TopoGEN
TopoGEN is a privately held US research reagents and contract research company founded in 1991 that supplies validated topoisomerase enzymes, assay kits, DNA repair reporter cell lines, and CRO screening services to academic cancer researchers and pharmaceutical drug discovery teams worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersBuena Vista, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What TopoGEN does
TopoGEN, Inc. is a privately held US research diagnostics company founded in 1991 and operating from Columbus, Ohio, that supplies validated reagents, assay kits, antibodies, DNA substrates, stable reporter cell lines, and reference compounds for researchers working on topoisomerases and DNA repair. Its product portfolio spans approximately 87 catalog SKUs, including purified human topoisomerase I and IIα enzymes, bacterial DNA gyrases (E. coli, S. aureus), topoisomerase IV, TDP-1/TDP-2 enzymes, kinetoplast DNA substrates, drug screening kits, polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, and GFP-based homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) reporter systems — the latter including CRISPR-Cas-enabled variants and pre-engineered HeLa, SH-SY5Y, and 3T3 stable cell lines. The proprietary ICE (in vivo complex of enzyme) assay for detecting topoisomerase-DNA cleavage complexes in cells is a platform differentiator, supported by founder-led protocol expertise.
TopoGEN generates revenue through two streams: one-time sales of research-use-only reagents and consumables priced from $95 to $5,995 via direct e-commerce and authorized global distributors, and contract research services — in vitro topoisomerase screens, bacterial gyrase and Topo IV screens, cell-context ICE assays, western blotting, and clinical-trial biomarker correlations — typically delivered with a 2–4 business day turnaround. Customers are primarily academic cancer and DNA-repair researchers and pharmaceutical/biotech drug discovery teams conducting mechanism-based screening for topoisomerase-targeting anticancer and antibiotic compounds. Marketing relies on scientific publications, Google Scholar visibility, social channels (LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube), and customer testimonials rather than outbound sales; no enterprise sales motion is evident.
The business is founder-operated and independent — there are no disclosed venture or growth-equity rounds, subsidiaries, parent entities, M&A activity, or external investors beyond a single $100,000 non-dilutive Colorado Advanced Industries Accelerator grant received in May 2023. Headcount is reported at 51–100 employees, consistent with a small, niche-specialist operating model focused on depth of scientific expertise and catalog breadth rather than scale.
TopoGEN firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- TopoGEN
- Legal name
- TopoGEN, Inc.
- Website
- https://topogen.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- TopoGEN is a privately held US research reagents and contract research company founded in 1991 that supplies validated topoisomerase enzymes, assay kits, DNA repair reporter cell lines, and CRO screening services to academic cancer researchers and pharmaceutical drug discovery teams worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
TopoGEN industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Life Science Research Reagents
- NAICS
- In-Vitro Diagnostic Substance Manufacturing (325413)
- SIC
- In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Reagents, Chemicals & Assay Kits (Buffers, Antibodies, ELISA, Enzymes) (HLAGAIAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Preclinical CROs (Discovery/Pharmacology/DMPK) (HLAGAAAB), Biomarker Assay & Reagent Development (LDT/IVD assay design, antibodies/standards/controls) (HLAAAMAL)
Keywords
Where TopoGEN is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Buena Vista
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
TopoGEN business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Research Reagent Sales: One-time product sales of enzymes, assay kits, antibodies, DNA substrates, and topoisomerase-related drugs for research use only. Products are sold directly through the e-commerce website with global shipping.
- Contract Research Services: CRO services including in vitro topoisomerase screening, bacterial gyrase and Topo IV screens, cell context topo screens, and custom drug discovery assays. Services offered with rapid 2-4 business day turnaround.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Antibodies - Topo I and Topo II |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Topo Enzymes - Human and Bacterial |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Assay Kits - Topo I, Topo II, Gyrase |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Drug Screening Kits |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Topo Related Drugs - Reference Compounds |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | DNA Repair Reporter Kits - Transient |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Stable Cell Lines - DNA Repair |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kit Replenishments - Buffers and Reagents |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels8 records
TopoGEN product offering
Product offeringCore offering
TopoGEN manufactures and sells purified topoisomerase and DNA gyrase enzymes, assay kits, drug screening kits, antibodies, DNA substrates, and engineered cell lines for topoisomerase research and mechanism-based anticancer/antibiotic drug discovery. The company also provides contract research (CRO) services including in vitro topoisomerase screening, bacterial gyrase and Topo IV screens, cell-context ICE assays, and custom biomarker analyses with a 2–4 business day turnaround. All products are validated and certified by company scientists for research use only.
