As cell and gene therapies move closer to mainstream commercialization, manufacturing strategy is becoming a defining factor in how quickly scientific advances can reach patients. In this interview, Irena Luo speaks with Ella Woger-Nieves, CEO of Invest Puerto Rico, about how the island is positioning itself to compete for the next wave of biotech manufacturing investment.
Puerto Rico enters that conversation with a well-established base. The island has more than six decades of experience in FDA-regulated pharmaceutical and medical device production, along with a workforce familiar with the quality systems, validation standards and process controls required for complex manufacturing. For companies developing advanced therapies, that existing infrastructure can shorten the path from clinical promise to commercial execution.
The discussion also examines the broader business case. As a U.S. jurisdiction, Puerto Rico offers regulatory alignment, intellectual property protections and direct access to the U.S. market. Combined with competitive R&D tax credits and a growing life sciences ecosystem, those advantages are helping reframe the island’s role from a traditional manufacturing center to a potential platform for advanced biopharma growth.
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