Axol Bioscience

What Axol Bioscience does

Axol Bioscience monetizes through three revenue streams: catalog product sales of axoCells, reagents, kits, and media (including MyoMax, PhenoCULT, and SureBond) via a self-service online storefront; bespoke axoServices contracts for pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients requiring custom manufacturing, gene editing, MEA-based electrophysiology, or high-throughput screening (including a 384-well dry AMD platform capable of screening 6,000 compounds per run); and licensing of iPSC lines and disease models for drug discovery applications. The company sells direct to global pharmaceutical, biotechnology, CRO, and academic customers through an internal sales team and a network of authorized international distributors, with primary markets in Europe and the United States following a January 2026 capital injection from BroadOak Capital Partners earmarked for US expansion. Reported revenue growth was 36% in 2024 and 45% in 2025, and the company is in active M&A mode, having completed three acquisitions in five years (Censo 2021, Phenocell 2024, Newcells Biotech ophthalmology business 2026).

Name

Axol Bioscience

Legal name

Censo Biotechnologies

Website

https://axolbio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Axol Bioscience manufactures cryopreserved human iPSC-derived cells and provides custom laboratory services (reprogramming, gene editing, MEA electrophysiology, compound screening) to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, CRO, and academic researchers across neuroscience, ophthalmology, cardiovascular, and dermatology applications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Stem Cell Products and Research Services

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

In Vitro Model Systems & Organoid Platforms (iPSC/organoids, microphysiological systems) (HLAAAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Stem Cell Therapies (MSC/iPSC/HSC-derived) (HLAAABAE), Cell-Based & Potency Assays (Bioassays) (HLAGADAH)

Keywords

• IPSC-derived cell products
• Disease modeling services
• Stem cell manufacturing
• Drug discovery research tools
• In vitro human cell models

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Sale of cryopreserved iPSC-derived cells (axoCells), cell culture reagents, kits, and media products through online store. Products include neurons, cardiomyocytes, retinal cells, and disease-specific cell lines.
2. Custom Services: Bespoke laboratory services including iPSC reprogramming, differentiation, gene editing, cellular assays, MEA electrophysiology, compound screening, and assay development for pharmaceutical and biotech clients.
3. License and IP: Licensing of iPSC lines, disease models, and intellectual property for drug discovery applications.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Axol Bioscience manufactures and sells cryopreserved, assay-ready human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cells (neurons, cardiomyocytes, microglia, astrocytes, retinal cells, sebocytes, melanocytes) and provides custom laboratory services including iPSC reprogramming, differentiation, gene editing (CRISPR-Cas9), cellular assays, MEA electrophysiology, and compound screening for pharmaceutical, biotech, and academic customers engaged in disease modeling and drug discovery.

Product overview

Axol Bioscience is a leading provider of human iPSC technologies for drug discovery and disease research, operating as a platform-plus-products company. The core offering consists of axoCells™ cryopreserved, assay-ready human iPSC-derived cells (neurons, cardiomyocytes, microglia, astrocytes, retinal cells) sold alongside axoServices™ custom laboratory services (reprogramming, differentiation, gene editing, cellular assays, MEA, compound screening). The company also maintains axoLines™, an extensive library of patient and control iPSC donor lines. Products span five therapeutic focus areas: neuroscience (ALS, Alzheimer's, Huntington's, Parkinson's), ophthalmology (dry AMD, retinal organoids), dermatology (sebocytes, melanocytes, sensory neurons), and cardiovascular (ventricular and atrial cardiomyocytes). The portfolio was expanded through acquisitions of Phenocell (2024) for dermatology/ophthalmology and Newcells Biotech ophthalmology business (2026). Manufacturing operations are ISO 9001:2015 certified.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• axoCells: Product line of physiologically relevant human iPSC-derived cells including neurons, cardiomyocytes, and other cell types for disease modeling and drug discovery.
• axoServices
• axoLines
• MyoMax
• PhenoCULT

Products and services

• axoCells
• axoServices
• axoLines
• ALS Toolbox
• Sporadic AD iPSC Line Collection

Quantifiable outcome

• 45% revenue growth in 2025 and 36% in 2024, reflecting sustained double-digit growth driven by demand for human-relevant in vitro disease models.
• +3 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

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered strategic and core.

