Georgia Bio Announces City of Alpharetta as Newest BioReady® Community at Georgia’s Life Sciences Summit

The City of Alpharetta has been designated a BioReady® Gold Community by the state’s leading life sciences membership organization, Georgia Bio. To receive this distinction, communities must meet certain criteria and be able to support the growing biotech industry. This distinctive honor was presented this week to representatives of the City of Alpharetta at Georgia’s Life Sciences Summit, Georgia Bio’s largest annual gathering.  

 

“The life sciences sector is a significant driver in the state of Georgia’s economy, and establishing BioReady® sites, like the City of Alpharetta, signifies Georgia’s readiness for future growth in this industry,” said Maria Thacker-Goethe, President and CEO of Georgia Bio. “This program allows municipalities to showcase biotech-zoned science parks, streamline permitting, build a robust infrastructure, and identify biotech-friendly sites more effectively, making them a desirable choice for industry with proven ability to be an excellent place for companies to do business and call home.”


“The City of Alpharetta is proud to receive the distinction of being a BioReady® Gold Community. Alpharetta is home to a number of innovative biotech and life sciences companies that are conducting important research and developing life-changing products,” said Alpharetta Mayor Jim Gilvin. “The BioReady® distinction speaks to Alpharetta’s commitment to supporting and attracting businesses in this growing industry.”

 
The BioReady® rating system rates communities in three tiers from Bronze to Silver to Gold. Through these BioReady® ratings, Georgia Bio seeks to provide cities and towns a platform to effectively tell their stories to the biotechnology industry, ultimately helping real estate developers and biotechnology companies find the most favorable destinations to locate. 

 

Georgia Bio launched the BioReady® Community program in Georgia with the support from the non-profit’s partners at MassBio, a global life sciences and healthcare organization dedicated to advancing Massachusetts’ position in the life sciences. With a goal of helping local communities connect with leading life sciences industry representatives, Georgia Bio replicated the MassBio rating system program to determine a municipality’s readiness to host biotechnology facilities based on the community’s zoning practices and infrastructure capacity.
 
Learn more on the Georgia Bio’s BioReady Communities website. 


About Georgia Bio 

 

Georgia Bio (GaBio) is the state’s most impactful life sciences membership organization, advocating for the sector and its diverse innovation pipeline. For more than 30 years, GaBio has served its members by supporting companies of all sizes, from early-stage innovators and startups to established industry leaders in the fields of biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and medical technology. GaBio also works closely with universities, academic and research institutions, the investment community, and other critical partners that promote this vibrant sector. GaBio works to shape public policy, improve access to breakthrough technologies, educate lawmakers, provide member programs, strengthens the workforce pipeline, and advance equity within our ecosystem by championing innovative solutions for some of the most pressing challenges of our times. For more information, visit www.gabio.org. 


MEDIA CONTACT:

Melissa Carter

404-920-2043

mcarter@gabio.org

Georgia Life Sciences Joins National Coalition Urging Congressional Action on Key Innovation Policies

December 10, 2025
Georgia Life Sciences has joined 43 state and regional life sciences organizations in signing a national Council of State Bioscience Associations (CSBA) letter calling on Congress to take immediate action on three bipartisan policy priorities that are essential to sustaining U.S. leadership in biomedical innovation and supporting patients nationwide. With Congress back in session and several critical programs at risk of expiring, the letter urges congressional leaders to advance the following provisions without delay: 1. Reauthorize the Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher (PPRV) Program The PPRV program has been instrumental in incentivizing the development of therapies for children with rare and life-threatening conditions. Its lapse threatens to slow or halt research that families across the country are counting on. 2. Extend the SBIR/STTR Programs The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs provide crucial early-stage capital for emerging biotech and medtech companies—many of them in Georgia. Without reauthorization, hundreds of innovative small businesses face uncertainty, jeopardizing new therapies, diagnostics, and technologies in the pipeline, 3. Advance PBM Transparency Reforms Greater transparency and accountability within pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) practices are needed to ensure that savings reach patients and employers. Reforming PBM operations is essential to strengthening access and affordability across the healthcare system. A Unified Message from the Life Sciences Community The sign-on letter reflects broad, bipartisan alignment across the national life sciences ecosystem: researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, patient advocates, and state associations all share a common message— these programs underpin America’s global competitiveness and are vital to patients who rely on continued scientific progress. Georgia Life Sciences has shared the letter with members of Georgia’s congressional delegation and will continue engaging with policymakers to emphasize the importance of swift action.

GLS Joins Georgia Partners in Calling for Federal PBM Reform

December 7, 2025
Georgia Life Sciences is proud to stand with patient advocates, providers, and employers across the state in urging Congress to take meaningful action on pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform. We recently signed on to a joint letter to Georgia’s Congressional Delegation stressing the urgent need for transparency, fair practices, and policies that ensure savings flow directly to patients.

GLS’ President and CEO, Maria Thacker Goethe in December's issue of Georgia Trend

December 4, 2025
Georgia Life Sciences’ CEO, Maria Thacker Goethe shares her perspective on the value of Georgia’s research universities in this month’s issue of Georgia Trend. “Georgia research institutions have felt a very significant impact from the federal rollbacks, specifically in NIH and NSF funding. Thacker Goethe’s message about the impact of research cuts is simple: Disruption shatters the foundational trust researchers have in grant continuity….” To read the full article, click here .
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