LenioBio
LenioBio GmbH is a Düsseldorf-based biotech company commercializing ALiCE, a proprietary eukaryotic cell-free protein expression platform that produces full-length, functional proteins in 24-48 hours for biopharma, AI protein design, vaccine, and alternative protein customers worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersDüsseldorf, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What LenioBio does
LenioBio GmbH is a German biotech company founded in 2016 and headquartered in Düsseldorf, with R&D and manufacturing operations in Aachen. The company commercializes ALiCE (Almost Living Cell-Free Expression), a proprietary eukaryotic cell-free protein synthesis platform derived from tobacco BY-2 cells that produces full-length, folded, and functional proteins within 24-48 hours without the viability constraints of living cells. ALiCE retains translationally active microsomes with intact Sec61 translocon, oligosaccharyltransferase, and signal recognition particle machinery, enabling complex post-translational modifications including disulfide bonding, N-glycosylation, and co-translational membrane protein insertion. The platform achieves the highest published yield for eukaryotic CFPS in batch mode (~3 mg/mL) and scales linearly from 50µL screening reactions to 1,000mL bioreactor production, supported by international patent families exclusively licensed from Fraunhofer IME and Corteva Agriscience.
The company monetizes ALiCE through two primary go-to-market motions: a fee-for-service Protein Expression Service that delivers functional proteins and expression data to customers, and an ALiCE In Your Lab licensing model that ships lysate from US or European stores under multi-year contracts with on-site training and implementation support. Distribution is executed directly to enterprise biopharma customers and indirectly through channel partners including Avantor (Europe) and Labscoop (North America). Customer segments span biotech, AI protein design, vaccines and cell/gene therapy, CROs/CDMOs, large pharma, and agriculture/food applications. Strategic positioning increasingly targets AI-driven protein design workflows, supported by collaborations with Twist Bioscience and AffinityAI, while EU-funded projects (Eurostars HiT-GlyP, EU4Health InnoManContiMod, EIT Food, European Defense Fund) advance glycoengineering, GMP-readiness, cultivated meat, and medical countermeasure applications.
The company is privately held, backed by Bridford Group following a €11.5M Series-A Extension in March 2022, and has accumulated roughly €10M in additional non-dilutive grant funding. Recent leadership expansion—adding a new CEO, CFO, COO, CTO, and CCO—reflects organizational scaling to support commercial growth beyond the current research-stage footprint.
LenioBio firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LenioBio
- Legal name
- LenioBio GmbH
- Website
- https://leniobio.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- LenioBio GmbH is a Düsseldorf-based biotech company commercializing ALiCE, a proprietary eukaryotic cell-free protein expression platform that produces full-length, functional proteins in 24-48 hours for biopharma, AI protein design, vaccine, and alternative protein customers worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LenioBio industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cell-Free Protein Expression Technology
- NAICS
- Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- AI/ML Platforms for Drug Discovery & Experiment Optimization (HLAGAJAO)
Keywords
Where LenioBio is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Düsseldorf
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
LenioBio business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Protein Expression Service: LenioBio operates a service model where customers submit protein expression requests. The company delivers functional proteins directly to customers who need difficult-to-express proteins, handling construct design, expression screening, and scalable production. Pricing based on screening scale and format.
- ALiCE Platform Licensing: Customers license the ALiCE platform for in-house use. The company provides lysate shipment from US or European stores, training, and on-site implementation support. ALiCE lysate is sold for internal research use only under Limited Use Label License.
- ALiCE Lysate Sales: Sale of ALiCE lysate and reagents for customers running cell-free protein expression in their own labs. Products subject to Limited Use Label License for internal research purposes only.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Protein Expression Service - quote-based pricing |
| Other | Multi-year contract | ALiCE In Your Lab - platform implementation |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
LenioBio product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LenioBio develops and commercializes ALiCE® (Almost Living Cell-Free Expression), a plant-based eukaryotic cell-free protein synthesis system derived from tobacco BY-2 cells that produces full-length, folded, functional proteins within 24 hours. The company offers this through two delivery models: (1) a Protein Expression Service where LenioBio scientists deliver proteins directly to customers, and (2) ALiCE® In Your Lab, an in-house implementation with lysate, training, and on-site support for customers running the platform in their own laboratories.