• CellVoyantstrategicTechnology or Integration · 1 June 2026Partnership to advance AI-guided imaging for cardiomyocyte manufacturing, announced June 2026. Combines Axol's iPSC expertise with CellVoyant's AI imaging technology for improved cardiomyocyte production.
• Newcells BiotechstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Acquired ophthalmology business from Newcells Biotech in February 2026, gaining specialist staff, facilities, and IP for iPSC-derived retinal products and research services. The acquisition expands Axol's retinal model portfolio for ophthalmology drug discovery.
• PhenocellstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Acquired Phenocell in October 2024 to expand portfolio of human iPSC-derived cell models into ophthalmology and dermatology, including skin and retinal cell products for drug research, particularly dry AMD and skin disorders.
• StrataStemstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with StrataStem to deliver stratified sporadic Alzheimer's disease models using patient-derived iPSC lines with diverse APOE genotypes for patient-stratification studies.
• ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPRISM initiative collaboration to develop diverse patient-derived stem cell models for ALS research, improving understanding of disease mechanisms and accelerating therapeutic development.
• LifeArcstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the PRISM ALS consortia alongside ALS TDI and Axol Bioscience to democratize access to diverse, patient-derived ALS iPSC models for researchers worldwide.
• Axion BioSystemscoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partnership using Axion's industry-leading Maestro Pro MEA system for high-quality electrophysiology recordings from iPSC-derived cells. Platform supports cardiotoxicity, neurotoxicity testing, and disease model validation.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Stemcell Technologies: Major life science tools provider of cell culture media, reagents, and primary cells including some iPSC-derived products. Broad incumbent offering overlapping reagents and cell products but with much wider portfolio and global scale than Axol.
• Bio-Techne: Large life science tools company with iPSC-derived products (e.g., BrainXell acquisition integrated) plus culture media and reagents. Broad incumbent with overlapping product lines but much broader portfolio spanning proteins, assays, and analytical tools.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Global life sciences leader offering iPSC-derived cells, media, and disease modeling services as part of a much broader biosciences portfolio. Broad incumbent that competes with Axol across multiple product categories but is not specialized in the iPSC niche.

Emerging players

• bit.bio: UK-based synthetic biology company using proprietary iPSC reprogramming technology (opti-ox) to produce defined human cell types at scale. Emerging peer with overlapping iPSC-derived cell product focus and similar UK roots, but broader cell-type coverage and significant venture backing.
• DefiniGEN: UK-based developer of iPSC-derived hepatocytes and other cell types for metabolic disease and drug-induced liver injury research. Emerging peer to Axol's services business, with overlapping custom iPSC differentiation and disease modeling capabilities.
• BrainXell: US-based specialist in iPSC-derived neural cells for neuroscience and neurodegenerative disease research. Emerging peer with focused overlap to Axol's neuroscience portfolio, particularly motor neurons and other CNS cell types.

Direct peers

• Ncardia: European-based developer of iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes and neurons for drug discovery and cardiac safety testing. Direct peer to Axol's axoCells cardiovascular and neuroscience portfolio, with overlapping CiPA validation positioning and similar pharma customer base.
• Metrion Biosciences: UK-based CRO specializing in cardiac safety electrophysiology and ion channel screening using iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. Direct peer to Axol's MEA electrophysiology and cardiac safety service offerings, with similar customer base of pharma preclinical safety groups.
• ReproCELL (now part of Axion Biosystems ecosystem): Japan-headquartered provider of iPSC-derived products and services for drug discovery, with a catalog spanning cardiomyocytes, neurons, and hepatocytes. Direct peer overlapping with Axol in iPSC-derived disease models for preclinical research.
• Cellular Dynamics International (a Fujifilm company): Fujifilm-owned leader in iPSC-derived cells and disease models, directly competing with Axol across neurons, cardiomyocytes, and other cell types for pharma and academic customers. Closest direct competitor in catalog iPSC-derived product lines and custom services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCtx4TuI62e24l7A69ErTXhA
• Xx.com/axolbio
• Facebookfacebook.com/axolbio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/axol-bioscience-ltd-

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors10 records

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

M&A3 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Axol Bioscience