What started as a spinout of the Translational Genomics Research Institute that was acquired by a Texas life sciences company, is expanding in Phoenix, with plans to grow to 1,500 employees here and expand lab space.
Irving, Texas-based Caris Life Sciences focuses on precision medicine to target cancer cells based on a patient's own genetic makeup. The company also offers genetic analysis of cancer tumors. Caris acquired Molecular Profiling Institute Inc. in 2008 for about $40 million at a time when MPI had 50 employees at the Phoenix Biomedical Campus.
"TGen spun off the Molecular Profiling Institute to Caris more than a decade ago, providing technology that has been instrumental in its growth," said Jeffrey Trent, president and research director of TGen. "We are proud of the impact these new jobs have on our community, and it has been great to watch Caris grow and expand in Arizona."
The company currently employs about 1,000 people at 175,000 square feet of lab space throughout the Valley, said Dr. David Spetzler, president and chief scientific officer of Caris Life Sciences.
"We're probably going to end 2021 with close to about 1,500 employees," Spetzler said. "Right now in Phoenix, we have about 300 open positions we're looking to hire."
He hopes to hire that first round of 300 by the end of the year.
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