Akron Biotechnology
Akron Biotechnology manufactures cGMP-compliant cytokines, plasma-derived products, media, and Closed System Solutions for cell and gene therapy developers. The Boca Raton-based firm also provides custom bioprocessing services to advanced therapy companies and CDMOs globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersBoca Raton, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Akron Biotechnology does
Akron Biotechnology, LLC is a Boca Raton, Florida-headquartered cGMP contract manufacturer and supplier of critical ancillary raw materials for the cell and gene therapy industry. Founded in 2006 by Dr. Claudia Zylberberg, the company produces recombinant cytokines (rHu IL-2, IL-7, IL-15, IL-21, G-CSF, EPO), virus-inactivated human plasma-derived products (Human AB Serum converted from Octaplas, Human Serum Albumin 25%, Human Fibronectin), and a line of cell culture media and supplements (ImmunoCell Growth Medium, CryoSolve, Heparin Sodium Salt). Its flagship Closed System Solutions (CSS) line packages these materials in single-use, weldable-tubing bags for closed-system manufacturing workflows. Akron holds multiple Type II Drug Master Files with the FDA and Health Canada, plus PMDA Eligibility Confirmation in Japan for Virus Inactivated Human Fibronectin, and is ISO 13485 certified.
The company's technical differentiation rests on a proprietary orthogonal protein purification approach that avoids affinity chromatography and histidine tags (eliminating nickel residue), shelf-stable liquid cytokine formulations with up to 24-month shelf life, and the CSS bag platform. The product range is sold under Akron Bio/Akron Biotech brands (DBAs), and Akron also offers custom development and manufacturing services spanning recombinant proteins, nucleases, custom media/buffers, and transfection/transduction reagents under cGMP compliance.
Revenue is generated through four streams: (1) catalog sales of cytokines and growth factors, (2) catalog sales of human plasma-derived products, (3) catalog sales of media and media supplements, and (4) custom development and manufacturing services. Pricing is quote-based for all products, with sales conducted through a B2B enterprise field sales motion targeting cell and gene therapy developers (CAR-T, TCR-T, NK, TIL programs) and cell therapy CDMOs. Customers include Charles River Laboratories, Multiply Labs, and the broader population of advanced therapy developers. Marketing is driven through industry conferences (PDA, ISSCR, ISCT, Advanced Therapies Europe), a website Knowledge Center, and an active newsroom. Arcline Investment Management acquired a majority interest in September 2019, and the company expanded US manufacturing capacity with the 2020 acquisition of a 60,000-square-foot biologics facility in Sarasota, FL, bringing total development and cGMP manufacturing space to more than 100,000 square feet.
Akron Biotechnology firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Akron Biotechnology
- Legal name
- Akron Biotechnology, LLC
- Website
- https://akronbiotech.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Akron Biotechnology manufactures cGMP-compliant cytokines, plasma-derived products, media, and Closed System Solutions for cell and gene therapy developers. The Boca Raton-based firm also provides custom bioprocessing services to advanced therapy companies and CDMOs globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Akron Biotechnology industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Biopharmaceutical Ancillary Materials
- NAICS
- Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (32541)
- SIC
- Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Raw Materials & Critical Reagents Supply (Media/Resins/Cytokines) (HLAGAGAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cell Therapy CDMO (HLAGABAD), mRNA & Nucleic Acid Manufacturing Services (mRNA/saRNA/Plasmid DNA) (HLAGAGAC)
Keywords
Where Akron Biotechnology is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boca Raton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Akron Biotechnology business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Cytokines & Growth Factors: Sale of cGMP recombinant proteins including IL-2, IL-7, IL-15, IL-21, G-CSF, EPO, and other cytokines for cell and gene therapy manufacturing. Products sold in various formats including lyophilized vials, prefilled syringes, and closed system bags.
- Human Plasma-Derived Products: Sale of virus-inactivated human plasma products including Human AB Serum, Human Serum Albumin 25%, and Human Fibronectin for cell therapy applications.
- Media & Media Supplements: Sale of cGMP-compliant cell culture media including ImmunoCell® Growth Medium (ICGM), CryoSolve®, and Heparin Sodium Salt for advanced therapy manufacturing.