Product overview
TopoGEN is a research diagnostics company providing a comprehensive portfolio of products and contract research services for researchers working with topoisomerases and engaged in mechanism-based drug discovery and development for cancer research. The product portfolio consists of: (1) topoisomerase and gyrase enzymes including Human Topo I, Human Topo II Alpha, E. coli Topo IV, E. coli DNA Gyrase, S. aureus DNA Gyrase, TDP-1, and TDP-2; (2) assay kits for measuring topoisomerase and gyrase activity including Topo I/II Assay Kits, Drug Screening Kits, ICE Assay Kit, TopI-NucEx and TopII-NucEx extraction kits, and the Gyrase Drug Screening Kit; (3) DNA substrates including kDNA, linear kDNA, decatenated kDNA, and pHOT-1 plasmid DNA variants; (4) topoisomerase and gyrase inhibitor research drugs including camptothecin derivatives (topotecan, irinotecan, 9-amino, 9-nitro, 10-hydroxy) and Topo II poisons (doxorubicin, daunomycin, etoposide, amsacrine, genistein, ellipticine, HU-331) plus ciprofloxacin; (5) validated antibodies including polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to Human Topo I, Topo II Alpha, Topo III Alpha/Beta, and antibody kits for immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation; (6) molecular weight markers for western blot and gel applications; (7) stable cell lines and kits for DNA repair research including HeLa, SH-SY5Y, and 3T3-based Homologous Recombination (HR) and Non-Homologous End Joining (NHEJ) GFP reporter cell lines with I-Sce1 or CRISPR-based activation; (8) transient transfection-based HR and NHEJ repair reporter kits; (9) kit replenishments including buffers, ATP, SDS, and stop solutions; and (10) contract research services including in vitro topo screening, bacterial gyrase screens, cell context ICE assays, clinical trial biomarker correlations, western blotting, and topo activity quantification. All products are validated and certified by TopoGEN scientists for research use only (RUO).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Human Topoisomerase I Enzyme Purified recombinant human topoisomerase I enzyme for cancer research and drug discovery applications.
- Mutant Human Topoisomerase I Mutant variant of human topoisomerase I for research applications.
- Human Topoisomerase II Alpha Enzyme Purified human topoisomerase II alpha enzyme for research and drug screening.
- E. coli Topoisomerase IV Enzyme Purified E. coli topoisomerase IV enzyme for bacterial topo research.
- E. coli DNA Gyrase Enzyme Purified E. coli DNA gyrase enzyme for bacterial research and antibiotic drug discovery.
- S. aureus DNA Gyrase Enzyme Purified Staphylococcus aureus DNA gyrase enzyme for bacterial research.
- Human TDP-1 Enzyme Purified human tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 1 enzyme for DNA repair research.
- Human TDP-2 Enzyme Purified human tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 2 enzyme for DNA repair research.
- Human Topoisomerase I Assay Kit Complete kit for measuring human topoisomerase I activity in research samples.
- Human Topoisomerase II Assay Kit Complete kit for measuring human topoisomerase II activity in research samples.
- Human Topoisomerase ICE Assay Kit Immunocomplex of enzyme (ICE) assay kit for detecting topoisomerase-DNA cleavage complexes in cells.
- Gyrase Drug Screening Kit (kDNA Based) Kit for screening gyrase-targeting drugs using kinetoplast DNA as substrate.
- Topoisomerase I Drug Screening Kit Kit for high-throughput screening of Topo I targeting compounds.
- Topoisomerase II Drug Screening Kit Kit for high-throughput screening of Topo II targeting compounds.
- E. coli Topoisomerase IV Drug Screening Kit Kit for screening Topo IV targeting antibacterial compounds.
- Kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) Catenated kDNA substrate for topoisomerase II and gyrase assays.
- Supercoiled pHOT-1 Plasmid DNA Substrate Supercoiled plasmid DNA substrate for topoisomerase I relaxation assays.
- Camptothecin (Topo I Poison) Natural topoisomerase I poison from Camptotheca acuminata sold as a research reference compound.
