QIAGEN is a global provider of sample to insight solutions for molecular testing from life sciences research to clinical healthcare.
Thierry, you became the CEO of QIAGEN at the end of 2019, just before the pandemic started. How would you describe that period for the company?
The company was in a state of significant change, and the emergence of COVID-19 shortly after I took over required quick action. It was a time, when vaccines and therapeutics were not available and testing the only frontline against the virus. Our teams developed multiple solutions and ramped up production in an unprecedented timeframe to quickly address the urgent global need for COVID-19 testing.
We build up momentum, agility and speed. Having been “COVID-relevant, but not COVID-dependent,” we distinguished our core business from our COVID-19 portfolio to execute on our long-term strategic goal to focus investments on high-growth markets in areas of the Life Sciences and clinical diagnostics where QIAGEN could build and maintain a top leadership position.
Could you explain why molecular testing is so important today?
Molecular testing has transformed research and healthcare by making the analysis of genetic material accessible and straightforward. QIAGEN has been crucial and at the forefront of this transformation, simplifying complex processes like DNA and RNA analysis, which continue to revolutionize research and its impact improving healthcare outcomes for patients.
We understand genetic material in research, health and disease, knowing how to make it easier for scientists and clinicians to analyze molecular insights. We have enabled them from the start of QIAGEN to innovate and push forward new applications such as gene editing, epigenetics, or microbiome analysis. And also to discover new indications and patterns in the data that alert us if a disease is inside the body.
Today, molecular testing has never been more crucial to our daily lives. Look at some of the long-term trends in healthcare: Our population keeps aging, diseases such as HIV and certain cancers are turning chronic. More infectious diseases spreading faster around the world, and our knowledge of biology and diseases is evolving rapidly. These and many other trends all require more testing, especially molecular testing. Let’s remember how the impact on the healthcare value chain became so obvious during the COVID-19 pandemic.
QIAGEN has never been better positioned to address these trends – with our differentiated portfolio of molecular testing solutions that help clinicians and researchers gain valuable insights to advance science and improve healthcare.
Can you discuss the recent expansion of your clinical portfolio?
QIAGEN has concentrated its efforts on oncology and infectious diseases, where we already have or can take a market leadership position. Our oncology portfolio includes sample preparation, automation, downstream solutions for multiple technologies such as NGS, PCR and digital PCR, as well as data interpretation. It supports new applications such as liquid biopsies and minimal residual disease testing to enable early detection and monitoring of cancer – so patients can live longer when their cancer is caught earlier.
We are leveraging our leading QuantiFERON test for the detection of latent TB infections, a condition which affects about one in four people worldwide. The technology, which measures antigen-specific T-cell responses, can also be used to assess the body’s immune response to other pathogens, such as Epstein-Barr Virus or Lyme disease. Additionally, our research is exploring the potential of T-cells in cancer treatment. Truly understanding how T-cells respond to cancer would lead to breakthroughs in immunotherapy, helping to tailor treatments that enhance the ability of the immune system to fight cancer.
Partnerships are vital to our strategy. We team up with other tools providers to enhance oncology assays for next-generation sequencing (NGS) and collaborate with more than 25 pharma partners to develop companion diagnostics.
Can you explain what you mean by companion diagnostics?
Companion diagnostics are integral to personalized medicine, enabling the tailoring of treatments based on individual genetic profiles. These diagnostics help determine the likelihood of a patient's positive response to a specific drug, thus avoiding ineffective treatments and potential side effects. This approach not only improves patient care but also significantly reduces healthcare costs by ensuring that treatments are allocated efficiently and effectively. Currently, the primary application of companion diagnostics is in oncology, although we are expanding into other areas like infectious and neurodegenerative diseases.
What do you hope to achieve at QIAGEN in the next three years?
We want to further expand our leadership positions in the markets we are focusing on, and that translates into QIAGEN supporting our more than 500,000 customers worldwide. As part of that ambition, we want to become the most digital company in our industry. This is underpinned by our substantial investments in digital technologies.
I am particularly excited about the potential of generative AI at QIAGEN. Just one example is using AI to merge imaging data with diagnostics data from our tests. The powerful pattern recognition behind AI tools could allow us to discover the connections which indicate the disease. This could revolutionize how clinicians decide on treatments for patients and improve outcomes. The potential is huge – our customers can discover new drugs, develop more comprehensive diagnostics and enhance the effectiveness of treatments. That all ties together to our vision at QIAGEN of making improvements in life possible.
