Aptamer Group
Aptamer Group plc is a York-based AIM-listed biotechnology company that develops custom DNA/RNA aptamer-based affinity binders (Optimers®) as antibody alternatives for global pharmaceutical, diagnostic, and biotech customers via fee-for-service contracts and licensing deals.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersYork, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Aptamer Group does
Aptamer Group plc is a York-based, AIM-listed (APTA) biotechnology company founded in 2008 that develops custom DNA and RNA-based affinity binders called Optimers® as alternatives to traditional antibodies. The proprietary Optimer® platform uses synthetic aptamer selection libraries to engineer binders with tunable kinetics, superior specificity, room-temperature stability, and batch-to-batch consistency, targeting applications where antibodies are limited — including therapeutics (Optimer-drug conjugates, PROTACs, siRNA delivery vehicles), diagnostics (ELISA, lateral flow, IHC, biosensors), and bioprocessing (purification and quality control at manufacturing scale).
The company operates a dual revenue model combining fee-for-service custom binder development contracts with a growing licensing/royalty stream from its proprietary Optimer asset portfolio (expanded from 4 to 11 licensable assets). Contracts typically range from £190,000 to £769,000 with global pharmaceutical partners including top-3, top-5, and top-10 pharma, AstraZeneca (siRNA delivery to fibrotic liver), Unilever (novel deodorant active ingredients), Neuro-Bio (Alzheimer's diagnostics), and life sciences tools companies Twist Bioscience and Alphazyme (enzyme-modulating Optimer licensing, December 2025). The firm also offers a biomarker discovery service using hypothesis-free cell targeting selection and participates in the Eurostars-funded MIRACLE consortium for non-invasive prenatal diagnostics.
For FY2026 (year ended 30 June 2026), Aptamer Group reported £1.5 million in revenue, a 25% year-on-year increase, against a sales pipeline of £4.8 million and contracted order book of £600,000. The company remains unprofitable at the EBITDA line (approximately -£2.3M loss in FY2025) but extended its cash runway through 2028 with a £3.75 million Accelerated Book Build in 2026. Headcount sits in the 51–100 range with three wholly-owned operating subsidiaries (Aptamer Solutions Ltd, Aptamer Diagnostics Ltd, Aptamer Therapeutics Ltd) and operations focused on Europe with global enterprise customers.
Aptamer Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Aptamer Group
- Legal name
- Aptamer Group plc
- Website
- https://aptamergroup.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Aptamer Group plc is a York-based AIM-listed biotechnology company that develops custom DNA/RNA aptamer-based affinity binders (Optimers®) as antibody alternatives for global pharmaceutical, diagnostic, and biotech customers via fee-for-service contracts and licensing deals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Aptamer Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Aptamer-Based Affinity Reagents
- SIC
- In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Library & Diversity Generation Platforms (display libraries, DNA-encoded libraries for biologics, variant libraries) (HLAAAIAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- RNA Therapeutics Platforms & Design (sequence design, target ID/validation, AI/bioinformatics) (HLAAADAG), RNA Chemistry & Oligonucleotide Engineering (backbones, modifications, stereochemistry) (HLAAADAE), RNA Therapeutics Clinical Development (trial design, endpoints, patient stratification) (HLAAADAH)
Keywords
Where Aptamer Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- York
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Aptamer Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Fee-for-Service Research Contracts: Aptamer Group secures paid research contracts with pharmaceutical companies for Optimer binder development. Contracts typically range from £360,000 to £769,000, with recent deals including a £769,000 contract with a top-five pharmaceutical company and £190,000 with a top-10 global pharma business. Revenue increased 25% to approximately £1.5m for FY2026.
- Technology Licensing: Licensing and supply agreements granting partners access to Optimer platform technology. First licensing income generated from agreements with Twist Bioscience and Alphazyme signed in December 2025. Royalty-based revenue model with commercial prospects for enzyme-modulating assets.
- Post-IPO Equity Funding: Company raised £3.6 million through Post-IPO equity funding as third funding round, bringing total funding to approximately $8 million. Additional smaller fundraising of £310,772 completed in September 2023.
