What Akadeum Life Sciences does

Akadeum Life Sciences is a privately held life sciences tools company founded in 2014 and headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, that develops and commercializes proprietary buoyant microbubble-based cell separation products for cell therapy developers, CDMOs, and life science researchers. The company's core technology, BACS (Buoyancy-Activated Cell Sorting), uses hollow silica microbubbles (averaging 12 microns) functionalized with antibodies to selectively bind and float unwanted cells, enabling negative selection that leaves target cells untouched without magnets, columns, or centrifugation. This is described as the first new cell separation modality in over 40 years, with demonstrated superiority in cell viability (97%+), purity (93-97% CD3+), throughput (up to 50+ billion cells per run), processing time (up to 80% reduction), and manufacturing cost (up to 40% reduction) versus traditional magnetic methods.

The company monetizes through a multi-tiered model: research-use kits sold via e-commerce at $480-$1,066 per kit (human and mouse T cell, B cell, monocyte, PBMC, dead cell, and RBC depletion kits), quote-based GMP-grade kits for clinical manufacturing (Human T Cell Leukopak Isolation Kit – GMP, Human T Cell Depletion Kit – GMP), and the Alerion automated cell separation system as a hardware sale. Distribution is global through direct enterprise sales, a Cayman Chemical distribution partnership, the Akadeum CDMO Alliance (Charles River, ElevateBio), and validated integrations with seven major cell therapy platforms (Thermo Fisher Rotea, Cytiva Sepax, Fresenius Kabi Cue, Wilson Wolf G-Rex, Octane Biotech Cocoon, MaxCyte ExPERT GTx, Limula LimONE). The company has submitted a Type II Drug Master File to the FDA, operates under ISO 13485 and 21 CFR 820 GMP compliance, and has raised approximately $37.5M+ in cumulative funding across multiple rounds, including a $17.5M Series B (2021) and a $20M+ round (2025) led by Michigan Capital Network.

Name

Akadeum Life Sciences

Legal name

Akadeum Life Sciences

Website

https://akadeum.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Akadeum Life Sciences develops proprietary buoyant microbubble (BACS) cell separation kits and the Alerion system for cell therapy developers, CDMOs, and life science researchers, enabling gentle, scalable, closed-system cell isolation without magnets or columns.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cell Separation Technology

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Cell Therapy Manufacturing Platforms & Automation (closed systems, bioreactors, fill-finish) (HLAAABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cell Therapy Manufacturing Services (GMP, autologous/allogeneic) (HLAAAKAC), General Lab Equipment (Centrifuges, Incubators, Shakers, Ovens) (HLAGAIAC), Downstream Processing & Purification Technologies (chromatography, filtration, centrifugation) (HLAAAJAB)

Keywords

• Cell separation technology
• Cell therapy products
• Buoyant microbubble kits
• Bioseparation products
• GMP cell isolation

Headquarters

HQ city

Ann Arbor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Cell Separation Kits (RUO and GMP): Sale of microbubble-based cell separation kits for research use (RUO) and clinical manufacturing (GMP grade). Products include T cell isolation kits, T cell depletion kits, PBMC isolation kits, dead cell removal kits, and specialized cell type isolation kits. Available in various scales from research to leukopak scale.
2. Alerion Cell Separation System: Sale of the Alerion automated microbubble cell separation system for higher throughput applications in research through clinical settings.
3. CDMO Alliance Services: Partnership model with contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) who integrate Akadeum's GMP microbubble kits into their cell therapy manufacturing services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Akadeum Life Sciences develops and manufactures buoyant microbubble-based cell separation products, including GMP-grade and research-use kits for T cell, B cell, monocyte, and PBMC isolation, plus the Alerion automated cell separation system. Its proprietary BACS (Buoyancy-Activated Cell Sorting) technology enables negative selection at clinical scale without magnets or centrifugation, supporting cell therapy manufacturing, CAR-T culture cleanup, and immunology research applications.

