What Mill Creek Life Sciences does

Mill Creek Life Sciences (MCLS) is a privately held Delaware-incorporated biotechnology company founded in 2010 and headquartered in Rochester, MN, that manufactures and sells human platelet lysate (hPL) cell culture supplements used as cGMP ancillary materials in the expansion of human cells for cell, gene, and tissue-engineered therapies. Its technology was developed at the Mayo Clinic Human Cellular Therapy Laboratory under Dr. Allan Dietz and licensed to MCLS, which was the first company to commercially sell hPL. The company's product line centers on two core brands — PLTMax® (first-generation, animal serum-free hPL with heparin) and PLTGold® (a 100% xeno-free, heparin-free, non-clotting formulation) — each offered in research-grade and clinical-grade tiers and in gamma-irradiated (GI) and pathogen-inactivated (PI) variants, all produced in a single ~25L-lot cGMP process pooling 100+ donors per lot with 5-year shelf life.

MCLS sells direct via its own website (Order and Request Samples pages) and through a global distributor network that includes MilliporeSigma (U.S./Canada) / Merck KGaA (rest of world), FUJIFILM Biosciences, Sartorius, Captivate Bio, and Level Biotechnology (Taiwan). Its products are designed to USP <1043> ancillary-material guidance, comply with European Pharmacopoeia 5.2.12 and 5.1.7, are manufactured under ISO 9001:2015 (DNV GL, effective September 10, 2018), and are covered by an FDA CBER Type II Master File (MF 16784) that customers can cross-reference in their IND submissions. The company cites use of its hPL in 50+ Phase I/II/III clinical trials and in 79+ peer-reviewed publications.

Beyond its consumables core, MCLS holds a license to a dendritic cell vaccine technology combining allogeneic GBM tumor lysates with autologous dendritic cells, which it is scaling up for wider manufacturing (supported by a 2019 $100,000 RMM grant). The company is small (1–10 employees, including a Fractional CFO), privately held, and does not disclose revenue or cap-table details. Customer concentrations are diffuse — clinical-trial sponsors, academic researchers, and large catalog distributors — with named anchors including Mayo Clinic (founder's institution and customer) and Avobis Bio (Mayo / W. L. Gore joint venture).

Name

Mill Creek Life Sciences

Legal name

Mill Creek Life Sciences, Inc.

Website

https://millcreekls.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mill Creek Life Sciences is a Rochester, MN-based biotech that manufactures cGMP human platelet lysate (hPL) cell culture supplements — PLTMax® and PLTGold® plus irradiated variants — sold globally to cell therapy developers and translational researchers under an FDA CBER Master File.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cell Culture Supplements (Human Platelet Lysate)

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Wound Healing & Skin Regeneration (advanced dressings, skin substitutes) (HLAAAGAG)

Keywords

• Cell culture supplements
• Human platelet lysate
• Cell therapy manufacturing
• Ancillary materials cGMP
• Bioprocessing reagents

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales (Research and Clinical Grade): One-time/unit sales of PLTMax®, PLTGold®, and their gamma-irradiated (GI) and pathogen-inactivated (PI) variants. Two tiers: research grade (lower priced, no endotoxin certification) and clinical grade (cGMP, endotoxin certified on CoA). Manufactured identically; tier differs by certification only, allowing customers to use research grade for process development and clinical grade for human trials without equivalency testing.
2. Distributor and Reseller Channel Sales: Sales generated through authorized global distributors including Captivate Bio, FUJIFILM Biosciences, MilliporeSigma (U.S./Canada), Merck KGaA (outside U.S./Canada), Sartorius, and Level Biotechnology (Taiwan).
3. Licensing / Technology Transfer (Dendritic Cell Vaccine): MCLS holds a license to dendritic cell vaccine technology combining allogeneic GBM tumor lysates with autologous dendritic cells; the company is optimizing and adapting the technology for wider-scale manufacturing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Mill Creek Life Sciences manufactures and sells proprietary human platelet lysate (hPL) cell culture supplements — PLTMax®, PLTGold®, and their gamma-irradiated (GI) and pathogen-inactivated (PI) variants — used as cGMP ancillary materials for ex vivo expansion of cells in cell, gene, and tissue-engineered therapy manufacturing. Products are sold in research-grade and clinical-grade tiers directly and through a global authorized distributor network (Captivate Bio, FUJIFILM Biosciences, MilliporeSigma/Merck KGaA, Sartorius, Level Biotechnology) to biotech companies, academic researchers, and clinical trial sponsors.