- Custom Manufacturing Services: Custom development and manufacturing services for recombinant proteins, nucleases, media and buffers, and transfection/transduction reagents under cGMP compliance for specific client requirements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Quote-based pricing for all products |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Akron Biotechnology product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Akron Biotechnology (Akron Bio) manufactures cGMP-compliant ancillary materials, recombinant cytokines, plasma-derived products, and custom cell and gene therapy manufacturing services. The company supplies cytokines, sera, albumin, fibronectin, and growth media used by cell and gene therapy developers and CDMOs. It also offers closed-system solutions (CSS) and custom protein, media, and buffer manufacturing services.
Product overview
Akron Biotechnology operates as a critical raw materials supplier and manufacturer for the cell and gene therapy industry. The company's product portfolio centers on three core areas: (1) Cytokines and Growth Factors including recombinant human IL-2, IL-7, IL-15, and IL-21 (available in lyophilized, liquid, and prefilled syringe formats), G-CSF, and EPO; (2) Human Plasma-Derived Products including virus-inactivated human AB serum, human serum albumin 25% solution, and human fibronectin; and (3) Media and Media Supplements including ImmunoCell Growth Medium (ICGM), CryoSolve, and Heparin Sodium Salt. The Closed System Solutions (CSS) line integrates these products into single-use, weldable-tubing bags for closed processing workflows. Beyond products, Akron provides custom development and manufacturing services for recombinant proteins, media/buffers, and transfection/transduction reagents, all under cGMP compliance with FDA Type II Master Files. Akron serves advanced therapy developers from pre-clinical through commercialization with a focus on cytokines, plasma products, and custom manufacturing services as ancillary materials—not therapeutic products themselves.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Closed System Solutions (CSS)™: A product line of single-use, ready-to-use bags with weldable tubing providing consistency and sterility assurance for cell and gene therapy manufacturing workflows.
Products and services
- rHu IL-2 Prefilled Syringe
Quantifiable outcome
- 24-month shelf life for liquid cytokines and prefilled syringes
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Akron Biotechnology
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Akron Biotechnology technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Akron Biotechnology partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Qkine LimitedminorStrategic partnership announced to expand product offerings and market reach in the cell and gene therapy ancillary materials space.
- Terumo Blood and Cell TechnologiesminorCompleted collaborative study on MSC (Mesenchymal Stem Cell) expansion using Quantum Flex system to evaluate compatibility and performance of Akron's materials in Terumo's cell therapy manufacturing platform.
- Charles River LaboratoriescoreIntegration of Akron's Closed System Solutions (CSS) line of liquid cytokines produced under CGMP onto Charles River's Cell Therapy Flex Platform for Process Development. The integration enables closed system processing, streamlining operations, minimizing risk, and improving process robustness for CAR-T and TCR-T cell therapies.
- Multiply LabscoreNon-exclusive partnership focused on automating and standardizing the use of cytokines in cell therapy manufacturing. Multiply Labs' cell therapy robotic cluster will incorporate Akron's cGMP-compliant liquid IL-2 into its manufacturing workflow, enabling precise formulation and dispensing. The partnership integrates Akron's existing cGMP-compliant cytokines with Multiply Labs' proprietary adapter system for compatibility with their robotic clusters.
- OctapharmacoreExclusive global agreement with Octapharma to produce virally inactivated human AB serum derived from Octaplas® for the cell therapy market. Leverages Octaplas® as raw material for Akron's virus-inactivated human AB serum product.
- NIIMBL (National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals)minorJoined NIIMBL workforce development grant led by Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES). Partnership focuses on training technicians on biotherapeutics manufacturing processes, with Akron enrolling manufacturing team members in the NCTM training program.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Akron Biotechnology competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Lonza Cell & Gene Technologies: Lonza is a global CDMO with substantial cell and gene therapy manufacturing services and also supplies process development materials and media. Overlap with Akron is in CGT CDMO services and ancillary raw materials, though Lonza is much broader in scope.
- Cytiva (Danaher): Cytiva supplies bioprocessing equipment, single-use solutions, and cell therapy manufacturing platforms alongside ancillary materials. It offers broader bioprocess scope but overlaps with Akron's CSS closed-system bag formats and media offerings used in cell therapy workflows.