- Licensed Optimer Asset Portfolio: Company is building portfolio of licensable Optimer assets (expanded from 4 to 11) with late-stage licensing negotiations for enzyme-modulating assets. Initial sales forecasts for first enzyme-modulating Optimer could cover 15% of overheads.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Aptamer Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Aptamer Group develops custom DNA and RNA aptamer affinity binders through its proprietary Optimer platform for therapeutics, diagnostics, and research applications. The binders function as alternatives to antibodies and are engineered for target specificity, stability, manufacturability, and tunable kinetics.
Product overview
Aptamer Group is a life sciences company that has developed the Optimer® platform, a next-generation synthetic affinity platform based on DNA and RNA aptamers. The core offering consists of custom Optimer® binders developed against specific molecular targets, which serve as antibody alternatives across three main application areas: therapeutics (precision targeting for drug delivery and targeted therapies), diagnostics and reagents (rapid detection assays and research tools), and bioprocessing (purification and quality control). The company offers complementary services including biomarker discovery (using phenotype-first cellular analysis), custom assay development (ELISA, lateral flow, IHC, biosensors), and a library of pre-developed Optimer® binders available for licensing. The portfolio ranges from early discovery through clinical development, with a business model combining fee-for-service contracts with licensing revenues from its proprietary Optimer® assets.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Optimer® Binders Custom-developed synthetic DNA and RNA aptamer affinity binders that function as antibody alternatives for target-specific applications in therapeutics, diagnostics, bioprocessing, and research.
- Biomarker Discovery Service Phenotype-first service that identifies cell-surface and intracellular proteins differentiating healthy and disease states by comparing real cellular phenotypes, supporting novel diagnostic and therapeutic target discovery.
- Assay Development Custom development of ELISA, lateral-flow, immunohistochemistry, surface plasmon resonance, electrochemical biosensor, and related diagnostic or research assays using Optimer binders.
- Optimer® Binders to License A panel of pre-developed Optimer binders available for licensing across specified targets, including cortisol, folic acid, folinic acid, 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid, imatinib, irinotecan, KOD DNA polymerase, gp120, SARS-CoV-2 S1 and S2, and genetically detoxified pertussis toxin.
Quantifiable outcome
- 5x stronger ELISA signal than antibodies
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Aptamer Group
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Aptamer Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Aptamer Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Twist BiosciencecoreLicensing and supply agreement granting Twist Bioscience access to Aptamer Group's enzyme-modulating Optimer binder technology. The technology was incorporated into Twist Bioscience's newly launched library preparation kits for next-generation sequencing, providing hot-start functionality. No financial terms disclosed.
- AlphazymecoreLicensing deal for Optimer binder technology for use in therapeutics, diagnostics, and research applications. Alphazyme is a life science tools company focused on enzyme solutions for molecular biology applications.
- Top-5 Global Pharmaceutical CompanycoreMulti-target Optimer® development program contract valued at up to £617,000 for drug validation and clinical trials. The expanded partnership focuses on three therapeutic targets and supports drug development programs, building on previous successful collaboration.
- Top-3 Global Pharmaceutical CompanycoreFee-for-service contract valued at £360,000 to develop Optimer binders for targeted radiopharmaceutical applications targeting an undisclosed cancer marker for PET imaging and potential therapeutic uses. Represents Aptamer's entry into the $7.5 billion targeted radiopharmaceuticals market.
- UnilevercoreOngoing partnership for developing Optimers as novel active ingredients in deodorants. Additional development programme commissioned under existing agreement with progress including expanded testing and stability assessments.
- Bioliquid Innovative GeneticscoreSpanish consortium partner for €1.125 million Eurostars grant project MIRACLE to develop non-invasive prenatal diagnostic device. Project focuses on isolating intact fetal cells from liquid biopsies using Optimer binders.
- Anima DesigncoreSpanish consortium partner for €1.125 million Eurostars grant project MIRACLE. Anima Design brings design expertise to the development of a non-invasive prenatal diagnostic medical device.
