Drug Discovery and Development

  • Home Drug Discovery and Development
  • Drug Discovery
  • Women in Pharma and Biotech
  • Oncology
  • Neurological Disease
  • Infectious Disease
  • Resources
    • Video features
    • Podcast
    • Webinars
  • Pharma 50
    • 2025 Pharma 50
    • 2024 Pharma 50
    • 2023 Pharma 50
    • 2022 Pharma 50
    • 2021 Pharma 50
  • Advertise
  • SUBSCRIBE

Massachusetts is competing for ARPA-H biomedical research center

By Brian Buntz | May 17, 2022

Lab facility Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) biomedical research

[Image courtesy of Pixabay]

The U.S. government is planning to establish the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to accelerate biomedical research.

The new federal research agency will not be based alongside its NIH parent in Bethesda, Maryland.

After winning authorization to create the agency, Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and several colleagues in Massachusetts are asking the Biden administration to locate the agency there.

The ARPA-H headquarters would also likely serve as a magnet for the broader life sciences industry.

In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, Markey argues that Massachusetts is a premier biomedical research hub, given its talented workforce and network of elite universities, hospitals and research institutions.

“As ARPA-H seeks to accelerate medical breakthroughs and invest in high-risk, high-reward projects aimed at preventing and curing infectious and rare diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and other serious conditions, the federal government and the American people would be the beneficiaries of the rich innovation ecosystem in Massachusetts,” the letter stated.

In total, eleven members of Congress signed the letter. In addition to Markey, they include:

  • Elizabeth Warren
  • Richard E. Neal
  • James P. McGovern
  • Stephen F. Lynch
  • William R. Keating
  • Katherine Clark
  • Seth Moulton
  • Lori Trahan
  • Ayanna Pressley
  • Jake Auchincloss

Business and university leaders based in Massachusetts are also joining the effort.

Leaders in other states, including Texas, California and North Carolina, are competing against Massachusetts in an attempt to attract the ARPA-H agency.

The Biden Administration had requested $5 billion to create the ARPA-H agency, which was first proposed in President Biden’s 2022 budget.

The ARPA–H agency will be based on the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which was founded in 1958.

A fact sheet for ARPA-H explains that the agency will not focus on specific diseases but would “aim to build and develop capabilities and platforms that are broadly applicable to a wide range of diseases and conditions (including but not limited to cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes).”


Filed Under: clinical trials, Drug Discovery and Development
Tagged With: Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, ARPA-H, biomedical research, Edward J. Markey, Massachusetts
 

About The Author

Brian Buntz

As the pharma and biotech editor at WTWH Media, Brian has almost two decades of experience in B2B media, with a focus on healthcare and technology. While he has long maintained a keen interest in AI, more recently Brian has made making data analysis a central focus, and is exploring tools ranging from NLP and clustering to predictive analytics.

Throughout his 18-year tenure, Brian has covered an array of life science topics, including clinical trials, medical devices, and drug discovery and development. Prior to WTWH, he held the title of content director at Informa, where he focused on topics such as connected devices, cybersecurity, AI and Industry 4.0. A dedicated decade at UBM saw Brian providing in-depth coverage of the medical device sector. Engage with Brian on LinkedIn or drop him an email at bbuntz@wtwhmedia.com.

Related Articles Read More >

Collage of close-up male and female eyes isolated on colored neon backgorund. Multicolored stripes. Concept of equality, unification of all nations, ages and interests. Diversity and human rights
How a ‘rising tide’ of inclusivity is transforming clinical trials
Mary Marcus appointed CEO of NewAge Industries
DNA double helix transforming into bar graphs, blue and gold, crisp focus on each strand, scientific finance theme --ar 5:4 --personalize 3kebfev --v 6.1 Job ID: f40101e1-2e2f-4f40-8d57-2144add82b53
Biotech in 2025: Precision medicine, smarter investments, and more emphasis on RWD in clinical trials
Data analytics tools help doctors analyze trends in patient outcomes and population health.
External comparator studies: What researchers need to know to minimize bias
“ddd
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest news and trends happening now in the drug discovery and development industry.

MEDTECH 100 INDEX

Medtech 100 logo
Market Summary > Current Price
The MedTech 100 is a financial index calculated using the BIG100 companies covered in Medical Design and Outsourcing.
Drug Discovery and Development
  • MassDevice
  • DeviceTalks
  • Medtech100 Index
  • Medical Design Sourcing
  • Medical Design & Outsourcing
  • Medical Tubing + Extrusion
  • Subscribe to our E-Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • R&D World
  • Drug Delivery Business News
  • Pharmaceutical Processing World

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Drug Discovery & Development

  • Home Drug Discovery and Development
  • Drug Discovery
  • Women in Pharma and Biotech
  • Oncology
  • Neurological Disease
  • Infectious Disease
  • Resources
    • Video features
    • Podcast
    • Webinars
  • Pharma 50
    • 2025 Pharma 50
    • 2024 Pharma 50
    • 2023 Pharma 50
    • 2022 Pharma 50
    • 2021 Pharma 50
  • Advertise
  • SUBSCRIBE