Product overview
LenioBio offers the ALiCE® platform as its core technology—a universal eukaryotic cell-free protein expression system available through two delivery models: (1) Protein Expression Service for outsourced production, and (2) ALiCE® In Your Lab for in-house implementation. The platform supports specialized applications including AI Protein Development for rapid validation of AI-designed sequences, and Full-Length Membrane Proteins with unique co-translational insertion capabilities. The InnoManContiMod project advances GMP-readiness for manufacturing-scale production.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ALiCE: Cell-free protein expression platform for rapid protein production
- ALiCE HTPE
- InnoManContiMod
Products and services
- Protein Expression Service Outsourced protein production service where LenioBio scientists use the ALiCE® platform to deliver functional proteins and expression data to customers. Includes parallel screening of multiple construct designs and expression conditions with scalable production from screening to manufacturing scales. Targeted at biotech, pharma, AI protein design, vaccines/CGT, and CRO/CDMO customers.
- ALiCE® In Your Lab In-house ALiCE® platform implementation where LenioBio provides training, on-site setup support, and ships lysate directly to customers from US or European stores for self-operated protein production in their own laboratories. Subject to Limited Use Label License for internal research purposes only.
- AI Protein Development Specialized ALiCE® service tailored for AI-driven protein design workflows, enabling rapid production of full-length, folded, functional proteins in as little as 6 hours with binding analysis without purification. Supports automated workflows and rapid design-build-test-learn cycles for AI-driven protein engineering.
- Full-Length Membrane Proteins Specialized ALiCE® service for expression of full-length membrane proteins with native co-translational insertion into ER-derived microsomes, yielding 150–300 µg/mL for GPCRs and other membrane proteins without cytotoxicity, detergents, or nanodiscs. Includes detergent-free SMALP isolation compatible with cryo-EM, solid-state NMR, native MS, and SPR.
- ALiCE® HTPE (High-Throughput Protein Expression) High-throughput protein expression system built on the ALiCE® platform, launched in 2025 to drive next-generation antibody discovery workflows.
Quantifiable outcome
- 3 mg/mL yield - highest published for eukaryotic CFPS in batch mode, ~15× higher than competing systems
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use LenioBio
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
LenioBio technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature6 records
LenioBio partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and strategic.
- Twist BiosciencecoreStrategic collaboration integrating LenioBio's ALiCE cell-free protein expression platform with Twist's DNA manufacturing and automation capabilities. Aims to accelerate the design-build-test cycle for AI-driven protein and antibody design services by combining automated DNA synthesis with rapid protein expression and AI design workflows.
- Wageningen UniversitycoreAcademic consortium partner in Eurostars-funded HiT-GlyP project developing high-throughput glycoprotein production system. Part of European consortium led by LenioBio.
- EnginZyme ABcoreTechnology partner in Eurostars-funded HiT-GlyP project developing high-throughput glycoprotein production system. Part of European consortium led by LenioBio.
- Dow AgroSciences (now Corteva Agriscience)coreOriginal co-developer of ALiCE technology. In 2018, LenioBio acquired exclusive license to further develop and commercialize the technology. Technology licensed from Corteva Agriscience LLC.
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied EcologycoreOriginal co-developer of ALiCE technology alongside Dow AgroSciences. Fraunhofer IME collaborated on the research that became the ALiCE platform.
- AvantormajorDistribution partnership bringing cutting edge cell-free protein expression technology to researchers across Europe through Avantor's established distributor network.
- mAlbestrategicStrategic collaboration announced between mAlbe and LenioBio for novel protein development applications.
- AffinityAIstrategicPartnership to accelerate discovery of novel complex proteins through AI-guided design and high-throughput cell-free expression. Combines AI design capabilities with ALiCE platform for protein engineering workflows.
- TouchlightstrategicCollaboration to accelerate development of protein therapeutics for pandemic response. Combines Touchlight's dbDNA technology with ALiCE platform for rapid vaccine antigen production.