Product overview

Mill Creek Life Sciences offers a single-product-platform-plus-variants architecture centered on its proprietary human platelet lysate (hPL) technology, licensed from the Mayo Clinic and commercialized since 2010. The platform is delivered through a portfolio of branded hPL reagents used as cell culture supplements in cellular therapy manufacturing: PLTMax® (the original, first-generation animal serum-free hPL, with heparin) and PLTGold® (a 100% xeno-free, heparin-free variant) serve as the two core products. Each core product is offered in gamma-irradiated pathogen-inactivated forms — PLTMax®-GI and PLTGold®-GI — and pathogen-inactivated designations PLTMax®-PI and PLTGold®-PI. Complementing the hPL product line, Mill Creek Life Sciences holds a license to a Dendritic Cell Vaccine technology (comprising allogeneic tumor lysates with classic GBM antigens paired with autologous dendritic cells) which the company is working to scale up for wider manufacturing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PLTMax®: Mill Creek's original, first-generation human platelet lysate (hPL) developed as an animal serum-free, cell culture supplement; was the first commercially available human platelet lysate. Contains a small amount of heparin to minimize coagulation.
• PLTGold®
• PLTMax®-GI
• PLTGold®-GI
• PLTMax®-PI
• PLTGold®-PI

Products and services

• PLTMax® Original, first-generation human platelet lysate (hPL) cell culture supplement and the first commercially available hPL. Animal serum-free; contains a small amount of pharmaceutical-grade heparin to minimize coagulation. Available in research and clinical grades for cell therapy and regenerative medicine applications.
• PLTGold® 100% xeno-free human platelet lysate containing all growth factors and proteins for maximum cell growth. Heparin-free; does not clot and does not require fibrinogen depletion. Available in research and clinical grades.
• PLTMax®-GI Gamma-irradiated version of PLTMax® (25-38 kGy) for pathogen inactivation; supported by a 5-virus viral clearance validation study. Intended for clinical-grade cell therapy manufacturing requiring additional viral safety documentation.
• PLTGold®-GI Gamma-irradiated version of PLTGold® (25-38 kGy) for pathogen inactivation; supported by a 5-virus viral clearance validation study. Currently has a 3-year shelf life, extendable with ongoing real-time stability testing.
• PLTMax®-PI Pathogen-inactivated variant of PLTMax® referenced in Mill Creek's technical support product list for customers needing additional pathogen risk reduction beyond gamma irradiation.
• PLTGold®-PI Pathogen-inactivated variant of PLTGold® referenced in Mill Creek's technical support product list for customers needing additional pathogen risk reduction beyond gamma irradiation.
• Dendritic Cell Vaccine (DC Vaccine) Platform Licensed vaccine technology combining allogeneic tumor lysates carrying classic GBM antigens with autologous dendritic cells to induce an immune response, targeted initially at glioblastoma. MCLS holds the license and is optimizing and adapting the platform for wider-scale manufacturing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Used in 50+ Phase I, II, and III clinical trials for more than a decade
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Captivate BiocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCaptivate Bio is an authorized global distributor of Mill Creek Life Sciences hPL products (PLTMax®, PLTGold®, and variants). Listed under both the Distributors page and the Collaborate page (logos section), indicating an active commercial partnership.
• FUJIFILM BiosciencescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFUJIFILM Biosciences is an authorized global distributor of Mill Creek's human platelet lysate products, listed on the Distributors page with a link to the FUJIFILM catalog search for hPL products.
• MilliporeSigma / Merck KGaAflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMilliporeSigma (U.S. & Canada) and Merck KGaA (Darmstadt, Germany; outside U.S. & Canada) jointly serve as authorized global distributors of Mill Creek's hPL products via Sigma-Aldrich's online catalog.
• SartoriuscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSartorius is an authorized distributor of Mill Creek's hPL products, including the PLTGold® brand, listed on both the Distributors and Collaborate pages with a direct link to the Sartorius storefront.
