Beyond the Strip: Las Vegas Has a New Kind of Venture in Mind

Editor’s note:This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.

As biopharma companies seek alternatives to high-cost coastal markets, emerging regions are positioning themselves as attractive destinations for research, development, and manufacturing. In this interview, Jeff Talbot, vice president for research and dean of the College of Graduate Studies at Roseman University of Health Sciences, discusses the university's efforts to build a life sciences innovation hub in Las Vegas, the advantages of a distributed biotech model, and why startups are increasingly looking beyond traditional industry centers.

Pharm Exec: Tell us about Roseman's life sciences initiative and how it came about.

Talbot: It began a couple of years ago when the university acquired a 50-acre campus that was originally constructed as a research center in Las Vegas. The university made a strategic decision to use that space to attract life sciences companies. It supports our academic mission because we have doctoral programs across medicine, dental medicine, pharmacy, nursing, and other health sciences disciplines. At the same time, we realized this asset could help stimulate the local life sciences community, which is something we're very excited about.

Pharm Exec: What types of companies are you looking to attract?

Talbot: We have dedicated approximately 120,000 square feet to this initiative, including 80,000 square feet of turnkey laboratory space and 40,000 square feet of build-to-suit space. Because of that flexibility, we're fairly agnostic regarding sector. We currently have companies working in therapeutics, medical devices, and health technology. Those are areas where we're seeing strong interest, but we're open to companies across the life sciences spectrum.

Pharm Exec: How does Roseman support companies beyond providing laboratory space?

Talbot: We see ourselves as more than a landlord. We've worked to connect resident companies with both local and national venture capital groups. One company that joined us from UC Irvine secured funding, advanced a 510(k) submission, and is preparing to begin clinical trials in Nevada while closing a Series A round. We've seen similar progress from several other companies in our community.

Pharm Exec: What is driving interest in locations such as Nevada?

Talbot: Companies are becoming more distributed. Ten years ago, businesses were much more tied to a specific geographic location. Today, that's changed significantly. Post-COVID and in the current economic environment, companies are looking for ways to make their capital go further. We're seeing organizations maintain executive leadership in traditional biotech hubs while relocating research, development, or manufacturing operations to lower-cost regions.

Pharm Exec: How does Las Vegas compare with established biotech centers?

Talbot: The coastal hubs will continue to be important. They're not going away. What we're seeing is a more distributed model emerge. Las Vegas offers lower operating costs, access to talent, and a growing support network for life sciences companies. We are actively building relationships with investors, consultants, and industry experts to strengthen that environment.

Pharm Exec: How much momentum have you seen so far?

Talbot: We currently have eight resident companies, and since opening we've received interest from hundreds of organizations. We also have a strong pipeline of companies evaluating opportunities here. Many are attracted by the ability to access high-quality laboratory space and university resources while operating in a more cost-effective market.

Pharm Exec: What is your long-term vision for the initiative?

Talbot: We don't need to become Boston or San Diego. Our goal is to create an environment where companies can grow efficiently, access the resources they need, and remain connected to the broader life sciences industry. We believe there is a significant opportunity as the industry continues moving toward a more distributed model of innovation.