Today, the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) named Sarah Alspach as its new executive vice president and chief communications officer. Alspach, a communications veteran, will join BIO’s senior leadership team. Her first day will be December 9.“Sarah brings remarkable passion, experience, relationships and creative insights to this important role here at BIO,” said BIO President & CEO John F. Crowley. “She has led some of the very best story-telling and communications campaigns in our industry that describe the power of biotechnology to transform lives. Her appointment further strengthens BIO’s commitment to the virtuous circle of biotech-driven innovation, our efforts to support and collaborate with the patient community, and our work to help bring to market solutions to improve human health and our environment. We are excited to welcome Sarah to our team.”Alspach joins BIO from Massachusetts-based bluebird bio, one of the world's leading gene therapy companies. While at bluebird, Sarah oversaw external affairs – including corporate communications, government affairs and patient advocacy – for the FDA approval and launch of three gene therapies, including a first-of-its-kind therapy for sickle cell disease. Prior to bluebird, Alspach served as chief communications officer for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. She also led integrated communications initiatives at GSK for over 10 years."Every day, biotech firms persevere in the face of incredible odds, guided by their mission to overcome devastating and intractable illnesses, answer our greatest environmental challenges, and strengthen and protect the communities where we live and work,” said Alspach. “I'm thrilled to join the talented team at BIO to tell these stories, to connect the experiences of patients and families with policy leaders in Congress, state capitals, and around the world, and to help researchers and innovators everywhere improve the lives of all those they aim to serve."Alspach will…

Today, the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and the Council of State Bioscience Associations (CSBA) released new national and state-level data on the U.S. bioscience industry's economic performance, its impacts, and its geographic footprint.The report, "The U.S. Bioscience Economy: Driving Economic Growth and Opportunity in States and Regions," analyzes the sector's economic impact via employment, overall output, wages/benefits, and tax revenue.Key takeaways from the report include:The industry's economic impact, as measured by overall output, totaled more than $3.2 trillion in 2023. In 2023, the nation's bioscience industry employed nearly 2.3 million Americans across almost 150,000 U.S. business establishments and in every U.S. state. The sector indirectly supports nearly 8 million additional jobs.The industry's employment has increased significantly, by nearly 15 percent since 2019, maintaining its long-term growth trend and well outpacing the nation's overall private sector job growth during this period.Between 2019 and 2023, 49 states, DC, and Puerto Rico experienced net job growth in the bioscience industry."America’s bioscience sector is vital to addressing the world's most pressing challenges -- from pandemics and national security to preventative health and environmental sustainability. Industry leaders and researchers overcome tremendous obstacles every day to advance innovative solutions and help people lead healthier lives, and this report shows how the sector continues to enrich communities, create jobs, and grow economies across our great country," said John F. Crowley, BIO’s President & CEO. “For two decades now, this report series has shown the growth and impact of the bioscience industry on the economy. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturns, it is clear that the biosciences remain a key sector of the growing innovation economy,” said Pete Pellerito, BIO Senior Policy Adviser for Federal and State…