Worcester Business Journal

6 Worcester Business Journal | November 11, 2024 | wbjournal.com Continued from page 5 210 The new women's single-game candlepin world record score, set by Jenny Rowe at Ryan Family Amusements in Millis Source: International Candlepin Bowling Association Direct visitor spending generated in Worcester County's tourism industry in 2023, 0.8% increase from 2022 and a 19.9% increase from 2019 Source: The Economic Impact of Visitors in Massachusetts report from the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism $1.3 billion 13.4% Percent drop in the number of Worcester County single- family home sales, from 581 in September 2023 to 503 September 2024 Source: The Warren Group 100 Duval Road The 18-acre site of the Orchard Hills Athletic Club in Lancaster and its associated real estate that has been sold for $8+ million to Lancaster-based S&R Realty Holdings Source: Worcester District Registry of Deeds records B R I E F S T H E T I C K E R Jash, Rodney Hunt has grown exponen- tially and expanded our workforce to close to 50 employees in Orange. Our head count is increasing by 8-10 people every year." Prior to being acquired by Jash, Rod- ney Hunt had ceased all operations at the site, moving 200 jobs to Pittsburgh in the process. Jash has since reactivated the site, albeit at a smaller scale than the company's former Orange operations, which employed 400 workers at its peak in the 1970s, according to a 2017 article from the Greenfield Recorder. Worcester startup raises $45M for ALS and schizophrenia treatment Leal erapeutics has secured yet an- other multi-million financing deal as the Worcester-based biotechnology startup has raised $45 million to advance its therapeutics for individuals with central nervous system disorders. e proceeds of Leal's most recent round of funding will support the firm's plan to submit investigational new drug applications to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its treatments for ALS and schizophrenia. Leal expects to submit by the end of 2024 with the intention of beginning its first human clinical trials in early 2025, according to an Oct. 30 press release. Launched in 2021, Leal's October funding comes aer the company raised $39 million in seed funding in 2022. is round of funding was led by Newpath Partners, a Boston-based life science and biotechnology venture firm. e transaction included current New York City-based Leal investors Or- biMed, Euclidean Capital, and PhiFund Ventures with new investors Chugai Venture Fund of Boston and Alexandria Venture Investments in California. Downtown Worcester lot sold for $750K to NY multi- family developer A vacant lot just off of Worcester's Main Street has been sold to New York multi-family housing firm Radson De- velopment for $750,000. e 16,747-square-foot lot at 56 Pleasant St. was sold in a deal finalized

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