- ReciBioPharmstrategicCollaboration to scale up ALiCE technology and expedite vaccine production. Focus on accelerating vaccine development timelines using cell-free expression capabilities.
- LabscoopmajorStrategic partnership to enhance access of scalable cell-free protein synthesis technology across North America.
- Fraunhofer IMEcoreLicense agreement between LenioBio GmbH and Fraunhofer IME to advance novel protein discoveries. Fraunhofer originally co-developed the ALiCE technology.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
LenioBio competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Thermo Fisher Scientific: Global life sciences incumbent offering 1-Step Human In Vitro Translation kits and a broad protein expression portfolio. Represents the default incumbent that LenioBio must displace for research-use reagents and biopharma expression services.
- Bio-Rad Laboratories: Life sciences incumbent with protein purification, expression, and analysis product lines including tools adjacent to cell-free workflows. A scaled incumbent with established biopharma relationships.
- GenScript: Global bio-pharma services and reagent provider offering protein expression services across multiple host systems and a TurboCHO-style rapid expression service. Directly competes in the protein expression CRO market LenioBio targets.
- Promega: Major life sciences tools provider offering TNT coupled transcription/translation cell-free expression systems and related protein analysis reagents. Competes in the research-use CFPS market from an established reagent-portfolio position.
Direct peers
- Sutro Biopharma: Pioneer in cell-free protein therapeutics via its XpressCF platform, producing complex biologics including ADCs and bispecifics. Most directly comparable to LenioBio as a cell-free expression company targeting therapeutic protein production with eukaryotic-like PTMs.
- CellFree Sciences: Japanese company commercializing wheat germ-based cell-free protein synthesis systems (the WEPRO series) for high-throughput membrane protein and antibody expression. Closest peer to ALiCE in terms of eukaryotic-style CFPS for difficult-to-express proteins.
Emerging players
- Arbor Biosciences: Provider of custom gene synthesis, antibody libraries, and protein expression services, including NGS-based workflows. Overlaps with LenioBio in the AI/antibody discovery and protein engineering tooling space.
- ReciBioPharm: CDMO collaborating with LenioBio to scale ALiCE for vaccine production. Represents both a customer/partner and an indirect competitive signal as CDMOs internalize cell-free capabilities.
- Touchlight: UK-based dbDNA technology company already partnering with LenioBio for pandemic-response vaccine antigen production. A natural peer in the rapid-response protein manufacturing space with complementary nucleic acid technology.
- GeneFrontier: Japanese provider of cell-free protein synthesis services and reagents (including DISCOVERx-style platforms). Closely comparable in product scope but operating primarily in the Asian market.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
LenioBio social profiles
Digital presenceLenioBio financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LenioBio leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
LenioBio funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LenioBio 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 LenioBio
What does LenioBio do?
LenioBio develops and commercializes ALiCE® (Almost Living Cell-Free Expression), a plant-based eukaryotic cell-free protein synthesis system derived from tobacco BY-2 cells that produces full-length, folded, functional proteins within 24 hours. The company offers this through two delivery models: (1) a Protein Expression Service where LenioBio scientists deliver proteins directly to customers, and (2) ALiCE® In Your Lab, an in-house implementation with lysate, training, and on-site support for customers running the platform in their own laboratories.
Is LenioBio a public or private company?
LenioBio is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was LenioBio founded?
LenioBio was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is LenioBio based?
LenioBio is headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does LenioBio make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Protein Expression Service is the primary driver. The others are ALiCE Platform Licensing and ALiCE Lysate Sales.
Who are LenioBio's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Thermo Fisher Scientific, Bio-Rad Laboratories, GenScript and Promega. Direct peers are Sutro Biopharma and CellFree Sciences. Emerging players are Arbor Biosciences, ReciBioPharm, Touchlight and GeneFrontier.
Does LenioBio have an API?
No public API is recorded for LenioBio.
What industry is LenioBio in?
LenioBio's product category is Cell-Free Protein Expression Technology. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAJAO, AI/ML Platforms for Drug Discovery & Experiment Optimization. Its NAICS code is 5417 and its SIC code is 8731.