- Doxorubicin (Topo II Poison) Topo II poison control compound for cancer research.
- Etoposide (VP16)
Companies that use TopoGEN
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
TopoGEN technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
TopoGEN partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
TopoGEN competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Cell Signaling Technology: CST is a leading provider of validated antibodies and supporting reagents widely used in DNA-damage response and oncology research. It competes with TopoGEN's antibody and reagent portfolio in overlapping academic and pharma channels.
- Bio-Techne (Novus Biologicals): Bio-Techne's Novus Biologicals division offers a broad catalog of antibodies, proteins, and kits spanning DNA-damage and oncology research. It is a broader incumbent competing with TopoGEN's specialty reagent offering.
- Enzo Life Sciences: Enzo Life Sciences offers a broad life-science research reagent portfolio covering enzymes, antibodies, and assay kits relevant to DNA damage and cell biology. It is a broader incumbent competing on catalog breadth with TopoGEN's specialized topoisomerase products.
- Santa Cruz Biotechnology: Santa Cruz Biotechnology supplies a wide catalog of research antibodies and reagents to academic and industrial researchers. It is a broader incumbent that competes with TopoGEN's antibody portfolio.
Direct peers
- Cayman Chemical: Cayman Chemical manufactures biochemical reagents, assay kits, and research compounds including oncology and cell biology tools. It overlaps TopoGEN's screening kits and topoisomerase reference compounds for drug discovery programs.
- Inspiralis: Inspiralis (UK) specializes in topoisomerase and DNA gyrase enzymes and screening services for antibiotic discovery. It is the closest direct niche peer to TopoGEN in the topoisomerase/gyrase reagent and CRO market.
- BPS Bioscience: BPS Bioscience manufactures recombinant enzymes, assay kits, and cell lines for drug discovery, including DNA repair and oncology targets. It overlaps TopoGEN across assay kits, enzymes, and reporter cell lines used by pharma and academic customers.
- AAT Bioquest: AAT Bioquest develops biochemical assay kits and fluorescent reagents for life science research. It is comparable to TopoGEN in the assay-kit and reagent category across oncology and cell biology.
- ProQinase: ProQinase provides kinase-focused and broader cell-biology assay services and reagents for oncology drug discovery. It is comparable to TopoGEN's CRO screening services and specialty enzyme products in supporting pharma drug discovery pipelines.
- Eurofins DiscoverX: DiscoverX (now Eurofins) provides cell-based and biochemical assay kits for drug discovery, including DNA-damage and repair pathway tools. It competes with TopoGEN's HR/NHEJ reporter kits and drug screening service offerings.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
TopoGEN social profiles
Digital presenceTopoGEN financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
TopoGEN leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
TopoGEN funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
TopoGEN 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 TopoGEN
What does TopoGEN do?
TopoGEN manufactures and sells purified topoisomerase and DNA gyrase enzymes, assay kits, drug screening kits, antibodies, DNA substrates, and engineered cell lines for topoisomerase research and mechanism-based anticancer/antibiotic drug discovery. The company also provides contract research (CRO) services including in vitro topoisomerase screening, bacterial gyrase and Topo IV screens, cell-context ICE assays, and custom biomarker analyses with a 2–4 business day turnaround. All products are validated and certified by company scientists for research use only.
Is TopoGEN a public or private company?
TopoGEN is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was TopoGEN founded?
TopoGEN was founded in 1991. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is TopoGEN based?
TopoGEN is headquartered in Buena Vista, United States, in the North America region.
How does TopoGEN make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Research Reagent Sales are the primary driver. The others are contract Research Services.
Who are TopoGEN's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Cell Signaling Technology, Bio-Techne (Novus Biologicals), Enzo Life Sciences and Santa Cruz Biotechnology. Direct peers are Cayman Chemical, Inspiralis, BPS Bioscience, AAT Bioquest, ProQinase and Eurofins DiscoverX.
Does TopoGEN have an API?
No public API is recorded for TopoGEN.
What industry is TopoGEN in?
TopoGEN's product category is Life Science Research Reagents. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAIAI, Reagents, Chemicals & Assay Kits (Buffers, Antibodies, ELISA, Enzymes), with a secondary code of HLAGAAAB, Preclinical CROs (Discovery/Pharmacology/DMPK). Its NAICS code is 325413 and its SIC code is 2835.