Roche Tissue Diagnostics Expands in Marana
Roche Tissue Diagnostics is expanding its presence in Marana with the addition of a 60,000-square-foot state-of-the-art building. The new construction, just east of its existing facility, will house instrument and service production for the company, which is the leading global supplier of cancer diagnostic systems to the pathology market.
The project, which broke ground in May 2021, allows for the expansion of diagnostic assay production at the company’s main site in Oro Valley’s Innovation Park. Diagnostic assays are used to detect cancer and other diseases.
For efficiency with production materials and flow, a 30-foot-long corridor will connect the new building to the current 60,000-square-foot facility near Interstate 10 and Tangerine Road. Total cost of the project is estimated at $43.5 million, which includes remodeling the manufacturing building in Oro Valley. Completion of the new Marana building is expected in 2022. About 150 existing team members will be located at the new Marana facility.
“With our expanding footprint in Marana, we can efficiently serve the growing number of patients and healthcare providers who depend on us globally,” said Jill German, head of Roche Tissue Diagnostics. “In cancer and all diseases, fast, accurate and personalized results are critical to patient care, when each minute counts. We are committed to improving quick access to meaningful cancer diagnostics to patients and their providers no matter where they are in the world.”
Roche Tissue Diagnostics provides more than 250 cancer tests and associated instruments and technologies, impacting more than 27 million patients around the world annually.
“Roche Tissue Diagnostics is committed to local economic development and to the growth of the bioscience industry in the region as we expand our state-of-the art facilities, which ultimately make us more competitive globally,” said Himanshu Parikh, VP of Roche Global Operations.
Terri Johnson is VP and Head of Facilities, Real Estate, Site Services and Safety, Health and Environmental. She said, “Roche is a leader in the protection of the environment and has been recognized as the most sustainable company in the pharmaceuticals index of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices. We will bring that commitment to sustainability into the design of this new building as we do with all new builds.”
Founded as Ventana Medical Systems in 1985 by University of Arizona pathologist Dr. Thomas Grogan, the company was acquired by Roche in 2008. As a strong employer that offers competitive wages and benefits in support of the local community, Roche employs about 1,700 full-time and contract employees in the Tucson area dedicated to the research & development, commercialization and manufacturing of cancer diagnostic systems.