- Thermo Fisher Scientific (Gibco/Life Sciences): Through Gibco and PeproTech, Thermo Fisher is the largest broad-line supplier of cell culture media, sera, and recombinant proteins for bioproduction including cell therapy. It is a broad incumbent rather than a CGT-only specialist but directly overlaps with Akron on cytokines, media, and closed-system ancillary materials.
- Charles River Laboratories (Cell Therapy CDMO): Charles River operates a Cell Therapy CDMO business and partnered with Akron to integrate Akron's CSS cytokines onto its Flex Platform. As a partner-and-overlap, Charles River sources from Akron while also offering its own process development and manufacturing services for cell therapy developers.
Direct peers
- Miltenyi Biotec: Miltenyi Biotec supplies cell processing instruments, reagents, and cGMP cytokines/media for cell therapy manufacturing. It competes directly with Akron on cytokines, media, and closed-system manufacturing solutions for advanced therapy developers.
- Bio-Techne (R&D Systems): Bio-Techne manufactures research- and GMP-grade recombinant cytokines, growth factors, and media used in cell therapy manufacturing. It overlaps with Akron's recombinant protein catalog and is a major incumbent in cytokines for immune-cell expansion.
- CellGenix: CellGenix manufactures cGMP-compliant cytokines, growth factors, and media for cell and gene therapy manufacturing. It is the most direct head-to-head competitor to Akron in the cGMP ancillary materials niche, serving the same CAR-T/TCR-T developers with overlapping IL-2, IL-7, IL-15, IL-21 cytokine catalogs.
- STEMCELL Technologies: STEMCELL Technologies supplies cell culture media, primary cells, and reagents for regenerative medicine and cell therapy R&D and manufacturing. It competes with Akron's media and supplements portfolio across T-cell and stem-cell expansion workflows.
Regional players
- Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics: Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics supplies induced pluripotent stem cells and cell therapy manufacturing services. While overlapping in CGT manufacturing, it is more focused on iPSC-derived cell products than on cGMP ancillary materials; geographical emphasis on Japan/global vs. Akron's US manufacturing base.
Others
- Octapharma: Octapharma supplies Octaplas, the virus-inactivated pooled plasma raw material that Akron uses as input for its Human AB Serum and other plasma-derived products. They are a critical upstream supplier-partner, not a direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Akron Biotechnology social profiles
Digital presenceAkron Biotechnology compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Akron Biotechnology financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Akron Biotechnology leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Akron Biotechnology funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Akron Biotechnology 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 Akron Biotechnology
What does Akron Biotechnology do?
Akron Biotechnology (Akron Bio) manufactures cGMP-compliant ancillary materials, recombinant cytokines, plasma-derived products, and custom cell and gene therapy manufacturing services. The company supplies cytokines, sera, albumin, fibronectin, and growth media used by cell and gene therapy developers and CDMOs. It also offers closed-system solutions (CSS) and custom protein, media, and buffer manufacturing services.
Is Akron Biotechnology a public or private company?
Akron Biotechnology is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Akron Biotechnology founded?
Akron Biotechnology was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Akron Biotechnology based?
Akron Biotechnology is headquartered in Boca Raton, United States, in the North America region.
How does Akron Biotechnology make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Cytokines & Growth Factors are the primary driver. The others are human Plasma-Derived Products, media & Media Supplements and custom Manufacturing Services.
Who are Akron Biotechnology's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Lonza Cell & Gene Technologies, Cytiva (Danaher), Thermo Fisher Scientific (Gibco/Life Sciences) and Charles River Laboratories (Cell Therapy CDMO). Direct peers are Miltenyi Biotec, Bio-Techne (R&D Systems), CellGenix and STEMCELL Technologies. Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics is listed as a regional player. Octapharma is listed as an others.
Does Akron Biotechnology have an API?
No public API is recorded for Akron Biotechnology.
What industry is Akron Biotechnology in?
Akron Biotechnology's product category is Biopharmaceutical Ancillary Materials. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAGAI, Raw Materials & Critical Reagents Supply (Media/Resins/Cytokines), with a secondary code of HLAGABAD, Cell Therapy CDMO. Its NAICS code is 325414 and its SIC code is 2836.