SymbioCellTech

What SymbioCellTech does

SymbioCellTech is a late-preclinical-stage regenerative medicine company developing Neo-Islets, a cellular replacement therapy designed to treat Type 1 Diabetes. The company's core technology combines culture-expanded pancreatic islet cells with Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) to form 3D organoids that engraft in the omentum and restore physiologic insulin secretion without requiring anti-rejection drugs. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, SymbioCellTech has raised approximately $17 million from friends, family, and angel investors to advance its proprietary platform through FDA regulatory interactions and toward planned first-in-human Phase I clinical trials at academic medical centers including City of Hope, UC San Diego, UCLA, and UC Davis. The company has completed both an INTERACT meeting and a Pre-IND meeting with the FDA, and is targeting IND submission and Phase I initiation in the second half of 2025.

The company has extended its platform beyond human therapeutics via an exclusive option agreement with Virbac to develop Neo-Islet technology for veterinary applications, specifically canine diabetes, and has completed an FDA-approved INAD pilot study in nine diabetic pet dogs. SymbioCellTech holds multiple patent families covering Neo-Islet composition, manufacturing processes using hollow-fiber cell culture technology, species-specific culture media, and MSC-based exosome therapies for microvascular disorders. The business model is contingent on future commercialization of the Neo-Islet therapeutic product following FDA approval, with the company currently maintaining a 1-10 person team operating on grant and equity funding. No product revenue exists today, and the only commercial relationship is the Virbac veterinary option agreement.

Name

SymbioCellTech

Legal name

SymbioCellTech, LLC

Website

https://symbiocelltech.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SymbioCellTech is a preclinical regenerative medicine company developing Neo-Islets, a 3D organoid cellular replacement therapy combining pancreatic islet cells with Mesenchymal Stem Cells to restore insulin production in Type 1 Diabetes patients without anti-rejection drugs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cellular Therapy for Diabetes

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Organoids & Organ-on-Chip (regenerative models) (HLAAAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

In Vitro Model Systems & Organoid Platforms (iPSC/organoids, microphysiological systems) (HLAAAIAJ), Type 1 Diabetes Care (HLAKADAB)

Keywords

• Cellular therapy
• Regenerative medicine
• Diabetes treatment
• Stem cell therapy
• Cell encapsulation

Headquarters

HQ city

Salt Lake City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Neo-Islet Cellular Therapy: Pre-revenue preclinical stage company developing a cellular replacement therapy for Type 1 Diabetes. Revenue model will be based on sale of the Neo-Islet therapeutic product upon FDA approval. The company has raised approximately $17M to date from friends, family, and angel investors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SymbioCellTech is a late-preclinical-stage regenerative medicine company developing Neo-Islets, a patented cellular replacement therapy for Type 1 Diabetes. Neo-Islets are three-dimensional organoids that combine culture-expanded pancreatic islet cells with Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) to provide natural immune isolation, enabling engraftment in the omentum and physiologic insulin secretion without anti-rejection drugs or encapsulation devices. The company offers a human formulation (preclinical/IND-stage) and a canine formulation, SCT-c001, for companion animals with insulin-dependent diabetes.