Product overview

Akadeum Life Sciences offers a comprehensive portfolio of buoyant microbubble cell separation products centered on its proprietary BACS (Buoyancy-Activated Cell Sorting) technology platform. The platform provides the first new cell separation modality in over 40 years, using gentle flotation instead of magnets or columns. The product line spans three main categories: GMP-grade cell therapy products for clinical manufacturing (Human T Cell Leukopak Isolation Kit – GMP, Human T Cell Depletion Kit – GMP), Research Use Only (RUO) cell therapy products, and research-scale immunology products for human and mouse species including T cell, B cell, monocyte, and PBMC isolation kits. Key products include the Alerion Microbubble Cell Separation System for automated scalable processing, Dead Cell Removal Kit, and Streptavidin Microbubbles for custom applications. The technology enables negative selection at clinical scale (50+ billion cells per run) with demonstrated 40% cost savings and 80% time savings versus traditional magnetic methods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Alerion™: Microbubble Cell Separation System - a scalable, fast, and efficient cell isolation system for research through clinical settings.
• BACS™ (Buoyancy-Activated Cell Sorting)
• Akadeum CDMO Alliance

Products and services

• Alerion Microbubble Cell Separation System Automated benchtop system for microbubble-based cell separation that delivers scalable, fast, and efficient cell isolation with capacity from 50 million to over 50 billion cells per run.
• Human T Cell Leukopak Isolation Kit – GMP GMP-grade negative selection kit that isolates untouched T cells from leukopak material using buoyant microbubbles for clinical-scale cell therapy manufacturing, enabling up to 40% cost reduction versus magnetic methods.
• Human T Cell Leukopak Isolation Kit (RUO) Research-use-only negative selection kit for isolating T cells from human leukopak samples using buoyant microbubble technology without magnetic columns or specialized equipment.
• Human T Cell Depletion Kit – GMP GMP-grade depletion kit that removes CD3+ T cells from cell therapy workflows, leaving behind highly pure engineered cells for downstream formulation in CAR-T culture cleanup applications.
• Human T Cell Depletion Kit (RUO) RUO-grade kit for removing unwanted CD3+ T cells from samples, enabling cleaner engineered cell populations for research and process development applications.
• Human PBMC Leukopak Isolation Kit Kit for isolating peripheral blood mononuclear cells from leukopak samples using buoyant microbubble technology, providing fast and gentle cell separation with high viability.
• Human T Cell Isolation Kit Standard-scale kit for isolating T cells from human samples using buoyant microbubble technology, suitable for smaller cell input quantities in research settings.
• Human CD4+ T Cell Isolation Kit Kit for isolating CD4+ helper T cells from human samples using negative selection microbubble technology without requiring magnetic columns.
• Human CD14+ Monocyte Isolation Kit Kit for isolating CD14+ monocytes from human peripheral blood samples using antibody-functionalized buoyant microbubbles for rapid, gentle separation.
• Human B Cell Isolation Kit Kit for isolating B cells from human samples using buoyant microbubble negative selection technology that preserves cell health and physiology.
• Dead Cell Removal Microbubble Kit Kit utilizing Annexin V-coated microbubbles to selectively bind phosphatidylserine on dead cells, enabling removal of apoptotic cells from samples while preserving viable cell populations.
• Human Red Blood Cell Depletion Microbubbles Microbubble kit for depleting red blood cells from human samples using buoyant separation technology, enabling rapid removal of RBC contamination.
• Streptavidin Microbubbles Streptavidin-coated buoyant microbubbles that can be paired with biotinylated antibodies for custom cell separation applications, providing flexible labeling and separation capability.
• Mouse T Cell Isolation Kit Kit for isolating T cells from mouse spleen or lymph node samples using negative selection microbubble technology at research scale.
• Mouse B Cell Isolation Kit Kit for isolating B cells from mouse spleen samples using buoyant microbubble negative selection that maintains cell physiology without harsh mechanical forces.
• Mouse CD4+ Isolation Kit Kit for isolating CD4+ T cells from mouse samples using microbubble-based negative selection at research scale.
• Mouse Naive T Cell Isolation Kit Research-scale kit for isolating naive T cells from mouse samples using negative selection microbubble technology.
• Mouse Naive CD4+ T Cell Isolation Kit Kit for isolating naive CD4+ T cells from mouse samples using buoyant microbubble technology without magnetic separation.
• Human T Cell Selection, Activation, and Expansion Kit Kit combining T cell selection via microbubbles with activation and expansion reagents for a streamlined cell therapy workflow from selection through culture.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% reduction in overall therapeutic manufacturing costs
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Charles River LaboratoriescoreTechnology or Integration · 9 December 2025Charles River is an inaugural member of the Akadeum CDMO Alliance Program, integrating GMP microbubble kits into their cell therapy manufacturing services. Collaboration includes application notes demonstrating workflow compatibility, efficiency, and performance comparing microbubble-based isolation against traditional magnetic methods.
