Qiagen
Encyclopedia
Qiagen 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 U.S. stock exchange Nasdaq
NASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...

 (using ticker QGEN) and at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in the Prime Standard (using ticker QIA). Peer M. Schatz
Peer M. Schatz
Peer M. Schatz is the Chief Executive Officer of Qiagen N.V.Schatz grew up in the United States and Switzerland. After his Matura , Schatz studied business and social sciences at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland...

 is the company’s Chief Executive Officer. The main headquarters are located in Hilden
Hilden
Hilden is a city in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is situated in the District of Mettmann, west of Solingen and east of Düsseldorf on the right side of the Rhine. It is a middle sized industrial town with a forest and numerous attractions....

, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 (near Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...

).

Products

Until the mid-2000s, the company was mainly 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 are used for processing of biological samples and targeted detection of genetic material.

Qiagen provides molecular assay technologies offered as kits with open or specific target analytes. The kits usually contain all or most of the components needed for sample preparation up to the subsequent analysis. Overall, the company’s current portfolio covers more than 500 products. Qiagen also holds more than 1,000 patents.

Application areas

Qiagen products are commonly used in molecular biology
Molecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...

 laboratories.

Qiagen assay products are used in hospitals and medical laboratories to identify diseases or infections based on their genetic footprints and to develop adequate therapies. Qiagen’s test for human papilloma virus - the result of the acquisition of the U.S. based company Digene
Digene
Digene Corporation was a molecular diagnostics company with company headquarters in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA. The best-known product of the company is a diagnostic test for human papillomavirus.In 2007, Qiagen bought the company for USD 1.6 billion....

 Corp. in 2007 - is the only HPV test that is both approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and CE
CE mark
CE marking is a mandatory conformity mark for products placed on the market in the European Economic Area . With the CE marking on a product the manufacturer ensures that the product conforms with the essential requirements of the applicable EC directives...

-marked. In addition to the HPV test, Qiagen markets approximately 120 additional tests for the detection of viruses, bacteria, parasites and genetic or pharmacogenetic attributes.

Qiagen products for sample and assay applications are also used in the applied testing market, i.e., veterinary medicine, forensics or food testing. For veterinary medicine, the company offers assays and components for the detection of Avian flu viruses (H5N1
H5N1
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1, also known as "bird flu", A or simply H5N1, is a subtype of the influenza A virus which can cause illness in humans and many other animal species...

) and further pathogens.

History

Qiagen was established on November 29, 1984 by a team of scientists at the University of Düsseldorf. 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
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...

, RNA
RNA
Ribonucleic acid , or RNA, is one of the three major macromolecules that are essential for all known forms of life....

 or proteins from other cellular components is the basic precondition for any further application.

With the launch of Qiagen’s first product in 1986 the time required for the preparation of plasmids (small circular DNA produced in prokaryotic cells) dropped from two to three days down to two hours. The product was distributed as a kit which contained all components needed for the successful sample preparation prior to subsequent analysis.

The initial public offering of Qiagen at the technology-oriented Nasdaq stock exchange as the first German company took place in 1996. 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
Peer M. Schatz
Peer M. Schatz is the Chief Executive Officer of Qiagen N.V.Schatz grew up in the United States and Switzerland. After his Matura , Schatz studied business and social sciences at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland...

, Qiagen broadened 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. In 2007, Qiagen acquired Digene
Digene
Digene Corporation was a molecular diagnostics company with company headquarters in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA. The best-known product of the company is a diagnostic test for human papillomavirus.In 2007, Qiagen bought the company for USD 1.6 billion....

 for US$1.6 billion.

Management

  • Peer M. Schatz
    Peer M. Schatz
    Peer M. Schatz is the Chief Executive Officer of Qiagen N.V.Schatz grew up in the United States and Switzerland. After his Matura , Schatz studied business and social sciences at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland...

    (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)

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).
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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