Biotech firm QurAlis has significantly expanded its global headquarters in Cambridge by leasing 30,000 square feet at Healthpeak Properties' 35 Cambridgepark Drive building in the Alewife neighbourhood, effectively doubling its previous footprint. This move marks a notable growth phase for the company, which specialises in research on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Over a third of the new facility is dedicated to lab space, underscoring the company’s commitment to expanding its research and development capabilities. Jason Brown, chief financial officer at QurAlis, stated that the expansion supports the company’s growth and enhances its precision medicine portfolio and platform capabilities.

The newly leased space is located in a 224,000-square-foot purpose-built lab building owned by Healthpeak Properties, situated directly across from the Alewife MBTA station in West Cambridge. The building is part of a larger three-building, 450,000-square-foot campus known as the Cambridge Park Drive campus, which features amenities such as an attached garage, craft food hall, fitness centre, private shower and locker rooms, secure bike rooms, and a client lounge. These modern facilities cater to the needs of life sciences companies and their employees, offering convenience and lifestyle benefits in a transit-oriented location.

QurAlis has a notable history in Cambridge’s biotech scene; in 2018, it won a competition sponsored by Pfizer, securing a spot at LabCentral, which provided access to fully equipped lab space and prepaid rent for a year. Last year, the company extended its reach internationally by opening a European headquarters in Leiden, the Netherlands, which includes clinical manufacturing capabilities.

The Alewife neighbourhood has been a focus for development in life sciences, led by players like Healthpeak Properties, which acquired several properties in the area in recent years. The company has also partnered with Hines to redevelop a 40-acre site including multifamily, lab, and retail spaces, aiming to shape the future character of this part of Cambridge. However, the rapid influx of life sciences and related developments prompted the City of Cambridge to impose a moratorium on new development in 2022. This was followed by a rezoning effort in 2023 designed to better manage growth and development pressures.

Despite significant leasing activity, lab vacancy in West Cambridge remains notable, with a reported rate of 47.9% as of the first quarter, the highest in Cambridge, indicating a complex market where supply continues to outpace demand in some segments. Meanwhile, Healthpeak’s 35 Cambridgepark Drive building itself is included as part of a fully leased life sciences campus, which hosts tenants such as Eisai, Syros Pharmaceuticals, Ribon Therapeutics, Codiak BioSciences, and Glympse Bio. This campus benefits from direct access to key innovation hubs like Harvard Square and Kendall Square/MIT via the Alewife Red Line subway station, enhancing its attractiveness to cutting-edge biotechnology firms.

Overall, QurAlis’s expansion reflects both the growing prominence of ALS research in the life sciences sector and the ongoing development dynamics in Cambridge’s Alewife district—a key node in Boston’s biotechnology ecosystem.

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Source: Noah Wire Services