Bayer HealthCare on Wednesday announced the opening of a new and expanded facility in Coon Rapids that nearly doubles its space in Minnesota.

The facility houses Bayer's Interventional franchise and features new research and development labs as well as manufacturing clean rooms. Bayer's Interventional business discovers, markets and manufactures therapeutic medical devices, such as Cotavance, a drug-eluting balloon used to treat peripheral artery disease. Cotavance has been approved for use in the European Union.

The new and expanded space makes up nearly 80,000 square feet and researchers already are using new laboratory space.

"This expansion nearly doubles our infrastructure in Minnesota, home of our Interventional franchise, and provides room for future growth in our cardiovascular and peripheral vascular disease device lines," said Alan Main, president of Bayer HealthCare's Medical Care business, which includes the company's Radiology & Interventional and Diabetes Care businesses.

Mark Phillips, state commissioner for Employment and Economic Development, said: "This is great news for Minnesota. Bayer's infrastructure investment reaffirms the state's position as a leader for medical devices."

Bayer HealthCare , a subgroup of Bayer AG headquartered in Leverkusen, Germany, employs about 225 people locally. Bayer HealthCare has a worldwide workforce of more than 55,000 employees.

James Walsh • 612-673-7428

By James Walsh

jwalsh@startribune.com