Plus: New food delivery service launches; Lucky Brand closes in North Bethesda
By Dan Schere
| Published:
Logo from Genetron Health Twitter page
Genetron Health moving U.S. headquarters to Gaithersburg
Genetron Health, a Chinese precision oncology company, is moving its U.S. headquarters to Gaithersburg.
The Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) announced the move in a press release on Monday.
Genetron has been working on a blood-based next generation sequencing test designed for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma — a type of liver cancer commonly caused by a hepatitis B or C infection, the press release said.
The company is planning for “exponential growth” after clinical trials, and hopes to hire 30 to 50 people over the course of the next two years, according to the press release. The company is looking to hire workers in the health and biotech fields, including those who specialize in bioinformatics.
The new facility will be 6,000 square feet and will focus on research and development, the press release stated.
The company’s U.S. headquarters are currently in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park — a research park between Raleigh and Durham that contains government agencies, along with health and technology companies.
Genetron co-founder and CEO Sizhen Wang said in the press release that Montgomery County has “great advantages,” particularly its proximity to the Food and Drug Administration.
“We also have a perfect opportunity here for collegial interconnection with hospitals, pharma and tech companies, as well as a great talent pool to draw from as we grow,” Wang said.
Montgomery County is giving Genetron a $46,848 grant as part of its Make Office Vacancy Extinct (MOVE) program, which helps new businesses settle in the county, the press release stated.
Additionally, the MCEDC has worked with the company to introduce it to partners, incentives and available space.
New food delivery service launches in Rockville, Gaithersburg and Germantown
A new food delivery service called 301 Delivery has launched, in which customers can order food for delivery in the Rockville, Gaithersburg and Germantown areas.
The delivery business serves people in their homes and at work, according to a press release from the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce.
According to the website, 301 Delivery operates from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Sunday.
The website lists 54 restaurants that customers can order from, and grocery deliveries in select ZIP codes.
Lucky Brand closes permanently in Pike & Rose
The apparel store Lucky Brand has closed in North Bethesda’s Pike & Rose development.
A woman who answered the phone on Wednesday told Bethesda Beat said the last day of business was Saturday. She declined to provide her name or any additional information.
Representatives from Lucky Brand’s corporate office could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.
Lucky Brand filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was bought the following month by Simon Property Group and Authentic Brands Group for $140 million, CNBC reported.
The Moco Show first reported Lucky Brand’s closing on Sunday.
Pet Valu closes six locations in Montgomery County
The pet food and supplies store Pet Valu is closing all of its U.S. stores, including six in Montgomery County.
The closures are due to the impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a Nov. 4 press release.
Pet Valu has stores in Potomac, Rockville, Clarksburg, Gaithersburg, Olney and Damascus.
Up to 43 employees combined among the six stores could be laid off as of Jan. 6, according to notices filed under the federal Worker Adjustment Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, which requires some employers to give advance notice of business closures and mass layoffs.
Dan Schere can be reached at [email protected]
