Maryland’s biohealth boom continues, with Australian bio company Ellume announcing its entrance in the United States. Ellume, a Queensland digital diagnostics company, recently signed a $231.8 million agreement with the federal government to accelerate domestic production of its COVID-19 home tests. The company will establish a manufacturing facility in Maryland, its first in the United States, to accommodate the demand for its products targeting infectious diseases.
"We look forward to building the foundation for Ellume’s long-term vision in the U.S. and recruiting the highly skilled talent in Maryland’s Biotech Corridor needed to fuel our flagship U.S. facility,” said Jeff Boyle, PhD, Ellume U.S. president.
The company's COVID-19 home test will play a crucial role, as it is one of the only diagnostic tools at this time authorized for non-prescription use as a screening tool in the United States.
“Being in Maryland will not only bring the company closer to their existing key federal partners, but will also provide access to our highly-educated workforce, research labs, and critical mass of resources that make our state an ideal place for a life sciences company to succeed,” said Maryland Commerce Secretary Kelly M. Schulz.
The project is a result of strengthening ties between Australia and Maryland which were reinforced by Governor Hogan’s infrastructure and trade mission to Australia in September 2019.
Ellume joins a growing list of biohealth companies that announced growth in Maryland in recent months. In December, Qiagen announced its expansion. Vigene Biosciences and TCR2 Therapeutics also announced their growth in Maryland in February and March, respectively. Biohealth companies continue to turn to Maryland for access to its top talent pool, proximity to the federal government, and other assets for global business.