ATUM

What ATUM does

ATUM is a Newark, California-based contract research organization (CRO) founded in 2003 (originally as DNA2.0 and rebranded in December 2016) that provides end-to-end biologics development services — from virtual DNA sequence to research cell bank — to biopharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, and industrial biotechnology clients globally. With 51–100 employees, ATUM combines machine-learning-driven optimization platforms with wet-lab capabilities across gene synthesis, protein expression, antibody engineering, and stable cell line development. The company cites over 4,100 publications built on its tools and platforms supporting 50+ investigational new drug (IND) filings and 40+ regulatory submissions across multiple territories, and is protected by 35+ granted US patents. ATUM holds EcoVadis Gold and Platinum sustainability certifications and actively participates in global industry conferences across the US, Europe, and Asia.

ATUM's core technology portfolio is built around two platform families. The first is the GPS optimization suite — GeneGPS, VectorGPS, ProteinGPS, and AntibodyGPS — which combines Design of Experiment (DoE), high-throughput empirical testing, and proprietary machine learning models trained on ATUM's accumulated sequence-to-function data to optimize codon usage, expression vectors, protein folding, and antibody affinity. The second is its stable cell line and expression platform, anchored by Leap-In Transposase (a transposase-based system with ML-enhanced activity), supported by lightningHEK (HEK293-based transient expression), discoCHO (CHO-K1-derived transient expression in both RUO and commercial formats), and miCHO (manufacturing cell line). The company has expanded into bispecific antibodies with the Lock-In platform, an IgG-like scaffold designed to eliminate light-chain mispairing, launched in May 2026.

ATUM generates revenue through three distinct streams. First, project-based CRO services are priced on a quote-driven model that scales with project scope (gene synthesis, protein engineering, stable cell line development). Second, technology licensing includes commercial and research-use licenses for Leap-In Transposase and discoCHO, with named CDMO licensees including AGC Biologics, Wheeler Bio, and Rentschler Biopharma. Third, catalog product sales include expression vectors, CRISPR vectors, reagents, and Pichia strains offered through an online e-commerce channel with tiered gene synthesis pricing (RUSH, Priority, Standard). The company reaches customers through direct enterprise sales, CDMO licensing partnerships, academic distribution agreements (e.g., TrioBio in China), and digital catalog commerce. Named customers and partners include VERAXA Biotech, AGC Biologics, Codiak Biosciences, Phylex BioSciences, Anagram Therapeutics, and several undisclosed biopharma programs.

Name

ATUM

Legal name

DNA TwoPointO Inc.

Website

https://atum.bio

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ATUM is a Newark, California-based biologics contract research organization offering integrated services from gene synthesis through stable cell line development. It combines ML-driven optimization platforms with CRO services and technology licensing for biopharmaceutical, academic, and industrial biotech clients globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biologics Contract Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Clinical CROs (Phase I–IV) (HLAGAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regulatory Strategy & Global Submissions (IND/CTA/NDA/BLA/MAA) (HLAGAKAA), Specialty Therapeutic-Area CROs (e.g., oncology/rare disease) (HLAGAAAL)

Keywords

• Biologics contract research
• Gene synthesis services
• Cell line development
• Protein expression services
• Antibody engineering

Headquarters

HQ city

Newark

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Contract Research Services (CRO): ATUM generates revenue primarily through providing contract research and development services for biologics drug discovery and development. Services span from gene synthesis and sequence optimization through protein expression and cell line development. Customers include biopharmaceutical companies, biotech firms, and academic institutions. The company offers both service-based engagements and technology licensing.
2. Technology Platform Licensing: ATUM licenses its proprietary technology platforms including Leap-In Transposase® and discoCHO™ for in-house use by partners and clients. Licensing is available for both Research Use Only (RUO) and commercial use. Includes access to cell lines, technical support, and the right to use ATUM's proprietary sequence and vector optimization technologies.
3. Product Sales (Catalog): ATUM sells catalog products including expression vectors (bacterial, mammalian, yeast), CRISPR/Cas9 vectors, reagents (Electra system, ProteinPaintbox, enzymes), and Pichia strains. Products are ordered through the company's online catalog. Non-clonal DNA fragments (DNA2GO) are available with a minimum order of 24 fragments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ATUM is a fully integrated contract research organization that delivers biologics development services from virtual DNA sequence to research cell bank, including AI/ML-optimized gene synthesis, protein expression in bacterial, yeast, and mammalian hosts, antibody engineering, and stable cell line development. The company sells these as project-based CRO engagements, licenses proprietary platforms such as Leap-In Transposase® and discoCHO™, and distributes a catalog of expression vectors, CRISPR reagents, and engineered strains through an online storefront.

