Major Expansion in Esplugues de Llobregat
German multinational Qiagen has officially inaugurated its new global research centre for infectious disease diagnostics in Esplugues de Llobregat, near Barcelona. The 8,000-square-metre facility, established at the former Braun factory site, marks a significant expansion for the company and is expected to generate more than €200 million in revenue by 2028. The project follows a €13 million investment over two years and consolidates Qiagen’s growing operations in Catalonia. The new centre houses research and development, manufacturing, sales, marketing, quality assurance, and regulatory affairs departments, including 2,000 square metres of laboratories and cleanrooms.
Boosting Diagnostic Capacity
The facility will enhance production of the QIAstat-Dx platform, a real-time PCR molecular diagnostic system that integrates sample preparation, analysis, and data processing into a single automated workflow. It delivers results in about an hour and detects pathogens and antibiotic resistance markers for respiratory, gastrointestinal, meningitis, encephalitis, and bloodstream infections. Recent authorisations have expanded the system’s blood infection testing to detect up to 33 pathogens and 28 antibiotic resistance markers.
The Science Park is a very good environment for startups, but we needed a larger space to scale up production to another level,
, Ricard Martín, Associate Director of Global Product Management at Qiagen
Economic and Health Impact
Ricard Martín confirmed that a product developed in Barcelona has already generated €130 million in revenue locally and is sold in over 120 countries. He projected that figure will rise to over €200 million by 2028. Qiagen emphasises the importance of rapid diagnostics in reducing hospitalisation costs, which range from €500 to €1,000 per day. The company argues that despite the high cost of its technology, it delivers long-term savings by enabling earlier, more accurate diagnoses and reducing the spread of antimicrobial-resistant infections.
One of the pandemics that will come in the coming years will be antimicrobial resistance,
, Qiagen spokesperson The company warns that antimicrobial resistance already affects a considerable portion of the population and stresses the need for faster detection tools to support the Catalan healthcare system.
Roots in Barcelona’s Scientific Ecosystem
Qiagen’s presence in Barcelona dates back to its 2018 acquisition of STAT-Dx, which developed the core technology behind the QIAstat-Dx platform. The new Esplugues Campus preserves the industrial heritage of the former Braun factory while adapting it for advanced medical research. The inauguration was attended by Jordi Valls, Deputy Mayor for Economy of Barcelona City Council, and Eduard Sanz, Mayor of Esplugues de Llobregat, underscoring the project’s regional significance. The company serves half a million customers worldwide and had over 5,200 QIAstat-Dx units installed globally by the end of 2025.
Primary sources: sec.gov. Reported by elperiodico.com, Europa Press Barcelona, El Periódico Barcelona.
