Yesterday, BioCT, Connecticut’s life sciences trade organization, virtually convened its third annual Legislative Breakfast featuring key government officials, including Governor Ned Lamont, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, and Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Daniel O’Keefe, as well as Chairs of the Connecticut General Assembly’s Bioscience Caucus, Chairs of the Prescription Drug Task Force, and other state and industry leaders. The event, cohosted with Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease, focused on the opportunities and challenges facing patients in the state of Connecticut and the life sciences sector as the 2026 state legislative session gets underway. The discussion was moved online due to the winter storm impacting the Northeast.

“Thanks to strong leadership, Connecticut’s life sciences industry is thriving,” said Jodie Gillon, President and CEO of BioCT. “As we navigate ongoing changes and challenges from the federal government, it is essential to inform our legislative partners ahead of the session next week to ensure Connecticut residents have access to testing and medicines. We must support innovation and investment so talent and companies come, stay, and grow their footprint in Connecticut.”

Last year, state leaders announced key initiatives designed to strengthen life sciences in Connecticut. At the 2025 Legislative Breakfast, Governor Lamont outlined an R&D tax credit proposal, followed in the fall with a $50.5 million innovation cluster funding award to the city of New Haven. The state is also encouraging companies to become involved with QuantumCT, an initiative intended to accelerate the development and adoption of quantum technologies.

Governor Lamont, in his keynote address, highlighted these initiatives and detailed the ways in which the state is reacting to vast changes in the federal landscape. He stressed the importance of doubling down on support for the life sciences industry.

“I want to work with you,” said Governor Lamont. “You’ve got to tell us where we can make a difference, where we are stifling innovation or getting in the way, or where we can still make sure that life sciences is a leader here in the state of Connecticut, dealing with the most complicated issues, making sure that AI and Quantum are harnessed here, and do it in a way that our patients and our small businesses can understand and can afford.”

Senator Blumenthal, who joined the federal issues panel, emphasized the need for Connecticut policymakers and industry leaders to stand together as a united, pro-innovation counterweight amid shifting federal priorities.

“We are in the midst of the greatest assault on science and research—scientific progress—since maybe the Middle Ages, when people were persecuted and killed for saying the Earth is round, and everybody on this call has seen it in real time… The bottom line here is we need to fight back, and I view this gathering as a kind of call to action. We need your vocal help and support in every way,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal.

Connecticut is a hub for the life sciences business sector, accounting for more than 24,000 jobs and contributing over $7 billion to the state’s GDP each year, according to AdvanceCT’s 2025 Life Sciences Sector Snapshot. The state ranks third in the nation for bioscience patents per capita.

In his opening remarks, DECD Commissioner O’Keefe stressed how the state’s life sciences industry has played a significant role in growing Connecticut’s economy on a larger scale.

“Connecticut is experiencing growth we haven’t seen in a generation—now fourth fastest in the country,” said Commissioner O’Keefe. “Our strategy remains to double down on the sectors where we have a clear competitive advantage, and biotechnology is at the forefront. Through investments in quantum, AI, and biotech, we are working to make sure Connecticut continues to lead.”

“Sustaining this forward momentum requires ongoing dialogue and thoughtful public policy that incentivizes innovation and ensures that patients can access the diagnostics and treatments they need,” said Scott Weintraub, Senior Vice President, U.S. Business, Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease.

The statewide event featured two panel discussions and a caucus discussion. The first panel focused on navigating federal legislative and regulatory changes, such as shifting federal priorities, reductions in research funding, emerging opportunities, and how other states are responding to these issues. The second panel examined strategies to foster a competitive economic and policy environment for Connecticut’s life sciences industry.

“We have been affected in a very real way,” said Nancy Brown, Jean and David W. Wallace Dean of Yale School of Medicine, referring to what she called the “sense of whiplash” early on related to the uncertainty around funding at the beginning of last year. Brown noted that these federal disruptions, such as delays in grant review, have had direct impacts at the state and institutional level, as each dollar of federal funding brings $2.5 in economic activity to the state. She also noted that growing insecurity among researchers and students, and a decline in international students applying to degree-granting programs, could be detrimental to Connecticut’s life sciences ecosystem unless we provide gap funding and facilitate efficiencies through collaboration.

“For the biotech communities in Connecticut, I think we need to look at how we support companies and provide innovative funding, and more broadly how biotech can be grown in the state and to support it as a robust industry. I think we have incredibly innovative ideas, we have got superb universities that generate great ideas and those universities want to spin companies off into Connecticut,” said John Houston, President and CEO of Arvinas.

“We should look at how we can make Connecticut a state that is a launchpad for national impact and for global impact. ... We can be smart and play on things that are already working,” said Zvonimir Vrselja, CEO of Bexorg. Vrselja pointed to several of Connecticut’s strengths for startups, including low friction to growth, bundles, refundable credits, coordinated capital for buildouts, access to lab space and hospital systems, strong talent pools, and a commitment to taking the time to understand the needs of growing companies.

Bipartisan Connecticut Bioscience Caucus Co-chairs Senator Christine Cohen, Senator Tony Hwang, and Representative Jonathan Steinberg provided a preview of what can be expected from the state General Assembly, which goes into session February 4, 2026.

“We really want Connecticut to be a place not only where ideas and innovation happen, but where those innovations can really be incubated, commercialized, scaled, and delivered in a widespread way,” said Senator Cohen. “That means supporting our startups but also streamlining our regulatory pathways and certainly improving access to capital.”

“This constant dialogue is critical for us as legislators to readily make ourselves available to those organizations that are looking to grow and build in Connecticut. We are open and accessible, and we want to make sure people know that. ... I think a sense of stability and vision is critical to recruit, retain, and grow our bioscience businesses,” said Senator Hwang.

Leading up to the event, the BioCT Government Affairs Committee—composed of members from academia, large biopharma, device, startup founders, and venture organizations—developed BioCT’s 2026 Legislative Agenda, which outlines the legislative actions needed to support the state’s life sciences ecosystem. As Connecticut enters the 2026 legislative session, BioCT will be advocating on behalf of hundreds of organizations to achieve the priorities outlined as well as tracking and mitigating any emerging policies.

About BioCT

BioCT is the life sciences trade organization for the state of Connecticut. The not-for-profit organization serves as the voice of more than 300 member companies. Its mission is to catalyze and accelerate growth in the life sciences with the goal of improving human health, by fostering a rich, innovative ecosystem, and promoting Connecticut as a preferred destination for life sciences exploration and innovation. To learn more, visit https://bioct.org.

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