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Immediate Release

DOD & HHS Announce DPA Title III Agreement with BioFire Defense, LLC to Expand Domestic Production Capacity for Molecular Diagnostic Testing

As part of the national response to COVID-19, the Department of Defense (DOD), in coordination with the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), signed an agreement with BioFire Defense, LLC, a subsidiary of bioMérieux, to expand the production of the BioFire® COVID-19 Test for the DOD. Government funding allocated was $3.1 million.

The current COVID-19 pandemic created a global demand for diagnostic tests for the virus, including a requirement to maintain operational readiness and the health of our armed forces.  The investment in BioFire Defense will enable the company to increase manufacturing capacity through expansion of its facility in Salt Lake City, Utah. By installing two new production lines, BioFire Defense will triple its manufacturing capacity of tests starting in September 2020, which are compatible for use with BioFire® FilmArray® instruments that are fielded across the DOD and Department of State. 

This effort has been led by the DOD’s Joint Acquisition Task Force (JATF), in coordination with the Department of the Air Force’s Acquisition COVID-19 Task Force (DAF ACT), and funded through the Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III program. This project is part of the interagency effort to ensure timely availability of medical resources essential for national defense.