Governor McDonnell Announces 213 New Jobs in the City of Richmond
– Health Diagnostic Laboratory to invest $4.2 million to expand operation –

RICHMOND- Governor Bob McDonnell announced today that Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc. (HDL, Inc.) will invest $4.2 million in its operation in the City of Richmond. HDL, Inc., located in the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park, to expand its clinical laboratory, diagnostics and clinical trial services, as well as its physician/patient consulting. The project will create 213 new jobs.

 "HDL, Inc. is a unique company and a great asset to the City of Richmond and Virginia," said Governor McDonnell. "The company's clinical lab and testing options enable physicians to work on an individual level with patients to understand chronic disease and treatment and each personal disease state. This kind of attention to detail truly can help to identify and reverse health risks, as well as provide education and support to the patient. HDL's investment and expansion of its lab and services will continue to better the lives of those suffering from chronic disease."

 "HDL, Inc. is on the forefront of a combination of unique scientific and technical disciplines," said Jim Cheng, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade. "I am confident in the company's continued growth in Richmond, and welcome this investment and 213 new jobs for the region." 

Health Diagnostic Laboratory Inc., a CAP accredited leader in health management, offers a comprehensive test menu of risk factors and biomarkers for cardiovascular and related diseases. The company's systematic approach identifies factors contributing to disease and provides a basis for effective treatment, allowing physicians to more effectively manage patients.  As an added value, patients receive a personalized overview of their risk factors along with intensive counseling from expert health coaches at no additional cost, improving compliance and enhancing satisfaction. 

"Stories of people surprised by sudden heart attacks are far too common," said Tonya Mallory, CEO and co-founder of HDL, Inc. "There's good news, however. By growing HDL, Inc. we are in a position to move the medical community far beyond total cholesterol and outdated measurement techniques, and instead provide physicians with comprehensive and accurate information that surpasses the reach of conventional HDL and LDL analysis. Physicians therefore can do more than just diagnose disease; they can focus on all of the cholesterol components and residual risk factors, and their impact on overall heath." 

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the City of Richmond to secure the project for Virginia. Through its Virginia Jobs Investment Program, the Virginia Department of Business Assistance (VDBA) will provide funding and services to support the company's recruitment and training activities.  

 "I am pleased that Health Diagnostics Lab (HDL) has been able to successfully grow its critical laboratory operations in the City of Richmond in a short timeframe," said City of Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones. "Companies like HDL are major life science industry targets for the City. HDL's announcement to expand is very positive news for the economy and the City's competitiveness in attracting and retaining quality health services companies."

 The Virginia BioTechnology Research Park is home to more than 58 public and private bioscience companies, research institutes affiliated with the VCU Medical Center, and major state and national medical laboratories. These companies are housed in nine buildings totaling more than 1.1 million square feet of space, representing an employee base that exceeds 2,000. The Park's nationally recognized biosciences business incubation program, the Virginia Biosciences Development Center (VBDC), has successfully graduated more than 40 client companies that have attracted more than $400 million in equity, grant and strategic capital.  The Park's Virginia Biosciences Commercialization Center was created to assist international life sciences companies locating at the Park with commercialization activities. The Commercialization Center is working with 12 bioscience companies with technologies ranging from medical devices to diagnostics and therapeutics. 

"HDL is a prime example of the type of bioscience company that the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park was designed to attract," said Robert T. Skunda, President and CEO of the Park. "The exciting and exceptional growth of HDL will take the Park's employment base to over 2,000 individuals, adding to our ability to recruit more life science companies and building on the Park's growing national and international reputation."

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