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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Varro Life Sciences Expands St. Louis, Missouri, Operations

08/27/2025
Biotechnology company Varro Life Sciences plans to expand its operations in St. Louis, Missouri. The $42.5 million project is expected to create 33 jobs.

The company’s new lab and research and development facility, located in the Cortex Innovation District, will accelerate the development and commercialization of its Breath-Based Diagnostic and Pathogen Air Biodetector.

“We are thrilled to expand our footprint in St. Louis,” said Tom Cirrito, PhD, co-founder and CEO of Varro. “This city offers a diverse and educated workforce, world-class research institutions such as Washington University in St. Louis, and an entrepreneurial spirit that make it an ideal home for Varro’s growth. Our new facility at Cortex will hasten the development and deployment of our two next-generation biosensor devices that can improve human health and better prepare the world for future infectious disease threats.”

To support the project Varro Life Sciences will benefit from the Missouri Works program, a tool that helps companies expand and retain workers by providing access to capital through withholdings or tax credits for job creation.

“DED is thrilled to support innovators like Varro Life Sciences as they forge new paths and contribute to our vibrant biotech industry,” noted Michelle Hataway, Director of the Department of Economic Development. “Companies like Varro Life Sciences are investing in their communities, developing groundbreaking technology, and helping Missourians prosper.”

Varro Life Sciences (Varro) is a health-tech company developing products to detect airborne pathogens in real time in order to disrupt the transmission of infectious disease. The company’s technology was developed through collaboration with researchers at Washington University in St. Louis and has received support from the National Institutes of Health and FluLab, an organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of influenza.

“Varro's decision to establish headquarters here reinforces Cortex’s position as a premier destination for pioneering biotech and life sciences companies,” added Sam Fiorello, President and CEO of Cortex Innovation District. “This investment not only brings cutting-edge research and high-quality jobs to St. Louis, but also strengthens the collaborative ecosystem that defines our innovation community.”

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