Philly's first Black-owned biotech manufacture aims to bring jobs, better healthcare offerings

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Meet Tia Lyles-Williams, who is the founder of LucasPye BIO and Philadelphia's first Black-owned biotech manufacturer.

"We've raised $50 million from Black Pearl Global Investments," said Lyles-Williams. "$5 million of that is from them directly, $45 million is from their limited partners. We've accumulated enough partnerships to allow us to be open right now and to start generating income."

LucasPye BIO is on a mission to make biotherapeutic drugs more affordable while transforming the economy and strengthening the healthcare offerings within underserved communities.

"Our social impact goals are heavily targeted, through offering jobs and opportunities to underserved communities," said Lyles-Williams. "Bringing down the costs of medication for patients and on the other side of that bringing down the cost of startup companies and companies with drug products."

She adds this would help get those much-needed products manufactured and get them into the market.

Lyles-Williams wants to help the industry become more inclusive overall and intends to provide career opportunities for those looking for a new change.

"A minimum of $50,000 entry, to come in with no experience, no college degree but they're willing to do training," Lyles-Williams said. "On top of that, more importantly, what I like best about it is that it's giving them a huge leg up. Having an opportunity for those that need new job skills is what I find most attractive of what we're bringing to the table."

Lyles-Williams says while her company is currently working out of shared office space in Center City, they're focused on finalizing a contract to have their official home headquarters in Philadelphia.

The next steps will be working closely with companies Lyles-Williams says to disburse the necessary resources needed to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic in Philadelphia hot spot areas.