One Health Innovation District ‘a shared vision’: Purdue, Elanco announce plans for joint facility in Indy

INDIANAPOLIS — Elanco CEO Jeff Simmons and Purdue President Mung Chiang announced plans for the One Health Innovation District in Indianapolis.

The shared-use facility will be adjacent to Elanco’s new headquarters at the former GM Stamping Plant.

One Health Innovation District will include office space, wet labs and incubator spaces where Purdue researchers and entrepreneurs can collaborate, said Mitch Frazier, president and CEO of AgriNovus Indiana.

“The partnership marks a rare and noteworthy move wherein a global health company, a university and a government come together with a shared vision,” said Gov. Eric Holcomb.

“The district will create an ecosystem that is focused on talent, applied research and innovation that can be sustained for generations to come.”

Elanco also plans to contribute up to $2 million of initial funding to jumpstart a new Animal Health Venture Fund, as well as plans to purchase an additional 12 acres to the north of its current downtown space.

“For life-changing innovations to move from idea to reality, they must grow in the right environment,” said Jeff Simmons, Elanco president and CEO.

“The many partners in the Indianapolis’ One Health Innovation District will set Indianapolis apart as an area where innovators will find a vast ecosystem of support, including one of the world’s leading universities, funding, lab space, collaboration with many other innovators and companies and most significantly shared technical development and pilot plant facilities to manufacture and scale innovations.”