Product overview

ATUM is a fully integrated biologics development partner offering an end-to-end platform spanning from virtual DNA sequence to research cell bank. The core portfolio includes proprietary technology platforms (Leap-In Transposase®, Lock-In™ Bispecifics, lightningHEK™, discoCHO™, GPS Technology comprising GeneGPS®, VectorGPS®, ProteinGPS®, and AntibodyGPS®) combined with comprehensive services (Gene Design & Synthesis, Antibody Services, Cell Line Development, Protein Expression Services, Protein Analytics, Assay Development) and technology licensing programs. The company operates as a one-stop biologics development partner with in-house AI/ML capabilities, machine learning-driven optimization, and all services located in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Lock-In™ Platform: Bispecific antibody development platform that eliminates light-chain mispairing using IgG-like architecture
• lightningHEK™
• discoCHO™
• Leap-In Transposase®
• GeneGPS®
• VectorGPS®
• ProteinGPS®
• AntibodyGPS®

Products and services

• Leap-In Transposase® Proprietary transposase technology for stable genomic integration of expression constructs into host cell genomes, available as a CRO service and via licensing for in-house cell line development and manufacturing workflows.
• Lock-In™ Bispecifics Platform Bispecific antibody platform using IgG-like architecture that eliminates light-chain mispairing, achieves stable cell line titers exceeding 5 g/L, and enables seamless transition from monoclonal antibody discovery to bispecific manufacturing.
• lightningHEK™ High-throughput HEK transient expression platform for massively parallel lead candidate antibody expression, binding, and developability screening, delivering 200 µg to 1 mg of protein in 10 business days or less.
• discoCHO™ CHO-K1-derived transient expression platform that delivers lead-optimization speed with critical quality attributes of the miCHO manufacturing cell line, scalable from mL to L volumes, available as a CRO service or via licensing.
• GPS Technology Integrated bioengineering platform combining Design of Experiment, empirical testing, and machine learning across GeneGPS® (codon optimization), VectorGPS® (vector design), ProteinGPS® (protein engineering), and AntibodyGPS® (antibody optimization) for biologics and enzyme engineering.
• Gene Design & Synthesis Services AI/ML-based gene synthesis services powered by GeneGPS® and VectorGPS® for optimized expression constructs in bacterial, yeast, and mammalian cells, available with RUSH, Priority, and Standard service tiers, plus DNA2GO non-clonal fragments.
• Antibody Services Integrated antibody development services including hybridoma sequencing, antibody humanization, affinity maturation, and engineering via AntibodyGPS®, with recombinant expression, purification, and analytics.
• Cell Line Development Services End-to-end cell line development services using Leap-In Transposase® for generating stable pools and clonal cell lines with high productivity and genetic stability, supporting CMC development and IND-enabling activities.
• Protein Expression Services Protein production services combining expression optimization, purification expertise, and analytics from bacterial, yeast, and mammalian hosts, with scales ranging from 96-well plates to multiple liters and comprehensive analytical characterization.
• Protein Analytics Comprehensive protein characterization services including SEC-HPLC, CE-SDS, mass spectrometry, bio-layer interferometry, glycan analysis, and developability assessment for IND filing and GLP toxicology studies.
• Assay Development Custom assay development services including antibody affinity measurement, enzyme specificity and activity testing, solubility and aggregation analysis, and stability assessment using HPLC, fluorescence, SPR, and BLI platforms.
• Technology Licensing Licensing programs for Leap-In Transposase® and discoCHO™ enabling partners to implement ATUM's technologies in-house for stable and transient cell line development, with RUO and commercial tiers and bundled reagent supply.
• miCHO® Cell Line ATUM's proprietary CHO-K1 derived manufacturing cell line with GS selection system, optimized for high-productivity biologics production and used as the reference cell line for discoCHO transient expression.
• Expression Vectors Ready-to-use catalog expression vectors for bacterial, mammalian, and yeast hosts including pD2000, pD2100, and pD2500 series with various promoters, tags, and selection markers.
• CRISPR Vectors Catalog CRISPR/Cas9 vectors and components for gene editing applications, paired with ATUM's gRNA Designer tool, ordered through the online storefront.
• Electra Cloning System Catalog cloning kit system using proprietary enzyme technology for rapid DNA assembly and subcloning.
• ProteinPaintbox Catalog chromogenic and fluorescent proteins for research applications including protein visualization and tagging.
• Pichia Strains Catalog engineered Pichia pastoris strains for protein expression with secretion capability and methanol-inducible expression systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 10-fold more protein expression in E. coli compared to competitors' codon optimization algorithms
