LEXINGTON, Ky. — Governor Andy Beshear celebrated a strategic partnership Monday between LifeSciKY and Mitsui Chemicals America, marking the nonprofit lab incubator's first international resident at the new OneNKY Center in Covington.

The ribbon-cutting event drew state and local officials including Covington Mayor Ron Washington and Kenton County Commissioner Beth Sewell. Mitsui Chemicals America, a Japan-based supplier of high-performance polymers, will focus on research and development in life sciences innovation and advanced biomedical research at the facility.

The partnership allows Mitsui's InnoCell platform to leverage its proprietary chemicals alongside LifeSciKY's laboratory resources to develop new plastic products for cell culture. The company will collaborate with Cincinnati Children's Hospital's Center for Stem Cell and Organoid Medicine to advance pharmaceutical testing and development.

"The power of collaboration is what fuels innovation and helps create a better future for Kentucky," Beshear said, highlighting the importance of the partnership for strengthening the state's position as a leader in life sciences and business development.

LifeSciKY, housed in the $26 million OneNKY Center at the foot of the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge, opened its doors last September. The 15,000-square-foot wet lab provides affordable lab space, state-of-the-art equipment and essential resources to early-stage life sciences companies, entrepreneurs and academic spinouts.

"Access to a fully equipped lab without the time and expense of building one means experiments start faster, data comes sooner and capital lasts longer," said Dr. Christin Godale, executive director of LifeSciKY.

The General Assembly allocated $15 million during the 2022 legislative session to support LifeSciKY's lab at the OneNKY Center. The partnership reflects Kentucky's broader economic momentum, with Beshear announcing more than 1,300 private-sector projects totaling over $45 billion in investments since taking office, creating more than 69,000 jobs.

Lee Crume, president and CEO of BE NKY Growth Partnership, noted that the Cincinnati region is home to a significant number of Japanese companies and praised Mitsui Chemicals for joining a high-growth life sciences cluster in Northern Kentucky.