cell and gene therapy community. By utilizing our Xvivo System® to provide GMP-level CDMO and CRO services in a fully closed, physiologically accurate environment, we are redefining how advanced therapies can be developed and manufactured,” Mustafa said. “Our goal is to provide innovators across upstate New York and beyond with direct access to scalable, reproducible and truly Cytocentric solutions that improve both scientific outcomes and patient impact.”
The modular nature of the Xvivo System allows is to be configured around virtually any cell workflow and customized to incorporate third-party equipment. This Cytocentric approach to cell culture and manufacturing enhances reproducibility, improves cell viability, and supports more physiologically relevant data that can translate more effectively into clinical outcomes.
CCT is now operational and accepting CDMO and CRO partnerships for organizations seeking reproducible, scalable and physiologically relevant cell and gene therapy workflows.
