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Coris BioConcept inaugurates a state-of-the-art building in the Créalys® industrial park in Isnes
A key player in healthcare in Wallonia
Coris BioConcept, a key player in the field of rapid diagnostic and antigen testing based in the Créalys® industrial park, has taken a new step in its journey by moving to an ultra-modern building in 2023. This new building is still located in the Créalys® park in Isnes, and was inaugurated on 31 May.
This pioneering company was founded in 1996, and currently employs 33 people. It made headlines during the Covid-19 pandemic by launching the first rapid-screening test in Europe. Barely one month after the beginning of lockdown, Coris BioConcept was already producing 250,000 tests per week, demonstrating its ability to rapidly respond to global health crises.
Since the end of the health crisis in 2022, the company, which is based in Gembloux, has redirected its efforts towards an equally crucial public health issue: fighting antibiotic resistances. The innovative tests developed by Coris BioConcept can determine whether bacteria are resistant to antibiotics, which in turn prevents patients from receiving ineffective treatments. Only two companies in the world offer these kinds of tests. The other is based in Korea.
In light of strong international competition, in particular from companies in China, Coris BioConcept is bolstering its Research and Development department. The company plans to hire three new specialists, increasing the proportion of its staff working in R&D to one third. Since 2005, the company has developed 45 Research and Development projects, representing a total spend of €11 million. A little over a half of this is funded by Europe, with the rest coming from national funding sources. The company already complies with eight regulations/standards, with three new standards coming soon: FDA, IVD-R and ISO 14001.
A €3.8 million investment in an environmentally friendly building
This Friday marks a major milestone for Coris BioConcept, with the inauguration of its new building. This represents an investment of €3.8 million. This new building, which has a surface area of 2,000 m², brings together the company’s former administrative sites, offices and labs, which were already located in this industrial park. It includes state-of-the-art laboratories equipped with containment airlocks and temperature-controlled and humidity-controlled environments. These are essential to ensure that research conducted here is accurate and safe.
Coris BioConcept is committed to the environment, and has equipped its new building with 256 solar panels, two 20,000-litre rainwater-collection tanks to supply the bathrooms, a thermodynamic tank and optimised insulation. These installations reflect the company’s desire to minimise its environmental impact while continuing to develop.
A flourishing international presence
Coris BioConcept distributes its products in more than 50 countries around the world. The European market accounts for 75% of its €5.1 million turnover, thanks to strong partnerships in Portugal, Belgium, Spain and France. South America contributes 15% of the turnover, with key markets in Chile and Colombia.
With the inauguration of this new building, Coris BioConcept is firmly positioning itself as an innovative and environmentally friendly leader in the field of rapid diagnostics, ready to tackle future health crises.
A storied collaboration with the BEP
Thierry Leclipteux established his company in Créalys® very quickly (indeed, almost immediately) after launching at home and at UNamur. Since then, he has always supported the development of the region in which the company operates. He also immediately agreed to be the president of the local business association, Idealys. On Friday, he was quick to mention his gratitude for the support he has always received from the BEP teams, whether during the periods when he was renting premises or for his more recent investment project.
In images:
Coris BioConcept creates tests for antibiotic resistance (canalzoom.be)