Matan Signs Deal with Ellume For 2 Full Buildings at Progress Labs at Center 85

Matan Companies announced today the signing of a long-term lease with Ellume, an Australian-based company that develops diagnostic solutions for infectious diseases. The Frederick facility, totaling over 180,000 square feet in two full buildings at Progress Labs at Center 85, will be Ellume’s first in the United States and will produce diagnostic tests for infectious diseases, including at-home rapid tests for COVID-19. 

“This is great news for Frederick County,” Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner said. “Ellume is on the cutting edge, making products that will help the world to overcome this health pandemic. We are excited to welcome Ellume to our thriving life science and biopharma family. Frederick County has delivered on our fast-track permitting process to accelerate this project so production can begin in the second half of 2021     .”

“It is outstanding news that Ellume has chosen Maryland for this significant expansion and will create more than 1,500 new life sciences jobs in our state at a time when they are needed the most,” added Governor Hogan. “We had a highly successful mission to Australia, and I am pleased that the partnerships and connections we created during that mission have resulted in bringing this world-class company to Maryland.” 

"We look forward to building the foundation for Ellume’s long-term vision in the U.S. and recruiting the highly skilled talent in Maryland’s Biotech Corridor needed to fuel our flagship U.S. facility,” said Jeff Boyle, PhD, Ellume U.S. President. “Frederick is the ideal location for Ellume as we continue to work closely with the U.S. Government in delivering COVID-19 tests to communities across the country. The facility will serve as a foundation for Ellume to support the domestic response to the COVID-19 pandemic and better prepare the U.S. for future public health crises.”

Matan has five Progress Labs Phase 1 developments planned along the I-270 Corridor, totaling over two million square feet of speculative biomanufacturing-ready space delivering over the next three years. “Working with the counties and the state of Maryland, I anticipate Progress Labs will help generate over 10,000 quality jobs in our region during Phase 1,” said Mark Matan, Principal of the Matan Companies.

Progress Labs at Center 85 totals 650,000 square feet in four buildings. Matan will deliver the first two buildings to Ellume in July. The third building, totaling 276,000 square feet, is currently under construction and still available for lease, slated to deliver this fall. Matan’s other Progress Labs developments in Maryland are located in Gaithersburg, Germantown and Frederick. “The Maryland I-270 Corridor has become a tier one target for bio users and investors and the demand continues to increase,” said Matan.

The buildings will all be designed with biotech users in mind, boasting enhanced utilities, commercial ceiling heights, as well as significant column spacing and floor loads to support their mezzanine requirements. Tenants can expect ample parking and loading spaces, solar vehicle charging stations and secure outdoor equipment areas in premier Montgomery County and Frederick County locations. 

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