Qiagen

Infobox Company
company_name = QIAGEN
company_
vector_
company_type = N.V.
genre =
foundation = 1984
founder =
location_city = Venlo, The Netherlands (Holding)
Germantown
location_country = Maryland/USA (North American headquarters)

Hilden, Germany (European headquarters)
location =
origins = Duesseldorf, Germany
key_people = Peer M. Schatz, CEO, Chairman Managing Board
area_served =
industry = Biotechnology
products =
revenue = 649.8 US$m
operating_income = 164.3 US$m (adj.)
net_income = 111.5 US$m (adj.)
num_employees = > 2600
parent =
divisions =
subsid =
owner =
company_slogan = Sample and Assay Technologies
homepage = [http://www.qiagen.com www.qiagen.com]
dissolved =
footnotes =

Qiagen (NASDAQ|QGEN, FWB|QIA) is a provider of sample and assay technologies for molecular diagnostics, applied testing, academic and pharmaceutical research. Consolidated under the Dutch holding Qiagen N.V., the company operates more than 30 subsidiaries in over 18 countries. Qiagen’s shares are listed at the technology-focused US stock exchange Nasdaq (using ticker QGEN) and at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in the Prime Standard (using ticker QIA). Peer M. Schatz is the company’s Chief Executive Officer. The main headquarters are located in Hilden, Germany (near Düsseldorf).

Products

Formerly, the company was recognized as a provider of sample technologies for the academic research market. Today, Qiagen’s product portfolio includes sample and assay technologies along with specific automation solutions for these technologies in the following markets: molecular diagnostics, applied testing, academic and pharmaceutical research. Qiagen’s products enable processing of biological samples and targeted detection of genetic material.

Qiagen provides a broad portfolio of molecular assay technologies which are being offered as kits with open or specific target analytes. Overall, the company’s current portfolio covers more than 500 products. Qiagen holds more than 1,000 patents.

Qiagen's products for molecular biology have made sample and assay applications faster, easier and more reliable. Most of the products are distributed as kits containing all components needed for successful sample preparation up to the subsequent analysis. Integrated solutions automate and further simplify these technologies. An example is the recently launched automation platform QIAsymphony. According to Qiagen, this platform enables the fully automated processing of a broad range of molecular sample and assay applications, thus speeding up the workflow and making it more flexible.

Application areas and examples

In the molecular diagnostics market, Qiagen’s assay technologies are used in hospitals and medical laboratories to quickly and reliably identify diseases or infections based on their genetic footprints and to develop adequate therapies. With the acquisition of the U.S. based company Digene Corp. in 2007, Qiagen became a leader in molecular HPV-testing and in molecular diagnostics overall. With a potential over US$ 1 billion, the market for HPV-testing is one of the largest and most rapidly expanding market segments in molecular diagnostics. Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are the primary cause of cervical cancer, the second most common cancer among women worldwide with a yearly death toll exceeding 270,000. With a clinical sensitivity of 95% for detection of the cause of high-grade cervical disease and cancer, Qiagen’s product is the only HPV test that is both FDA-approved and CE-marked. In addition to the HPV test, Qiagen markets approximately 120 additional tests enabling the detection of viruses, bacteria, parasites and genetic or pharmacogenetic attributes.

Qiagen’s products for sample and assay applications are also used in the applied testing market, i.e. veterinary medicine, forensics or food testing. Areas of application are identifications of victims and delinquents (forensics), lineage analyses, food testing, water surveillance or detection of biological warfare agents (e.g. Anthrax). For veterinary medicine, the company offers assays and components for the detection of Avian flu viruses (H5N1) and further pathogens.

In academic and pharmaceutical research, Qiagen’s products are commonly used in laboratories worldwide and have enabled several scientific breakthroughs, for example in RNA interference research. Qiagen’s products are also involved in the development process of most pharmaceuticals being launched today.

History

Qiagen was established on November 29, 1984 by a team of scientists at the Heinrich Heine University in Duesseldorf (Germany). The company started with the development of new methods for the purification of nucleic acids as the carrier of genetic information. The founding team quickly recognized that those methods could be used in virtually all areas of genetic analysis. In fact, the separation and purification of various molecules like DNA, RNA or proteins from other cellular components is the basic precondition for any further application.

Already the launch of Qiagen’s first product in 1986 equalled a revolution in molecular biology, as the invention reduced the time for the preparation of plasmids, little ring-formed DNA molecules of a bacterium’s cell, from 2-3 days down to 2 hours. The product was distributed as a kit which contained all components needed for the successful sample preparation prior to subsequent analysis.

Further milestones in Qiagen’s development were the initial public offering at the technology oriented Nasdaq stock exchange as the first German company in 1996 and the establishment of Qiagen N.V. (Holding) in Venlo, the Netherlands. The initial public offering at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (Germany) followed in 1997. Based upon the core business with products for academic and industrial research, the company then continuously expanded its portfolio. Under the leadership of Peer M. Schatz, Qiagen advanced the strategic focus on sample and assay technologies in the molecular diagnostics, applied testing, academic research and pharmaceutical markets. Sales grew up to US$ 649.8 million in 2007, the number of employees exceeded 2,600. The acquisition of Digene in 2007 for US$ 1.6 billion marks the latest highlight in Qiagen’s development towards global leadership in molecular diagnostics and to become Europe’s largest biotech company.

Management

*Peer M. Schatz (Chief Executive Officer)
*Bernd Uder (Senior Vice President Global Sales)
*Dr. Joachim Schorr (Senior Vice President Global Research & Development)
*Roland Sackers (Chief Financial Officer)
*Dr. Michael Collasius (Vice President Automated Systems)
*Douglas Liu (Vice President Global Operations)
*Dr. Ulrich Schriek (Vice President Corporate Business)
*Dr. Thomas Schweins (Vice President Marketing & Strategy)

Supervisory Board

*Prof. Dr. Detlev H. Riesner (Chairman)
*Dr. Werner Brandt
*Prof. Dr. jur Carsten P. Claussen
*Dr. Metin Colpan
*Erik Hornnaess
*Prof. Dr. Manfred Karobath
*Heino von Prondzynski

Structure of the company

Qiagen has a holding structure. The holding (Qiagen N.V.) is located in Venlo, The Netherlands. The operative and European headquarters are located in Hilden (Germany). Further regional headquarters are located in Maryland (for North America) and Shanghai (for Asia). Overall, the company currently operates more than subsidiaries in over 18 countries and has distribution offices in over 40 countries.

Key financials

In 2007, the company has reported net sales of US$ 649.8 million and a net income of US$ 111.5 million (adjusted). From 2002 to 2006, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for net sales, operating income and earnings per share was +12%, +32% and +30%, respectively. According to the official guidance published on February 11, 2008, the company expects net sales of US$ 875-905 million for 2008.

External links and Sources

* [http://www.qiagen.com Qiagen corporate site]
* Press kit QIAGEN GmbH
* The Washington Post [June 4, 2007 and August 20, 2007]
* The New York Times [June 4, 2007]
* USA Today [October 18, 2007]