Seeing the Future: Announcing Our Expansion And New Facility Opening in 2022
Eurofins Viracor BioPharma is proud to announce that we have completed building a new, state-of-the art, 110,000 sq. ft. facility; nearly doubling our current footprint. Transfer of operations to our new facility in Lenexa, KS (just 25 miles west of our HQs in Lee’s Summit, Mo.) took place on April 4th, 2022. This new purpose-built structure exemplifies our continued commitment to business expansion, enabling us to better support our clients’ innovative drug development efforts.
While keeping our clients and employees needs top of mind, we based the location of the facility on many factors including an evaluation of existing building sites, implications of upgrades, proximity to Kansas City International Airport, the FedEx hub, a rich talent base to recruit from, housing, and restaurants, just to name a few.
Critical to our success, this new facility expansion stems from the January 2020 decision to formally separate the BioPharma business as a new legal entity, within Eurofins Viracor. As a standalone business, we are better able to dedicate resources to support our growing strategic client partnerships, helping advance new therapies and vaccines to market with optimal quality testing services and enhanced timeliness, across multiple phases of drug development. A strong pipeline of new projects for 2022 and beyond, combined with explosive growth within our organization, sets Eurofins Viracor BioPharma on a successful project delivery path for the future.
Eurofins Viracor BioPharma’s new facility is located at 18000 West 99th Street, Lenexa, KS 66219
For more information, please email ClinicalTrials@eurofins-viracor.com.
Why did we move?
Our expansion and relocation are consistent with our organizational goal of providing more comprehensive solutions for our clients. Building on a new site affords us the opportunity to create a purpose-built facility where we can maximize flexibility and efficiency of operations. Additionally, as our current and future testing demand continues to grow, we are on pace to exceed the capacity of our current location within the next few years. Furthermore, we have added many new, state-of-the-art analytical testing platforms, processing automation, and ultralow storage technology to ensure we are well positioned to meet the changing needs of our clients.
Did the move encompass all business units, all equipment, testing, personnel, etc.?
The Eurofins Viracor company headquarters, all laboratory testing equipment, and personnel have been moved to the new facility in Lenexa, KS.
When was the actual date of the transfer of operations?
While certain factors such as weather have had an impact on our actual date of transfer, the Go Live date of our relocation was April 4th, 2022. That was that date that primary operations went online at the new facility. However, movement of other functions and personnel have been done in phases throughout the month of April and most of May, to make the transition more efficient and orderly.
Were any services temporarily unavailable during the move?
Fortunately, we did not experience any disruption of critical services during the relocation. We also have not any significant delays to ongoing client projects/studies as a function of the move. Many duplicate systems were temporarily established at both sites, and these were maintained through qualification of all new or relocated systems in Lenexa.
Did all testing need to be re-validated at the new location?
No. Notice of our relocation move was made to regulators prior to the move. Individual clients were also made aware during regular discussions with them about their studies. We created and followed a Validation Master Move Plan that outlined the phased process. This included plans to move and qualify instrumentation such that we would have qualified instruments at both locations. Once an instrument was on-line at the new facility, we transferred the assays that were currently validated and active. We ensured that there were sufficient redundant systems so testing would continue at the current address. After completion of the transfer, clinical trial samples were transferred while maintaining required storage conditions, and analysis began at the new facility. A final report in support of the Validation Master Move Plan will be written to document the outcome of the equipment and assay transfers to the new location, which will be shared with clients upon request.
Did our laboratory license/certification numbers change?
No. We contacted the accrediting bodies and discussed the change in location. They agreed that our numbers will remain the same; however, the current certificates will remain in effect until our next inspection cycle slotted for 2022 and after the move.
Who handled the actual movement of analytical testing equipment?
The move was handled by a professional service with an excellent reputation for moving and installation of laboratory equipment and systems. Additionally, original equipment manufacturer service technicians were brought in to prepare more sensitive instruments for shipment and to reinstall each system at the new location.
How did Eurofins Viracor handle transfer of samples that were already in long-term storage at the old facility?
All study material currently stored at Eurofins Viracor were maintained and transported under controlled conditions to the new facility. Eurofins Viracor is installing a new, state-of-the-art, Hamilton Storage BiOS XL4 automated ultralow storage and retrieval system at the new location, giving us ample capacity for current and future long-term sample storage needs. This system offers triple redundancy cooling, along with automated barcode reading, and full audit trail of every sample to ensure sample integrity and security. It also includes 21 CFR Part 11 compliant software, with client-specific reporting capabilities.
How much notice was given for when the shipping address for biological samples would change?
Clients were notified six weeks in advance of the date on which they should begin using the new address for all subsequent sample shipments.
In addition, the new facility is 25 miles from our current location, and we had our own transport service available in the event that samples arrive at the new site prior to transfer of testing services. Similarly, any samples that were delivered to our old location after the move were transported to the new site via the same service.