Three-storey, multi-occupancy R&D building welcomes Camena Bioscience
Chesterford Research Park has secured the first letting at the newly completed Sidney Sussex Building, with Suite 5 (2,910 sq ft) taken by existing occupier Camena Bioscience (Camena).
The move sees Camena relocate from the Park’s Science Village to consolidate its team within a single, purpose-built, fully fitted laboratory and office suite, enabling the company to benefit from a brand-new laboratory environment while remaining within a park they are strongly committed to. The transaction marks the first occupation within the building, which has been designed to offer a range of ready-to-occupy spaces for growing life science businesses.
The three-storey Sidney Sussex Building provides 10 self-contained suites, ranging in size from 2,245 sq ft – 8,390 sq ft. The suites combine high-specification laboratory space with write-up / office areas. Delivered to a fully fitted standard, the suites are designed to enable occupiers to minimise lead-in times and capital expenditure, with flexibility to accommodate a range of R&D requirements. The design also enables suites to be combined to enable larger requirements as appropriate.
Steve Harvey, CEO, Camena, said: “Bringing our team together into a single, high-quality facility was a key priority. The Sidney Sussex Building provides the specification and flexibility we need to support our next phase of growth. The Park has a storied heritage in DNA sequencing and is the natural home for our work in DNA synthesis innovation.”
Camena is a synthetic biology company with a suite of novel DNA synthesis technologies. It’s high-throughput platform produces complex gene sequences critical for the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Backed by growth capital from investors including Mercia Ventures, Camena is a prime example of the specialised, high-value R&D occupiers which choose the Cambridge cluster, and more specifically Chesterford Research Park, as the location from which to develop their science.
Julian Cobourne, Head of Regional Investment Manager, Aviva Investors, commented: “Welcoming Camena as the first occupier into the Sidney Sussex Building since its recent completion is a hugely positive endorsement – not only of the building itself, but of the Park’s continued appeal as a destination for life science firms, and the strength of its dedicated on-site support team. This represents another important step in the continued evolution of Chesterford Research Park, alongside a number of key investments we are making across Cambridge.”
The Sidney Sussex Building forms part of Chesterford Research Park’s masterplan to continue to deliver flexible, high-quality laboratory accommodation, which not only enables existing occupiers to expand and develop on site but also creates opportunity for new occupiers to join this dynamic and evolving community.
Chesterford Research Park’s owners are advised by the Park’s joint commercial agents, Cheffins and Savills and development partners the Churchmanor Estates Company plc.
