Qiagen doubles its R&D facilities in the Barcelona Science Park to increase action capacity against COVID-19

• Qiagen N.V., a Netherlands-based holding company, has just increased its facilities in the Barcelona Science Park (PCB), doubling its capacity to develop and produce COVID-19 diagnostic tests  
   
• With this expansion, Qiagen now has a total surface area of 2,800 m² in PCB, including spaces for development, quality control, administration, production, marketing and sales, and a team of more than 200 professionals. The company plans to increase its R&D and operations capacity with extra investment in the coming years. 

• Qiagen has developed the QIAstat-Dx Respiratory SARS-CoV-2 Panel system, a PCR-based molecular diagnostic kit that allows the new coronavirus to be distinguished from 21 other respiratory pathogens, both bacterial and viral, in one hour and which can be prepared by any health professional in just one minute. From its centre in the PCB, it currently distributes this solution to more than 70 countries in the EU, Asia, Latin America and North America.  

• The Qiagen Kit is based on QIAstat-Dx technology, initially developed by Stat-Dx, a company which was incubated in the Barcelona Science Park, and which grew within the Park, until its acquisition by the Dutch group for 154 million euros in 2018. 

• Qiagen is already taking on more staff, with a plan to double the volume of the workforce and generate more jobs in the Barcelona Science Park.  

Barcelona, 26 November 2020. QIAGEN N.V. a Netherlands-based holding company, has just opened the

facilities of its new pilot production plant in the Barcelona Science Park (PCB). With the investment made, the

company expects to double its capacity to develop and manufacture diagnostic tests for COVID-19 in

laboratories and hospitals around the world.

With this expansion, Qiagen's center in the Barcelona Science Park now has a total area of 2,800 m² -including

space for development, quality control, administration, production, marketing and sales - and a team of more

than 200 professionals, including pharmaceutical plant operators, operations engineers and R&D scientists.

The Dutch holding company also plans to build a third production line and additional space for R&D, with extra

investment, which will allow it to continue increasing the development and production of new detection systems

for SARS-CoV-2 and other clinical determinations.

The new facilities were opened this morning, in a ceremony presided over by the Autonomous Government of

Catalonia's Minister for Business and Knowledge, Ramon Tremosa, and Dr Joan Elias, rector of the University

of Barcelona, and which was attended by Nik Baumann, Head of Qiagen Barcelona; Maria Terrades, CEO of

the Barcelona Science Park; Francesc Xavier Grau, Secretary for Universities and Research; Joan Gómez,

Director General for Research; and Quim Ferrer, Secretary for Business and Competitiveness.

According to Nik Baumann, Head of Qiagen Barcelona, “the company is the world's leading provider of Sample

to Insight solutions in molecular diagnostics, and it currently supplies solutions in Molecular Diagnostics and

Life Sciences to more than 500,000 customers around the world. Our global presence and production facilities

are helping us enormously to increase our production volumes in recognition of the strong commercial potential

and success of our QIAstat-Dx platform. We currently have two production lines - one in Barcelona and an

additional one in Hilden, Germany - but our R&D and production capacity will increase substantially with an

additional pilot line in Barcelona and a further one in Germany.”

In Opinion of Maria Terrades, CEO of the Barcelona Science Park, “Stat-Dx is a benchmark of success in

Catalan biotechnology. The company, which started in the PCB-Santander Bioincubator, grew organically

thanks to its clear commitment to applied research and sound business management and it was eventually

bought by a foreign entity that has demonstrated its commitment to the Park and to Catalonia as a place to

continue promoting the project, now under the auspices of the Qiagen group.”

Technology "made in Spain" for the fight against Covid-19

Qiagen's QIAstat-Dx technology was initially developed by Stat-Dx (DiagCORE), a company which hatched in

the Barcelona Science Park, and which grew within the Park and was acquired by the Dutch group for some

154 million euros in 2018. Qiagen was able to swiftly adapt this technology - not initially aimed at the detection

of SARS-CoV-2 - by involving professionals from all over the world, to create a rapid and accessible PCR

diagnostic kit, in response to the enormous worldwide demand caused by COVID-19: the QIAstat-Dx

Respiratory SARS-CoV-2 Panel. By mid-2020 it had obtained CE certification and FDA clearance for entry into

the United States.

It is a PCR molecular diagnostic system, which can be used by any healthcare professional, allowing SARSCoV-

2 to be distinguished from 21 other respiratory pathogens –bacterial and viral– in approximately one hour,

avoiding the need to send samples to patients' primary point of care and, therefore, considerably speeding up

the diagnosis of treatments, and isolation measures.

Currently, from its site in the Barcelona Science Park, Qiagen sells its QIAstat-Dx solution to more than 70

countries in the EU, Asia, Latin America and North America.

<About Qiagen

Based in the Netherlands, QIAGEN NV (http://www.qiagen.com), is the world's leading supplier of Sample to

Insight solutions, providing valuable molecular insights from samples containing the building blocks of life.

Its sample technologies isolate and process DNA, RNA, and proteins from blood, tissues, and other materials.

Assay technologies render these biomolecules visible and ready for analysis. Bioinformatics software and

knowledge bases interpret the data to provide relevant, processable information. Automation solutions

integrate them into smooth, profitable workflows.

Qiagen provides solutions in Molecular Diagnostics (human health) and Life Sciences (academia,

pharmaceutical R&D and industrial applications, principally forensic) to more than 500,000 customers

worldwide. As of September 30, 2020, Qiagen employed more than 5,300 people at more than 35 sites around

the world.

<About the Barcelona Science Park

Barcelona Science Park (PCB) is one of Europe's model ecosystems in scientific, technological and business

innovation in health and life sciences. Built by the University of Barcelona in 1997, it was the first science park

in Spain. With a surface area of 100,000 m², it houses more than 110 companies and public entities (including

6 large public research institutes) and nearly 3,000 professionals (54% women).

One of the Park's hallmarks is the wide range of Scientific and Technological Services to facilitate R&D+i -

which it offers to companies and research groups and on internal and external, national and international levelswhich

is complemented by a programme to stimulate the PCB Community, with the aim of enhancing the

interaction between its members and the innovation ecosystem.

Among its strategic lines, the Park also offers the organisation of scientific dissemination activities to make

research more accessible to citizens and encourage young people to pursue a career in science. Currently, as

part of its Research in Society programme, it organises more than 100 annual face-to-face activities with the

participation of around 6,400 individuals.

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More information:

German Sierra • Communications Manager • Barcelona Science Park • Tel. 608 170 073 • gsierra@pcb.ub.cat

Azucena Berea • Press Officer • Barcelona Science Park • Tel. 93 403 46 62 • aberea@pcb.ub.cat