Grifols Opens New, State of the Art Plasma Testing Laboratory in San Marcos

SAN MARCOS, Texas – April 19, 2012 – Grifols, a global healthcare company based in Barcelona, Spain, today announced the opening and commencement of operations at its new plasma testing laboratory in San Marcos, Texas. The state-of-the-art facility will analyze millions of samples of human plasma prior to its approval and release for manufacturing into life-saving plasma medicines for patients with rare diseases.

The 72,000-square-foot-facility will create new jobs as well as provide job opportunities for existing Grifols employees through consolidation of the company's plasma testing operations at the new San Marcos facility and an existing facility in Austin, Texas.

"The opening of the new facility is great news for the city of San Marcos," said Mayor Daniel Guerrero. "It clearly demonstrates Grifols' dedication and commitment to San Marcos as being home to one of the company's most important operational areas. We are very excited to see this kind of growth from Grifols and the positive impact it will have on our local economy."

The San Marcos laboratory is Grifols' largest plasma testing facility and will ultimately process millions of plasma samples annually using advanced scientific techniques that enhance the speed, accuracy and sensitivity of testing, according to Sandy Paredes, Director of Plasma Testing Operations at Grifols. Grifols broke ground on the facility in October of 2009, and the facility received FDA approval in December of 2011.

"The San Marcos facility is critical to the overall success of our company, because it will allow us to conduct sophisticated viral testing and quality control analyses that help to ensure the safety of the plasma collected at our 147 plasma donation centers," Paredes said. "It is an honor to open our doors to the City of San Marcos' talent and resources, and we look forward to becoming an integral part of the community."

Texas has been an important business hub for Grifols for many years. Currently, the state is home to 30 Grifols plasma donation centers and the company's existing testing laboratory in Austin. Grifols already employs more than 1,100 Texans and contributes more than $150 million annually to the state economy through payroll and other business expenses. In addition, Grifols' plasma and intermediate products are often shipped to Grifols' Barcelona facilities through the port of Houston. Grifols' global headquarters are located in Barcelona, Spain, with U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles and manufacturing facilities in Los Angeles, Barcelona, and Clayton, North Carolina.