bioMérieux Celebrates Opening of Molecular and Genomic Innovation Center at Navy Yard in Philadelphia

Philadelphia, Pa. — bioMérieux celebrated the opening of its Molecular and Genomic Innovation Center at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia. The new 32,000-square-foot facility is home to the xPRO Program, which bioMérieux said has rapidly changed the landscape of food safety diagnostic capabilities by partnering directly with industry leaders to address unmet needs to streamline operational efficiencies and further public health. bioMérieux’s global leadership team was on-site for the ribbon cutting event. 

“The opening of the Molecular and Genomic Innovation Center at the Navy Yard is an important milestone in bioMérieux’s storied legacy, as we continue to provide game changing diagnostic solutions that solve the food safety industry’s most persistent and urgent challenges,” said Miguel Villa, senior vice president, industrial applications, Americas, and xPRO sponsor. “This facility — in conjunction with our unique Augmented Diagnostics approach to food safety — allows us to continue redefining the role and capabilities of diagnostic testing to further ensure public health and fortify brand reputations.” 

Since 2019, the xPRO Program has continuously developed testing solutions that aim to reduce food and beverage safety pain points across the entirety of the production process, from raw materials to final quality assurance releases. The expansion of bioMérieux at The Navy Yard — which features a team of 50 — is key to maintaining the pace of innovation to meet global customer needs, said the company. Increased space for state-of-the-art labs — including The Genomic Discovery Center (investigation and discovery) and The xPRO Research & Development Center (assay development, validation and production) — allows for rapid ideation, development and validation, meaning a shorter market launch time for clients, said bioMérieux.

“The Molecular and Genomic Innovation Center opening marks not just the unveiling of a new building but underscores our commitment to enhancing our operational capabilities and fostering innovation in molecular diagnostics, an integral part of our Augmented Diagnostics approach,” said Yasha Mitrotti, EVP industrial applications, microbiology. “With this landmark, we are poised to strengthen our support to our customers in food safety worldwide.”

In addition to a ribbon cutting ceremony, bioMérieux commemorated the opening with a $10,000 donation to the Science Center’s FirstHand program, a free, year-round STEM learning program for middle and high school students designed to provide skill-based career exposure. bioMérieux is a longtime partner of the Science Center, providing mentoring and on-site job shadow opportunities for FirstHand students. 

“We couldn’t be more excited to deepen our roots in Philadelphia, which has long supported our organization through its commitment to fostering an entrepreneurial environment that promotes innovation and collaboration,” said Ben Pascal, global head of the xPRO Program, “As the innovation leader in the market and with our focus on maintaining a culture of entrepreneurship, the new site bolsters our ability to rapidly respond and develop breakthrough innovations that change the paradigm for global food safety.”

bioMérieux selected to open the site at the Navy Yard, which serves the region as an innovation Life Sciences hub focused on research and development, commercialization and manufacturing, and boasts a roster of regional and global companies currently occupying more than one million square feet of life sciences and advanced manufacturing space. The opening of bioMérieux at the Navy Yard strengthens the site’s reputation as a foremost innovation hub across the U.S., said bioMérieux.

Part of bioMérieux’s Augmented Diagnostics approach, the xPRO Program is the catalyst advancing molecular diagnostics, solving the food industry’s complex food safety operational challenges through direct partnership to diagnose the root cause of food safety obstacles and develop innovative, custom testing solutions to ensure public safety while minimizing waste and maximizing efficiency. The trusted partner in Augmented Diagnostics for clients including Body Armor, Victory Brewing Company, Jackson Family Wines, Herbalife and more, bioMérieux’s xPRO Program is open to food, beverage, dietary supplement and cannabis companies of any size that are looking to improve their quality assurance and diagnostic testing services. For more information on the xPRO Program, visit go.biomerieux.com/xPRO.