QIAGEN opens new innovation center in Barcelona for infectious disease testing and antibiotic resistance

22 Oct 2026

The facility builds on Barcelona’s scientific expertise while preserving the industrial heritage of the former Braun factory.

QIAGEN has inaugurated its new global innovation center for QIAstat-Dx in the Barcelona metropolitan area, bringing together research, development, and manufacturing to accelerate the rapid diagnosis of infectious diseases.

The project, which represents an investment of €13 million over two years, will support the development of new tests and increase production capacity for QIAstat-Dx, a molecular diagnostic platform that helps laboratories identify pathogens and markers of antibiotic resistance. The new facilities build on the expertise and talent of the Barcelona team that originally developed the technology.

"When healthcare professionals are treating a serious infection, getting answers faster helps them make informed treatment decisions," said Àlex Boada, Head of Global QIAstat Operations and Site Head in Barcelona. “This investment brings our development and manufacturing teams together to expand the QIAstat-Dx test menu and serve more customers, building on the expertise of the Barcelona team that created the technology.”

“This investment brings our development and manufacturing teams together to serve more customers, building on the expertise of the Barcelona team that created the technology”

Àlex Boada, Head of Global QIAstat Operations and Site Head in Barcelona

The 8,000 m² complex houses research and development, manufacturing, sales, marketing, quality assurance, and regulatory affairs. The facility includes laboratories, cleanrooms, and digitalized production lines, alongside specialist capabilities in microfluidics and the development of diagnostic systems and assays.

Faster answers for infectious diseases

The QIAstat-Dx system integrates sample preparation, molecular analysis, and data processing into a single automated workflow, delivering results in approximately one hour, depending on the test. Its infectious disease test menu covers respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, meningitis, encephalitis and bloodstream infections, with availability varying by market.

Recent regulatory clearances in the United States have expanded its bloodstream infection testing portfolio with two complementary panels capable of detecting up to 33 pathogens and 28 antibiotic resistance markers. These tests analyze positive blood cultures in approximately one hour, providing critical information to guide treatment decisions and support the appropriate use of antibiotics.

Furthermore, QIAGEN is also developing new QIAstat-Dx applications in precision medicine through partnerships with pharmaceutical companies.

Building on Barcelona’s diagnostic expertise, QIAGEN’s presence in Barcelona dates back to its acquisition of the spin-off STAT-Dx in 2018. The local team developed the technology behind QIAstat-Dx, which is now available in more than 100 countries, with a cumulative installed base of over 5,200 instruments as of the end of 2025.

The new facilities form part of Esplugues Campus, an 18,000 m² life sciences and technology development project located on the site of the former Braun factory. The campus preserves the site’s architecture and industrial heritage while adapting it to accommodate laboratories, manufacturing lines and offices.

About QIAGEN

QIAGEN is a Netherlands-based holding company, a global leader in Sample to Insight solutions that enable customers to extract and analyze molecular information from biological samples containing the fundamental building blocks of life.

QIAGEN serves more than 500,000 customers worldwide in the fields of life sciences (academia, pharmaceutical R&D, and industrial applications such as forensics) and molecular diagnostics (clinical healthcare). QIAGEN employs approximately 5,500 people across more than 35 locations.
 

Source: QIAGEN

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Anna Bellver

Anna Bellver

Senior FDI Consultant - Life Sciences