A Doylestown-based vaccine and diagnostics company will add cleanroom and laboratory space at the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center after landing a $500,000 state grant, part of a $2.25 million package awarded to three Central Bucks businesses.
State Rep. Shelby Labs, who represents parts of Central Bucks County, announced the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program funding for DiaVac Biotech's Phase 2 expansion, according to a TAPinto Bucks County report published Sunday. The money will fund cleanroom and laboratory buildouts, specialized equipment and mechanical and electrical systems at the company's headquarters at 3805 Old Easton Road. No timeline has been announced for when construction will begin or finish.
DiaVac manufactures PCR testing kits for more than 50 animal diseases, including avian influenza, and develops miniaturized molecular diagnostic platforms. The company works with technology partners Schweizer Biotech Company and Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp. Board Chair Dr. Hai-Lung Dai and President Dr. Barry Arkles lead the firm, which also has a research facility under construction at 6256 Kellers Church Road in Pipersville.
The grant is not DiaVac's first state investment. In October 2022, Sen. Steve Santarsiero and Rep. Labs secured a $3 million RACP grant for DiaVac to build a new steel facility with cleanrooms and a biokit assembly area at the Pipersville site. At the time, Santarsiero said Bucks County had the potential to build a biotech corridor that would create jobs and support the growing biotech industry.
The Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center, a nonprofit life sciences incubator-accelerator, houses more than 50 small and mid-size companies at the Old Easton Road campus.
Two other grants in the package
The same announcement included a $1 million RACP grant for a complete renovation of the Dublin Diner on Route 313, which has been closed since 2020. The grant covers demolition, site preparation, structural upgrades, and exterior work. Dublin officials have said they hope new operators will continue to use the building as a diner, but no operator has been named.
The RACP is administered by the Pennsylvania Office of the Budget and funds design, acquisition, and construction projects deemed important to local economies.
