Summary: Healgen Scientific launched a new manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas, to produce the Healgen Rapid Check COVID-19/Flu A&B Antigen Test, enhancing local job opportunities and U.S. diagnostic test availability.

Key Takeaways:

  • Local Impact: The new Houston facility is aimed to create jobs and support economic development, underscoring Healgen’s commitment to using local materials and labor in producing high-quality diagnostic tests.
  • High-Volume Production: Healgen’s facility is capable of producing nearly half a million tests per day, including the EUA-approved Rapid Check COVID-19/Flu A&B Antigen Test for point-of-care use.
  • Expanding U.S. Presence: With significant investments in manufacturing facilities across the U.S., Healgen is positioning itself as a key player in the global diagnostics market, with plans to produce additional tests, such as RSV tests, in the near future.

Healgen Scientific has opened a new manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas, where it will launch production of the Healgen Rapid Check COVID-19/Flu A&B Antigen Test, which has emergency use authorization (EUA) for point-of-care use.

Healgen’s first manufacturing facility in this area is poised to play a pivotal role in enhancing the company’s ability to meet the growing demand for high-quality diagnostic solutions in the U.S. and beyond, the company says. The new facility provides local jobs, drives economic development and demonstrates Healgen’s commitment to the state. 

“This new facility in Houston uses very innovative technology that will precisely diagnose viruses or diseases so people can be confident in the results they are receiving,” says Bingliang Fang, MD, PhD, and CEO of Healgen Scientific LLC. “Here, Healgen is able to produce quality tests on a very large scale—nearly a half million per day. We are proud to provide made in the USA products with a commitment to using local materials, employing local residents and being an integral part of the community.”

Healgen’s Growth Journey

Healgen currently has nearly 120 employees in the U.S. and is expected to provide more than 200 job opportunities in the next three years. Healgen has generated approximately $25 million of federal tax revenue and $9 million of Texas state tax in the past three years.

“We welcome you to our great city,” says Chris Hollins, city controller, City of Houston Controller’s Office. “This is a city, and a state, of business and of commerce. We’re excited that hundreds of jobs are on the way because of the investment of Healgen and the Fang family, and we’re grateful for your presence. On behalf of more than 2 million Houstonians, we applaud Healgen Scientific LLC on bringing world-class innovation and disease management to the United States.”

Producing Healgen’s COVID/Flu Test

Healgen seamlessly integrates production technologies and rigorous quality control measures to ensure the smooth and efficient manufacturing of medical diagnostic products, including rapid COVID-19 tests and the Healgen Rapid Check COVID-19/Flu A&B Antigen Test, which has emergency use authorization (EUA) for point-of-care use.

“I am especially proud of this business because it deals with healthcare, and healthcare is something that we all will need at some point in our lives—you can’t escape the need for healthcare,” says Al Green, member of congress, U.S. House of Representatives. “As a result of this need, healthcare is a human right. Every person who gets sick should get healthcare. We cannot allow healthcare to become wealthcare. We cannot allow healthcare to become sick care. Healthcare is a human right.”

Healgen Scientific has 325 automated production lines around the world and a daily production capacity of more than 22 million healthcare tests. The company has moved 15 of these production lines to the U.S., and established large production locations in New York, New Jersey, and Texas, investing more than $100 million in three large-scale manufacturing and warehouse facilities. The facility in Houston will also produce RSV tests later in the year.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Healgen Scientific worked with Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc. to develop a Rapid COVID-19 Antigen Self-Test under the Siemens Clinitest brand. This test was approved for EUA by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (EUA210639). More than 2 billion Rapid COVID-19 Antigen Self-Test Kits have been used worldwide including more than 400 million tests in the U.S.

Featured image: Dignitaries and key constituents celebrated the debut of Healgen Scientific’s new cutting-edge manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas during a ribbon cutting ceremony held Aug. 28, 2024. Photo: Healgen