Ellume, a Queensland digital diagnostics company, will establish its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Frederick, Maryland. The company is actively recruiting for 1,500 new positions in the region, including highly skilled technical roles in engineering and science.

The company recently signed a $231.8 million agreement with the federal government to accelerate domestic production of its COVID-19 home tests. Ellume’s U.S. operation will include two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities totaling more than 180,000 square feet, developed by Matan Progress Labs. The facilities will begin limited production of Ellume’s COVID-19 Home Tests in the second half of 2021, and scale-up production capacity through the remainder of the year.

“As the vaccination rate rises in the U.S., COVID-19 testing remains a vital tool in our response to the pandemic. Routine testing is essential for monitoring hotspots and emerging variants and is the key to protecting vulnerable communities by empowering individuals with insight into their COVID-19 status,” said Dr. Sean Parsons, Ellume founder and CEO. “This new facility will help to ensure our COVID-19 home tests are mobilized quickly at scale and also establishes an ongoing domestic source of diagnostics for potential future outbreaks.”

The new U.S.-based facilities build upon Ellume’s existing state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Brisbane, Australia, which is already supplying COVID-19 Home Tests for use throughout the U.S. In partnership with U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) initiative, Ellume continues to increase its production capacity to meet demands of its consumer retail partners like CVS, as well as additional corporate employers and educational institutions.

“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 Frederick, Maryland campus was chosen for its proximity to Washington, D.C., and supports the company’s continued engagement with the DOD, HHS, FDA, NIH and other departments of the U.S. Government. The location is ideally situated close to internationally recognized academic teaching hospitals and leading experts in healthcare and public health and boasts a strong talent pool to support Ellume’s growth. Ellume is working in close partnership with the Frederick County Office of Economic Development and the Maryland Department of Commerce.

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.