Product overview

SymbioCellTech is a late-preclinical-stage regenerative medicine company headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT, developing Neo-Islets(TM), a novel cellular replacement therapy platform for insulin-dependent diabetes. The core offering is Neo-Islets — three-dimensional organoids composed of culture-expanded pancreatic islet cells co-aggregated with Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) that provide "natural encapsulation," enabling durable glycemic control without anti-rejection drugs or encapsulation devices. The company has developed species-specific formulations: SCT-c001 for companion dogs (completed INAD pilot study) and a human formulation (planned IND submission and First-in-Human clinical trial). Supporting products include a proprietary species-specific culture medium and hollow-fiber cell culture manufacturing technology. The platform also extends to MSC-based microvascular disorder therapies and exosome generation. All Neo-Islet variants share the same foundational technology: MSC-driven immune protection enabling allogeneic cell therapy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Neo-Islets (Human) A three-dimensional organoid combining culture-expanded pancreatic islet cells with Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) that, when implanted in the omentum, restores physiologic insulin production in Type 1 Diabetes patients without requiring anti-rejection drugs or encapsulation devices. Demonstrated durable euglycemia in preclinical mouse, dog, and human-cell mouse studies.
• SCT-c001 (Canine Neo-Islets) A species-specific formulation of Neo-Islets for companion dogs with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Administered via ultrasound-guided intraperitoneal injection under INAD 012-776. Validated in nine diabetic pet dogs over a three-year study showing up to 50% reduction in insulin need without anti-rejection drugs.
• Species-Specific Culture Medium A proprietary species-specific tissue culture medium for the propagation and culture expansion of mammalian cells, including islet cells and Mesenchymal Stem Cells. Part of Family Group 5 in SymbioCellTech's patent portfolio, supporting the manufacturing of Neo-Islets across species.
• Hollow-Fiber Cell Culture Technology Adaptation An adaptation of hollow-fiber-based cell culture technology for manufacturing Neo-Islets (used in treatment of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus) and for generating exosomes from various cell types, used in the treatment of different organ injuries and diseases. Covered under Patent Family Group 2.
• MSC-based Microvascular Disorder Therapy Treatment of microvascular disorders using Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) and their exosomes. Covered under Patent Family Group 3, distinct from the Neo-Islet diabetes program.
• Neo-Islet Cell Clusters Cell clusters comprising stem and islet cells for the treatment of Diabetes Mellitus. Covered under Patent Family Group 4. Relates to the core Neo-Islet technology platform.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 1.2 U/kg bw reduction in insulin need in diabetic dogs over 3 years
• +5 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Startup HealthminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 September 2024SymbioCellTech joined Startup Health's Type 1 Diabetes Moonshot Fellowship, a community of more than 20 scientists, entrepreneurs and innovators working to address 18 million-plus T1D patients globally. The Fellowship creates a three-year engagement providing networking, training, and resources. Supported by The Helmsley Charitable Trust.
• VirbaccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 January 2020Virbac (world's sixth largest veterinary pharmaceutical group) and SymbioCellTech signed an exclusive option agreement to co-develop and commercialize proprietary Neo-Islet cellular therapy for treatment of Type 1 Diabetes in companion animals. Virbac received exclusive rights to develop and commercialize the therapy for veterinary use globally. The partnership aims to provide a one-time therapy for diabetic pets that eliminates daily glucose monitoring and insulin injections.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Vertex Pharmaceuticals: Acquired ViaCyte in 2022 and is developing VX-880, an allogeneic stem-cell-derived islet cell therapy for T1D currently in human clinical trials. Most advanced and best-funded competitor pursuing the same islet cell replacement approach SymbioCellTech targets, and the most likely strategic acquirer of SCT.
• Sernova Corp: Canadian clinical-stage company developing the Cell Pouch System combined with donor islets and, more recently, stem-cell-derived cells for T1D. Directly comparable approach (cell replacement + immune protection) and a useful benchmark for clinical and manufacturing milestones in this space.
• Seraxis: Preclinical/early-clinical US company developing stem-cell-derived pancreatic islet cells (SR-01) encapsulated within a proprietary immune-isolating material for T1D. Closest direct competitor on the stem-cell-derived islet + immune-protection thesis.
• Sana Biotechnology: Clinical-stage cell therapy company developing hypoimmune-modified allogeneic cells, including programs aimed at T1D through pancreatic beta-cell replacement. Competes on the same 'cell therapy without immunosuppression' value proposition but with substantially more capital and a broader platform.
• Sigilon Therapeutics: Pre-clinical/early-clinical company developing Afibromer-encapsulated cell therapies for type 1 diabetes and rare diseases, acquired by Eli Lilly in 2023. Direct encapsulation-based cell therapy competitor that validates the M&A exit path for SymbioCellTech.

Broad incumbents

• CRISPR Therapeutics: Gene-editing pioneer whose partnership with ViaCyte (now inherited by Vertex) is developing gene-edited, stem-cell-derived islet cells for T1D. A potential platform competitor and large-pharma partner for SymbioCellTech given overlapping cell-therapy manufacturing needs.
• Eli Lilly: Global diabetes incumbent that acquired Sigilon Therapeutics and has an active cell-therapy interest in T1D. Represents both a competitive threat and a probable strategic partner/acquirer for late-stage SymbioCellTech assets.
• Novo Nordisk: World-leading diabetes therapy company that has invested in cell therapy via its partnership with Heartseed and broader stem-cell program investments. Most likely large-pharma counterparty for a SymbioCellTech licensing or M&A transaction.

Emerging players

• Betalin Therapeutics: Israel-based early-stage company developing the 'micro-pancreas' — an endocrine organ composed of islet cells and supporting cells — for T1D. Closely comparable emerging-stage platform to SymbioCellTech's Neo-Islets in both concept and stage.
• Diatranz Otsuka Limited (DOL): New Zealand clinical-stage joint venture developing DIABECELL, an alginate-encapsulated neonatal porcine islet cell therapy for T1D. Comparable in therapeutic intent (cellular replacement for insulin independence) but uses a different encapsulation and xenogeneic cell approach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors

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 SymbioCellTech