• ElevateBiocoreTechnology or Integration · 9 December 2025ElevateBio is an inaugural member of the Akadeum CDMO Alliance Program, offering cell therapy manufacturing services using Akadeum's GMP microbubble technology with early access to new kits in development.
• BioIVTcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Strategic collaboration to provide higher-quality T cells for cell therapy development, focusing on better-qualified leukopak materials. The microbubble-based separation process results in healthier T cells and more consistent workflow results.
• Cayman ChemicalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 25 September 2025Distribution partnership enabling Cayman Chemical to distribute Akadeum's buoyant microbubble cell isolation kits globally, expanding researcher access to this technology for advancing cell and gene therapy development.
• Thermo Fisher ScientificcoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration of Akadeum's GMP microbubble kits with Thermo Fisher's Rotea Counterflow Centrifugation System for automated cell washing, buffer exchange, and concentration workflows in cell therapy manufacturing.
• CytivacoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with Cytiva's Sepax C-Pro Cell Processing System demonstrating high purity and recovery for CAR-T manufacturing workflows. NIH study also validated microbubble isolation with Sepax NeatCell protocol.
• Fresenius KabicoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with Fresenius Kabi's Cue Cell Processing System for automated platelet depletion combined with Akadeum's in-bag T cell isolation, demonstrating equivalent performance to magnetic methods in half the time.
• Wilson WolfcoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with Wilson Wolf G-Rex Bioreactor Platform for instrument-free, closed-system T cell isolation upstream of culture expansion. Microbubbles maintain T cell memory plasticity phenotypes important to therapeutic relevance.
• Octane BiotechcoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with Octane Biotech Cocoon Platform for fully automated T cell enrichment from cryopreserved leukopaks, achieving 88-97% CD3+ purity and 50-86% recovery without magnets or beads.
• MaxCytecoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with MaxCyte ExPERT GTx Electroporation Instrument demonstrating that microbubble-isolated cells show improved post-electroporation viability, higher expansion, and preserved stem-cell-like memory phenotypes.
• LimulacoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with Limula LimONE Platform for fully automated, closed T cell enrichment embedded within end-to-end CAR-T workflow. Achieves PBMC-to-activation in approximately 1 hour 45 minutes within closed system.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Miltenyi Biotec: The dominant incumbent in magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS), Miltenyi sells separation reagents, instruments, and GMP cell therapy manufacturing services that directly compete with Akadeum's microbubble kits for T cell, B cell, and PBMC isolation in clinical and commercial cell therapy workflows.
• STEMCELL Technologies: Provides EasySep immunomagnetic cell separation kits for research and GMP-grade cell isolation; directly competes with Akadeum's RUO and GMP cell separation kits across T cell, B cell, monocyte, and PBMC isolation applications.
• MaxCyte: Provides the ExPERT GTx electroporation platform for cell engineering that integrates upstream/downstream with Akadeum's microbubble kits; overlapping footprint in GMP cell therapy manufacturing workflows and a complementary (rather than purely substitutive) peer.
• Wilson Wolf: Manufacturer of G-Rex bioreactors used in cell therapy expansion that integrate with Akadeum's microbubble isolation kits; comparable as a focused cell therapy bioprocessing platform vendor serving the same customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Sells Dynabeads magnetic separation reagents and the Rotea counterflow centrifugation system integrated with Akadeum's kits; competes at the cell processing instrument and consumables layer across the cell therapy manufacturing value chain.
• Cytiva: Supplies the Sepax C-Pro cell processing system integrated with Akadeum's microbubble kits for CAR-T manufacturing; also offers competing cell processing instruments and consumables broadly used across the cell therapy manufacturing space.
• Beckman Coulter Life Sciences: A Danaher-owned life science tools provider offering cell sorting instrumentation (CytoFLEX, MoFlo Astrios) and reagents; competes as an incumbent in the broader cell separation and analysis category relevant to Akadeum's customer base.
• BD Biosciences: Supplies FACSDiscover and BD CellView image-enabled cell sorters plus a broad reagents portfolio; an incumbent in cell sorting and separation used by Akadeum's customer base of cell therapy developers and CDMOs.
• Bio-Techne: Sells cell separation and culture reagents (including the original T Cell Activation/Expansion portfolio) through its ProteinSimple and R&D Systems brands; an established life science tools incumbent overlapping with Akadeum's research and GMP reagent lines.

Emerging players

• Sony Biotechnology: Supplies the CGX10 cell isolation system and MA900 multi-application cell sorter; a specialized cell separation instrumentation vendor with overlapping but more focused market presence compared to Akadeum's microbubble consumables approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/akadeum
• Facebookfacebook.com/akadeum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/akadeum-life-sciences-inc-

Compliance11 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds12 records

Investors17 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Akadeum Life Sciences