Life Sciences in Ohio

Industry Highlights

Life sciences organizations in Ohio attracted $3.5 billion in funding in 2021. Institutional, award-based funding avenues such as federal grant programs, private foundations, and grant-making organizations have long been valuable funding resources for Ohio’s life sciences organizations. In the private investment sector, strong company growth has been driven by angel investors, venture funding, capital from investor exits, and events such as public offerings and strategic corporate acquisitions. Read more here

Life sciences firms employ nearly 83,700 Ohioans at companies ranging from well-known brands such as Abbott, AstraZeneca, Battelle, Cardinal Health, Johnson & Johnson, NuVasive, and Quidel, to new and growing companies including Alkermes, AmplifyBio, Andelyn Biosciences, AtriCure, Axogen, Clarametyx Biosciences, Enable Injections, Forge Biologics, and Lazurite. Looking at the past five years, employment has increased by 15% (10,905 jobs).

Ohio’s life sciences industry generated $7.1 billion in payroll in 2019, a 21% ($1.2B) increase in the last five years. Life sciences sector jobs in Ohio paid an average wage of $84,600, encompassing a wide variety of occupations. In comparison, the average wage for all industries in Ohio in 2019 was $50,502.

OLSF analysis found 5,429 clinical trials were in progress or actively recruiting patients in Ohio in April 2022. In terms of total study activity, Ohio hosts 15% of nationally active trials, ranking 7th among all states, and 1st in the Midwest.

A majority of trials active in Ohio are in either Phase II (29%) or Phase III (27%), indicating that Ohio is a vital location for validating life sciences research as it approaches commercialization. 20% of the active Phase I-IV studies being conducted in Ohio have been funded to some extent by the National Institutes of Health.

Since 2020, through the challenges of the pandemic, Ohio life sciences companies announced investing $2 billion into new facilities and expansions expected to create over 7,350 new jobs.

American Nitrile, Amgen, AmerisourceBergen, AmplifyBio, Axuall, Charles River Laboratories, Expression Therapeutics, GOJO, McKesson, Sarepta Therapeutics, SPR Therapeutics, and STAQ Pharma are all among the many companies growing in Ohio.

Ohio life sciences-related companies announced $1.3 billion in private investment in 2021. This is the highest amount recorded since OLSF began tracking deals in 2004. Digital Health led with $684 million, followed by Pharmaceuticals & Therapeutics raising $433 million, and Medical Devices finishing the year with $188 million.

Exits (acquisitions, licensing, public offerings) in the state remained strong in 2021, totaling $1.1 billion. The vast majority of companies receiving investment from outside of Ohio have remained in the state, including those receiving funding from coastal U.S. investors or foreign sources. The notion that investors will force companies to relocate is rebuffed by deal after deal resulting in the growth of Ohio-based operations, and an influx of ideas, support, and new jobs in the state.

• Life Sciences in Ohio’s Six Regions

The life sciences industry’s economic impact is felt throughout the state, with life sciences-related companies found in 83 of 88 Ohio counties, and all six Ohio regions have experienced growth while playing a role in advancing critical discoveries.

Anchored by Cleveland and Akron, northeast Ohio led the state in the number of life sciences locations with 1,453, 28% of the statewide total. The central and southwest regions followed with 922 (18%) and 750 (15%), respectively. Other regions are well represented by 432 locations in western Ohio, 256 in northwest Ohio, and 178 in southeast Ohio. In terms of employees, northeast and central Ohio are closely aligned at 29% and 26% of the statewide total. Southwest Ohio led the remaining regions with 13,834 employees (17%).

• 11,179 Life Sciences Degrees & Certificates Awarded in 2020

A skilled workforce is integral to the growth of Ohio’s life sciences industry. Ohio’s technical career centers and two-year, four-year, graduate, and advanced degree programs build on the foundation set by K-12 schools to deliver a workforce pipeline necessary to staff growing life sciences businesses.

Life sciences education continues to thrive in Ohio. In 2020, 11,179 life sciences-related degrees and certificates were awarded to students in Ohio, an increase of 65% since 2006. In 2020 there were 83 public and private schools furthering the capabilities of Ohio’s talented workforce.