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability5 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• VERAXA BiotechcoreTechnology or Integration · 2 July 2026VERAXA Biotech selected ATUM as its contract research partner to generate stable clonal cell lines using Leap-In Transposase technology for its lead BiTAC® T-cell engager cancer therapy program. The collaboration supports CMC development, analytical development, and nonclinical studies required to advance the candidate toward IND/CTA-enabling studies and subsequent clinical testing.
• AGC BiologicscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 December 2025AGC Biologics expanded its Cell Line Development Center of Excellence by partnering with ATUM to integrate Leap-In Transposase platform, which shortens development timelines and increases yields. This collaboration enhances AGC's service offerings for biologics development especially for complex molecules and aims to accelerate the drug development process to meet customer demands for speed and efficiency.
• Anagram TherapeuticsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 September 2023Partnership extended to develop orally delivered enzyme therapies for malabsorption and nutrient metabolism disorders, utilizing ATUM's integrated bioengineering capabilities.
• TrioBiominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2022Partnership to deliver Leap-In Transposase-based bioengineering solutions to the Chinese pharmaceutical market, expanding ATUM's geographic reach.
• Wheeler BiocoreTechnology or Integration · 1 December 2021Wheeler Bio licensed ATUM's proprietary Leap-In Transposase technology in support of its disruptive CDMO service offering, enabling faster cell line development for biologics manufacturing.
• IAVI, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Serum Institute of IndiaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 October 2020Collaboration supporting development of monoclonal antibodies for COVID-19 and ensuring prompt and equitable global access, with ATUM contributing its bioengineering and protein expression capabilities.
• Rentschler BiopharmacoreTechnology or Integration · 14 October 2020Leap-In Transposase licensing agreement for development of robust manufacturing processes for complex therapeutic proteins. Rentschler Biopharma utilizes ATUM's technology to support its biopharmaceutical manufacturing客户 base.
• Phylex BioSciencesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2020Collaboration to accelerate the development of a universal SARS coronavirus vaccine utilizing ATUM's gene synthesis and protein expression platforms.
• ADM (Archer Daniels Midland)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 September 2018Extended joint development agreement focused on industrial biotechnology applications, leveraging ATUM's synthetic biology tools for bio-based manufacturing.
• Just BiotherapeuticsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 February 2018Collaboration to accelerate drug discovery combining ATUM's bioengineering capabilities with Just Biotherapeutics' protein engineering expertise.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• WuXi Biologics: Large global biologics CDMO with end-to-end discovery, cell line development, and GMP manufacturing capabilities; competes with ATUM in cell line development and is a potential partner/competitor dynamic for licensing.
• Charles River Laboratories: Diversified CRO with biologics services spanning discovery, cell line development, and manufacturing support; overlaps with ATUM in research services and pre-clinical development.
• Catalent: Major CDMO with biologics capabilities including cell line development and biomanufacturing; competes with ATUM's preclinical services and offers a much broader commercial-scale manufacturing footprint.
• Samsung Biologics: Large-scale biologics CDMO investing in discovery and cell line capabilities, competing with ATUM for early-stage CMC work and downstream manufacturing contracts.
• Lonza: Largest global CDMO offering mammalian cell line development and biologics manufacturing at industrial scale; competes with ATUM at the cell line development stage and represents both a competitor and a potential licensing partner for transposase technology.

Direct peers

• GenScript: Global biotech providing gene synthesis, protein expression, antibody services, and cell line development — directly overlapping ATUM's gene-to-cell-line service stack and competing for many of the same biopharma and academic customers.
• Twist Bioscience: DNA synthesis and synthetic biology tools provider that has expanded into antibody discovery and biologics, competing with ATUM in gene synthesis services and increasingly in protein engineering.
• LakePharma (Curia): Biologics CRO/CDMO offering protein expression, antibody engineering, and cell line development services that map closely to ATUM's preclinical biologics development offerings.

Others

• Cytiva: Bioprocessing equipment and consumables supplier (formerly GE Lifesciences) whose instruments and single-cell cloning tools are used alongside ATUM's transposase workflow; relevant ecosystem partner rather than direct competitor.

Emerging players

• AbCellera: Antibody discovery platform that uses AI/ML-driven screens for therapeutic antibody candidates, competing with ATUM in the upstream antibody discovery and engineering portion of the biologics pipeline.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCg4K5XplUUOvjDTxxXQnhJw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/atum-bio
• Xx.com/atum_bio
• Facebookfacebook.com/atumbio

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments2 records

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

Frequently asked questions about ATUM