WALTHAM, Mass., May 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Thermo Fisher
Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO), the world leader in serving science,
today announced it has received a contract from the U.S. government
to provide highly specialized viral transport media (VTM) for
COVID-19 sample collection. The VTM is used during collection of
patient samples for proper transport to laboratories that can test
for the presence of the virus.
To ensure accuracy of COVID-19 test results, VTM must be
manufactured and dispensed into tubes in an aseptic environment.
Thermo Fisher currently produces VTM
at its site in Lenexa, Kansas,
which meets this requirement, and has ramped production from 50,000
to more than one million VTM-filled tubes per week.
Given the significant demand for COVID-19 testing and associated
sample collection, Thermo Fisher
will expand capacity in Lenexa
with a new $40 million facility
dedicated to VTM production and quality control. The added capacity
and increased efficiencies will allow the company to scale
production to more than eight million VTM-filled tubes per
week.
The company plans to complete the new Lenexa facility in Q3 and expects that it will
create approximately 300 new full-time jobs.
"Our production ramp-up in Lenexa has been impressive and our employees
deserve recognition for their ingenuity and dedication to making
this happen," said Marc N. Casper, chairman, president
and chief executive officer of Thermo Fisher Scientific. "We have a
proven blueprint for high-quality VTM production in Lenexa and look forward to bringing
significant new capacity on line as
quickly as possible to continue the necessary testing ramp-up in
the U.S."
Casper added, "We're proud of our role in helping customers to
battle the pandemic. With our leading scale and depth of
capabilities, Thermo Fisher can
support virtually every aspect of the COVID-19 response, which
demonstrates what it means to be the world leader in serving
science."
About Thermo Fisher Scientific
Thermo Fisher
Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual
revenue exceeding $25 billion. Our
Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier,
cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life
sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, improving
patient diagnostics and therapies or increasing productivity in
their laboratories, we are here to support them. Our global team of
more than 75,000 colleagues delivers an unrivaled combination of
innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical
services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo
Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific,
Unity Lab Services and Patheon. For more information, please visit
www.thermofisher.com.
Media Contact Information:
Ron O'Brien
Phone: 781-622-1242
E-mail: ron.obrien@thermofisher.com
Investor Contact Information:
Ken Apicerno
Phone: 781-622-1294
E-mail: ken.apicerno@thermofisher.com
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SOURCE Thermo Fisher Scientific