• Level BiotechnologyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLevel Biotechnology is an authorized country-specific distributor of Mill Creek's hPL products in Taiwan only.
• Mayo ClinicflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMayo Clinic is the originator of Mill Creek's human platelet lysate technology, developed by founder Dr. Allan Dietz in his Mayo Clinic Human Cellular Therapy Laboratory. The technology was licensed to MCLS. Mayo Clinic is also a customer (uses PLTMax® for clinical trial cell manufacturing) and collaborator. Mill Creek lists Mayo Clinic on the Collaborate page logo section.
• Avobis Bio (Mayo Clinic / W. L. Gore & Associates joint venture)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAvobis Bio, a joint venture between Mayo Clinic and W. L. Gore & Associates announced December 10, 2019, used MCLS's PLTMax® to manufacture cells for its clinical trial and other Mayo studies. Avobis Bio is referenced as a customer-collaborator using MCLS products in regenerative medicine applications.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• MilliporeSigma (Merck KGaA Life Science): MilliporeSigma (U.S./Canada) and Merck KGaA (outside U.S./Canada) are global life science suppliers with extensive cell culture media, supplements, and bioprocessing product lines; they are also MCLS's flagship authorized distributor. Competes broadly with MCLS through house-brand media and could expand vertically into hPL.
• Cytiva (Danaher): Cytiva provides cell culture media, supplements, and bioprocessing tools for cell and gene therapy manufacturing. A broad incumbent competing with MCLS in xeno-free and serum-free media used in translational and clinical cell therapy workflows.
• Sartorius: Sartorius is a major bioprocessing supplier offering cell culture media, bioreactors, and bioprocessing services for cell and gene therapy manufacturing. Also an authorized distributor of MCLS hPL products; competes broadly in the cell therapy supply chain and could substitute or vertically integrate hPL.
• Lonza: Lonza is a leading global contract manufacturer and supplier of cell and gene therapy products, including cell culture media and ancillary materials. Competes with MCLS in supplying cGMP-grade, xeno-free media solutions to cell therapy developers at commercial scale.
• Corning Life Sciences: Corning Life Sciences manufactures cell culture media, sera, and bioprocessing products used across cell therapy and biologics R&D and manufacturing. A broad incumbent competing with MCLS in cell culture supplements and ancillary materials.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Thermo Fisher Scientific offers a broad portfolio of cell culture media, supplements, and bioprocessing products through its Life Sciences Solutions and Biosciences segments. Competes with MCLS in supplying defined and xeno-free media to cell therapy developers.
• FUJIFILM Biosciences: FUJIFILM Biosciences (formerly FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific) supplies cell culture media, supplements, and bioprocessing solutions for cell therapy, regenerative medicine, and biologics manufacturing. Also an authorized MCLS distributor; competes broadly in adjacent media categories.

Direct peers

• StemCell Technologies: StemCell Technologies offers a broad portfolio of cell culture media, supplements, and hPL products (e.g., NutriStem® and mesenchymal stem cell reagents) used in cell therapy and regenerative medicine R&D and manufacturing. Direct competitor to MCLS in hPL and xeno-free cell culture supplements.
• Compass Biomedical: Compass Biomedical manufactures and supplies human platelet lysate (hPL) and other cell culture reagents for cell therapy and regenerative medicine applications. Direct competitor to MCLS in the hPL ancillary materials market, serving similar MSC and cell therapy customers.
• Captivate Bio: Captivate Bio is a life sciences distributor specializing in primary cells and reagents for cell therapy and regenerative medicine research; also an authorized global distributor of MCLS hPL products. Comparable distribution footprint and customer base in translational cell therapy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mill_creek_ls
• Facebookfacebook.com/millcreeklifesciences
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mill-creek-life-sciences-llc

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors1 record

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 Mill Creek Life Sciences