### Qiagen Expands QIAstat-Dx Operations to Boost Growth in Diagnostics
Qiagen, a key global player in Sample to Insight solutions, has revealed its intent to relocate QIAstat-Dx operations to Esplugues de Llobregat in the Barcelona region. This move is part of a long-term investment strategy aimed at fortifying the QIAstat-Dx division.
Slated to open in the early months of 2026, this new facility will encompass every facet of the QIAstat-Dx system’s lifecycle. The system is renowned for its syndromic testing capabilities, pivotal in pinpointing illness origins, particularly in respiratory, gastrointestinal, and meningitis/encephalitis cases.
To meet burgeoning demands in precision medicine and expand on recent strategic collaborations with Eli Lilly and AstraZeneca, QIAstat-Dx is being tailored to facilitate genotyping during regular patient assessments. This ensures quick determination of patient suitability for precise, genomically based treatments.
Qiagen will leverage its established footprint in the Barcelona region to develop this new site. Staff at this location will include experts in research, development, manufacturing, sales, marketing, regulatory, and quality assurance. Furthermore, it will act as a center of excellence for microfluidics research and system and assay development.
Thierry Bernard, CEO of Qiagen, noted, “During the Covid-19 pandemic, QIAstat-Dx proved indispensable, providing rapid syndromic testing during critical times. Now, we are evolving the QIAstat-Dx portfolio to include an expanded array of healthcare solutions, addressing a wider spectrum of pathogen and disease testing as well as precision medicine.”
The Barcelona area is especially suitable for this growth due to its academic and research landscape, bolstered by renowned universities, emerging startups, and prominent pharmaceutical and life science firms.
Qiagen will also build on local expertise in the technology, further honed since acquiring the Barcelona-based startup that originally developed QIAstat-Dx in 2018.
The Esplugues de Llobregat premises will facilitate Qiagen’s mission to advance diagnostics in infectious diseases and beyond. This initiative will help satisfy increasing demands for rapid diagnostics, from hospitals and clinics to decentralized testing sites. The state-of-the-art facility will cover 8,000 square meters, offering office space, production lines, clean rooms, labs, and logistics units. It has acquired LEED Platinum Certification, representing top-tier energy efficiency and sustainable building design standards.
Designed for lab settings, the QIAstat-Dx system utilizes economical, single-use cartridges with sample processing and reagent solutions embedded. Its multiplex real-time PCR technology distinguishes and identifies multiple genetic markers within approximately one hour of testing. Additionally, QIAstat-Dx offers detailed insights like cycle threshold (Ct) values and amplification curves not visible in endpoint PCR or alternative methods.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved four QIAstat-Dx panels, targeting pathogens that cause respiratory and gastrointestinal issues, meningitis, and encephalitis. For the European Union and applicable regions, two of these panels have obtained CE-marking in line with the new In-Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Regulation (IVDR).
This venture aims to fortify the existing QIAstat-Dx presence within infectious disease diagnostics by hastening innovation and diversifying the test panel offerings to new pathogenic targets, including blood culture identification and intricate urinary tract infections.
Qiagen’s recently inked collaborations with pharmaceutical titans such as Eli Lilly and AstraZeneca will further extend QIAstat-Dx’s reach beyond infections, venturing into neurodegenerative, metabolic, inflammatory ailments, and other genetically-oriented chronic diseases.
Qiagen N.V., headquartered in the Netherlands, stands as a front-runner in providing Sample to Insight solutions, empowering clients to derive significant molecular insights from samples composed of life’s essential building blocks.