German molecular diagnostics company QIAGEN has unveiled its plans to relocate its QIAstat-Dx operations in the Barcelona area to a new site in Esplugues de Llobregat.
The move is part of a multi-year investment strategy aimed at enhancing its business.
Scheduled to open in early 2026, the new site is designed to support the entire value chain for the QIAstat-Dx system, a laboratory instrument used for syndromic testing.
QIAstat-Dx system is used for identifying the cause of an illness, with a special focus on respiratory, gastrointestinal and meningitis/encephalitis conditions.
The test is also being developed for precision medicine, specifically to support the expansion of recent partnerships with Eli Lilly and AstraZeneca, for use beyond infectious diseases.
QIAGEN CEO Thierry Bernard said: “QIAstat-Dx demonstrated its value during the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting healthcare providers with rapid syndromic testing and crucial information when time mattered most.
“Now we are building on this success by expanding the QIAstat-Dx pipeline to address a broader spectrum of healthcare needs.
“This means both expanding the range of pathogens for infectious disease testing as well as developing solutions for other disease areas and precision medicine applications.”
According to the molecular diagnostics company, its new site builds on its long-standing presence in the Barcelona area, which offered an ideal location for its expansion.
QIAGEN said it can build on the local expertise in the QIAstat-Dx technology, which was originally developed by a start-up from Barcelona and acquired by QIAGEN in 2018.
The new site, spanning an 8,000m2 area, will include research and development, manufacturing, sales, marketing, quality assurance and regulatory affairs teams.
It will comprise offices, manufacturing lines, clean rooms, laboratories, and logistics areas, and will be equipped with digitalised production lines.
Its base building has received LEED Platinum Certification, the highest standard in energy-efficient and environmentally responsible building design.
QIAGEN said the new facility will help address the growing demand for rapid diagnostics in diverse healthcare settings, from hospitals and clinics to decentralised testing points.
It will support the company’s expansion into other disease areas, such as neurodegenerative, metabolic, inflammatory, and other genetically driven chronic diseases.
