New Biotech to Open Headquarters and Laboratories in Fenway Area

By Beth Treffeisen

The West Fens will soon play host to a biotech company from Cambridge.

In early 2017, the Van Ness building, located at 1325 Boylston Street will receive Decibel Therapeutics, a company focused on discovering and developing new medicines that protect, repair, and restore hearing.

Decibel Therapeutics have entered into a lease agreement with Samuels & Associates, a commercial real estate developer and owner of Van Ness building that will hold the new 32,000 square-foot of office and laboratory space.

“We’re very excited to be the first biotech company to move to The Fenway and join other meaningful businesses in the city of Boston,” said Steven Holtzman the president and chief executive officer of Decibel Therapeutics in a statement.

He continued, “at Decibel, we planned early on to find a space that was reflective of our culture and commitment to making a difference for people living with hearing disorders.”

Holtzman believes Boston is the ideal fit for the company due to the proximity to potential collaborators such as the Longwood Medical Complex and Berklee College of Music.

The facility will include a state-of-the-art laboratory space and offices designed to foster collaboration among employees. The environment will enable Decibel to scale its operations, build internal scientific capabilities and move programs into clinical development.

Decibel first launched in October 2015 with a $52 million Series A financing led by Third Rock Ventures with participation from SR One.

“Decibel Therapeutics is a great fit for our city’s biotechnology and health innovation community, and we are proud to welcome them to Boston,” said Mayor Martin Walsh in a statement. “Decibel’s work in developing new medicines to protect and restore hearing will have a huge impact on the lives of affected people, and we are excited for their continued success a they expand in Boston.”

Van Ness, which opened in summer 2015, includes one tower with 232,000 square feet of commercial space and one residential tower, both atop a 165,000 square foot retail base with a variety of shops and restaurants including a city Target at street level.

“Decibel’s move to The Fenway is just the latest sign of the neighborhood’s transformation,” said Peter Sougarides, principal of Samuels & Associates in a statement.

“Drawing on an ongoing dialogue with startups and tech pioneers, we’ve been able to cultivate a vibrant community of entrepreneurs, with an especially strong cluster of innovative health care and health tech companies,” Sougarides continued.

“The Fenway is truly one of Boston’s most dynamic neighborhood’s – the proof is in the thousands of new people who live and work in the neighborhood everyday.”

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