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Missouri: A Strategic Hub for End-to-End Biomanufacturing Excellence

  • May 07, 2025

From the Animal Health Corridor in Kansas City to the Research Reactor in Columbia, and the API Innovation Center in St. Louis, Missouri’s biomanufacturing industry is supported by a vibrant and varied ecosystem of life sciences expertise. The state’s geographically distributed network of life sciences assets makes Missouri uniquely equipped to support every stage of the biomanufacturing value chain — from research and development to active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) production and commercialization.

With nearly 60,000 individuals employed in its bioscience industry and over 40 colleges and universities offering degrees in biological or biomedical sciences, Missouri’s highly skilled life sciences workforce benefits from the rich and collaborative ecosystem necessary for the next breakthrough in medical research. 

In Kansas City, the globally recognized Animal Health Corridor, which extends to Columbia in the center of the state, represents the largest concentration of animal health companies in the world. It supports veterinary pharmaceuticals and diagnostics and contributes greatly to the state’s broader life sciences infrastructure through talent development, R&D partnerships, and advanced manufacturing capabilities. Notable companies such as Boehringer Ingelheim and Nestlé Purina have significant operations in Missouri, contributing to the state’s prominence in the industry. ​

“As an EDA-designated biomanufacturing Tech Hub, the Kansas City region has the skilled workforce, expert service backbone, resilient supply chain, and community support needed to help even the largest companies grow. This region is home to one of the country’s most dense clusters of CROs and CDMOs, the world’s most dense cluster of animal health companies, and a number of major manufacturing sites for global human and animal pharma companies.” 

Melissa Roberts Chapman

President and Regional Innovation Officer, KC BioHub

In Columbia, the Missouri University Research Reactor (MURR) is a national leader in medical isotope production and a key asset in radiopharmaceutical research. MURR’s capabilities attract pharmaceutical companies and researchers from across the country seeking reliable isotopes for cancer diagnostics and therapeutics, reinforcing Missouri’s role in nuclear medicine innovation. The central Missouri city boasts a robust life sciences workforce centered around the University of Missouri’s extensive research and clinical infrastructure. Discovery Ridge, Columbia’s research park offering state-of-the-art facilities, is home to Analytical Bio-Chemistry (ABC) Laboratories and IDEXX Laboratories’ Research Animal Diagnostic Laboratory (RADIL), which provide opportunities in pharmaceutical testing, drug development, and veterinary diagnostics.

“The research environment here is all about enabling new ideas, creating collaborations, and pushing new research ideas. In record time, my lab was set up, my animal protocols were approved, and both my biological and radioactive workspaces were operational. Anytime I faced a challenge, there was always someone ready to support me in finding a solution.”

Dr. David Bauer

Assistant Professor, University of Missouri

In St. Louis, the API Innovation Center is focused on revolutionizing domestic manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients through a public-private model of collaboration. It brings together industry, academia, and government to tackle global supply chain vulnerabilities by advancing scalable, cost-effective biomanufacturing solutions, particularly critical after COVID-19 highlighted dependencies on foreign suppliers. One of its key partners, Sentio BioSciences, is helping lead this effort with advanced cGMP manufacturing capabilities and a recent contract to produce two critical anesthesia drugs domestically.

“Missouri is leading the nation in API reshoring efforts. Since establishing the API Innovation Center, the state has been a champion of our efforts to build a strong Missouri-based API advanced manufacturing hub. We are fortunate to be supported by a region with deep roots in healthcare innovation and an unmatched network of research institutions, manufacturers, and industry leaders. There is no other place with this level of innovation and collaboration statewide.”

Tony Sardella

Chair & Founder, API Innovation Center

Aside from research and workforce, Missouri’s central location offers strategic advantages for distribution and logistics. According to Kansas City Area Development Council, the Kansas City area, in particular, is a major logistics hub featuring:

  • The largest rail center by tonnage in the U.S. 
  • Intersection of major interstate highways (I-35, I-70, I-29)
  • Foreign-trade zones that handle more volume than those of Chicago, Dallas, Denver, and Minneapolis

These unique assets facilitate the efficient distribution of pharmaceutical products nationwide. ​

All of these hubs are supported by a rich network of academic institutions, such as Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Missouri System, and Saint Louis University, which produce world-class research and a highly trained bioscience workforce. Leading research institutions like the University of Missouri’s National Swine Resource and Research Center and MRIGlobal in Kansas City are at the forefront of animal health research. Innovation districts like Cortex in St. Louis and Discovery Ridge in Columbia provide collaborative spaces that connect startups, large firms, and researchers, fueling a thriving research and development workforce and innovation pipeline.

Together, this statewide ecosystem positions Missouri’s workforce as a powerhouse for biomanufacturing, capable of tackling global challenges in human and animal health.

Learn more about Missouri’s collaborative approach to API research and development.