- AstraZenecacoreCollaboration for precision targeting siRNA to fibrotic liver using Optimer vehicles for targeted delivery. The partnership leverages Optimer technology's capabilities for liver targeting in fibrotic disease applications.
- Neuro-BiocorePartnership for developing Optimer®-powered diagnostic tests for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Neuro-Bio achieved unprecedented sensitivity developing an Alzheimer's test targeting a new biomarker after struggling with traditional antibody approaches.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Aptamer Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SomaLogic: US-based protein biomarker discovery and aptamer-based affinity proteomics company. Highly comparable to Aptamer Group as both develop nucleic acid-based affinity binders (SomaLogic's SOMAmer platform) for research, diagnostics, and therapeutic applications.
- NeoVentures Biotechnology: Canadian developer of aptamer-based products for diagnostics and research, with a custom aptamer selection service. Direct competitor in the aptamer discovery services market that Aptamer Group targets.
- BasePair Biotechnologies: US custom aptamer discovery and development services company targeting diagnostics, research, and therapeutic applications. Directly comparable service-based business model and customer base.
- Aptamer Sciences: South Korean aptamer therapeutics and diagnostics developer with custom selection capability. Competes in the same aptamer binder space across therapeutics and diagnostics.
- Isogenica: UK-based developer of alternative affinity reagents including peptide and aptamer-based binders. Comparable as a specialist binder-discovery platform targeting the same antibody-replacement use cases.
Broad incumbents
- AbCellera Biologics: Large-scale antibody discovery platform partnering with global pharma. Represents the entrenched antibody incumbency that Optimer competes against for therapeutics and diagnostics binder programs.
- Bio-Techne: Major life sciences tools and diagnostics reagents company with broad antibody and protein reagent portfolio. Comparable as an incumbent in affinity reagents and diagnostics that Optimers target as an alternative.
- Thermo Fisher Scientific: Global life sciences tools leader offering antibodies, diagnostic reagents, and bioprocessing solutions. Represents the broad incumbent that Aptamer Group must displace to scale in pharma, diagnostics, and bioprocessing.
Emerging players
- Antiverse: AI-driven antibody discovery company targeting challenging GPCR and ion-channel targets. Comparable as an emerging next-generation binder developer seeking to expand the pool of druggable targets alongside Aptamer's Optimer platform.
Regional players
- Creative Biolabs: US-based custom antibody and aptamer development services provider. Comparable service-based custom binder business model, operating primarily in North America.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Aptamer Group social profiles
Digital presenceAptamer Group compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Aptamer Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Aptamer Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Aptamer Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Aptamer Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Aptamer Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Aptamer Group
What does Aptamer Group do?
Aptamer Group develops custom DNA and RNA aptamer affinity binders through its proprietary Optimer platform for therapeutics, diagnostics, and research applications. The binders function as alternatives to antibodies and are engineered for target specificity, stability, manufacturability, and tunable kinetics.
Is Aptamer Group a public or private company?
Aptamer Group is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Aptamer Group founded?
Aptamer Group was founded in 2008. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Aptamer Group based?
Aptamer Group is headquartered in York, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Aptamer Group make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Fee-for-Service Research Contracts are the primary driver. The others are technology Licensing, post-IPO Equity Funding and licensed Optimer Asset Portfolio.
Who are Aptamer Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SomaLogic, NeoVentures Biotechnology, BasePair Biotechnologies, Aptamer Sciences and Isogenica. Broad incumbents are AbCellera Biologics, Bio-Techne and Thermo Fisher Scientific. Antiverse is listed as an emerging player. Creative Biolabs is listed as a regional player.
Does Aptamer Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Aptamer Group.
What industry is Aptamer Group in?
Aptamer Group's product category is Aptamer-Based Affinity Reagents. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAAIAL, Library & Diversity Generation Platforms (display libraries, DNA-encoded libraries for biologics, variant libraries), with a secondary code of HLAAADAG, RNA Therapeutics Platforms & Design (sequence design, target ID/validation, AI/bioinformatics). Its SIC code is 2835.