BioFire Diagnostics LLC, Salt Lake City, the molecular biology affiliate of global in vitro diagnostics giant bioMérieux, Marcy-l’Étoile, France, recently celebrated the opening of its Alain Mérieux Center for Molecular Diagnostics. The new facility is dedicated to the development of FilmArray, BioFire’s polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based multiplex system for the syndromic diagnosis of infectious diseases.
Alexandre Mérieux, bioMérieux.
“Molecular syndromic testing is game-changing in the diagnosis of infectious diseases, and the medical value of the FilmArray system is becoming recognized by health professionals around the world,” says Alexandre Mérieux, CEO of bioMérieux. “When we acquired BioFire Diagnostics, in 2014, we were astonished by the skilled teams the company had built, the way our product portfolio complemented each other to fight infectious diseases, and the potential for the diagnostic solution to improve public health. This new building and the investment we make on our syndromic testing solutions illustrate the proven success of FilmArray’s leading technology and our commitment to sustain its development for the long term.”
Randy Rasmussen, BioFire.
“bioMérieux is a global company with a longstanding expertise in infectious diseases, which allows us to address healthcare challenges worldwide,” says Randy Rasmussen, CEO of BioFire Diagnostics and vice president of molecular biology at bioMérieux. “This new state-of-the-art facility enables us to expand our capabilities and better serve the healthcare industry for the benefit of the patients.”
The 285,000-square-foot building serves as a hub for bioMérieux’s molecular diagnostics business and represents a nearly $100 million investment. The state-of-the-art facility is home to more than 1,000 employees, and features a full-service cafeteria, 26 conference rooms, a fitness center, underground parking, and access to the Bonneville shoreline trail. The building is built to meet leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED) silver standards, contains fully redundant electrical power, 100% LED lighting, humidity control, and filtered HVAC at ISO 8 standards.
“With BioFire Diagnostics, we share the same vision of public health and the same entrepreneurial spirit,” says bioMérieux founder Alain Mérieux. “It draws on our deep roots, which inspire us to keep moving forward, take risks, and place innovation at the center of everything we do, to better address patients’ needs everywhere in the world. Along with other bioMérieux centers of excellence, these new laboratories in Salt Lake City will help position our company as a key contributor to the medicine of the future.”
Established in 1963, bioMérieux is a family-owned company with roots going back to 1897, when Marcel Mérieux studied with Louis Pasteur, known as the father of microbiology. The passion for world health and microbiology was passed down from Marcel to his son Charles Mérieux, MD, and later to Alain Mérieux, the founder of bioMérieux. Today, the company is led by Marcel’s great-grandson, Alexandre Mérieux, and has grown to about 10,000 employees.
The FilmArray system is an FDA-cleared and CE-marked multiplex PCR system that integrates sample preparation, amplification, and detection into one closed system. The system requires only two minutes of hands-on time and has a total run time of about 45 to 65 minutes, depending on the panel. Approximately 4,500 FilmArray systems are in use worldwide.
For further information, visit BioFire Diagnostics.
