What Echelon Biosciences does

Echelon Biosciences Inc., founded in 1997 and headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, is a specialized B2B supplier of research reagents, assay kits, and custom synthesis services focused on lipid biology, cell signaling, and lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulation. The company maintains a catalog of 3,665+ products organized across five categories: lipids (320+ products, including ionizable lipids such as SM-102, ALC-0315, and DLin-MC3-DMA), bioassays and kits (61, including ELISA kits for PI3-Kinase, autotaxin, hyaluronidase, LPA, and S1P), antibodies and proteins (50), peptides (594), and biochemical reagents (206+). Two U.S. patents (7,067,269 and 7,989,663) underpin its PI3-Kinase and autotaxin assay franchises. Beyond catalog products, Echelon offers three higher-value services: LNP formulation services combining biologist and lipid chemist expertise, assay services to run customer samples, and custom synthesis of complex lipids and peptides.

The company operates a sales-led, direct-to-researcher go-to-market primarily through its own e-commerce storefront at echelon-inc.com, with global FedEx shipping (including temperature-controlled logistics) reaching North America, Europe, and Asia. Marketing is driven by scientific content, including the 'Lipids & Beyond' webinar series, blog posts, and technical documentation, targeting academic and government research institutions (NIH), pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies (Pfizer, Lilly, Boehringer Ingelheim), and life sciences distributors (Fisher Scientific). Product pricing is publicly disclosed and tiered by quantity (typical range $37-$4,278), while custom services are quote-based. In August 2024, Echelon was acquired by VION Biosciences, an Iron Path Capital-backed platform, positioning the company as a portfolio asset within a broader life sciences tools rollup strategy. The company remains privately held under Delaware corporate law and operates with a small team (1-10 employees) under President Bert Israelsen.

Name

Echelon Biosciences

Legal name

Echelon Biosciences Inc.

Website

https://echelon-inc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Echelon Biosciences is a 1997-founded, Salt Lake City-based specialty supplier of lipid biology and cell signaling research reagents, assay kits, and custom synthesis services serving academic, government, and pharmaceutical researchers in LNP formulation and drug discovery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Life Science Research Reagents

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)

akta.pro primary industry

Reagents, Chemicals & Assay Kits (Buffers, Antibodies, ELISA, Enzymes) (HLAGAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Bioanalytical & Biomarker CROs (PK/PD/Immunogenicity) (HLAGAAAD)

Keywords

• Lipid research reagents
• LNP formulation services
• Cell signaling assays
• Biochemical reagents supply
• Drug discovery tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Salt Lake City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Research Reagent Product Sales: Sale of lipid products, biochemical reagents, peptides, antibodies, proteins, and assay kits through e-commerce platform. Products are sold in various sizes with tiered pricing based on quantity.
2. Custom Synthesis Services: Custom chemistry services for synthesizing complex lipids, peptides, and novel molecules. Quote-based pricing depending on complexity and quantity requirements.
3. Assay Services: Laboratory services running customer samples in Echelon assays. Customers submit samples for analysis using company's validated assay protocols.
4. LNP Formulation Services: Collaborative formulation services where Echelon biologists and lipid chemists assist customers with lipid nanoparticle formulation projects including screening and optimization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Echelon Biosciences manufactures and supplies lipid-based research reagents, biochemical kits, peptides, antibodies, and proteins used in biomedical research and drug discovery. The company also offers lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulation services, custom chemical synthesis, and assay services to academic, government, and pharmaceutical researchers. Its portfolio of more than 3,600 products spans ionizable lipids, helper lipids, ELISA and activity assay kits, and specialty biochemical reagents.

Product overview

Echelon Biosciences is a research reagent and assay supplier offering a comprehensive portfolio of over 3,600 lipid-related products and services for drug discovery and diagnostics. The product suite centers on five core product categories: Lipids (320+ products including ionizable lipids for LNP formulation), Bioassays & Kits (61 products including ELISA and activity assays), Antibodies & Proteins (50 products), Peptides (594 products), and Biochemical Reagents (206+ products including enzyme inhibitors and hyaluronic acid derivatives). Notable branded products include the Hyaluronidase Activity ELISA, PIP3 Mass ELISA Kit, and various PI3-Kinase activity assays. The company provides three specialized services: LNP Formulation Services (expert support for lipid nanoparticle development), Assay Services (sample testing), and Custom Synthesis (complex lipid and peptide synthesis). Echelon serves leading pharmaceutical companies and research institutions, positioning itself as a trusted partner in lipid biology and cell signaling research with a focus on accelerating scientific discovery in drug development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hyaluronidase Activity ELISA (K-6000)

Quantifiable outcome

• Products validated and trusted by leading pharmaceutical companies and research institutions including Pfizer, Lilly, Boehringer Ingelheim, and NIH.

Named customers5 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

One partnership is on record.

• Hyalose, LLCminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 25 April 2019Echelon Biosciences is the sole authorized distributor for Select-HA products from Hyalose, LLC. Products include Select-HA 25k, 75k, 200k, 400k, 500k, 900k, and 1250k hyaluronic acid variants used in research applications.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MedChemExpress (MCE): Large research chemical and reagent supplier with a broad lipid catalog and custom synthesis capabilities. Competes head-to-head in research-grade specialty lipids and small molecules.
• MedKoo Biosciences: Research chemical supplier focused on small molecules, lipids, and intermediates for drug discovery. Comparable in catalog-driven specialty reagent sales and custom synthesis services.
• Avanti Polar Lipids: Specialty lipid manufacturer for research and pharmaceutical applications, now part of Croda International. The most direct competitor in lipid reagents, including ionizable lipids for LNP drug delivery.
• NOF Corporation (NOF America): Specialty phospholipid and PEG-lipid manufacturer supplying drug delivery and LNP formulation developers. Directly comparable in ionizable lipids and pharmaceutical-grade lipid excipients.
• Polysciences, Inc. Specialty chemicals manufacturer including lipid-based microparticles and reagents for research applications. Comparable in lipid particle/bead products used in cell signaling research.
• Cayman Chemical: Major research reagent supplier with a deep catalog of lipids, biochemicals, and assay kits. Directly competes with Echelon in lipid ELISA kits and signaling assay reagents.

Broad incumbents

• Tocris Bioscience (Bio-Techne): Research reagent supplier specializing in bioactive small molecules and lipid mediators, owned by Bio-Techne. Competes in lipid signaling reagents and assay kits for cell signaling research.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Largest life sciences tools and reagents company, offering lipids, assay kits, and biochemical reagents through multiple brands. A broad incumbent with massive catalog overlap.
• MilliporeSigma (Sigma-Aldrich): Largest global research reagent supplier with broad lipid, peptide, and assay kit catalogs. A broad incumbent that competes with Echelon across most product categories but does not specialize in lipid signaling.

Emerging players

• Creative Biolabs: Biopartner offering lipid nanoparticle formulation services and lipid-based drug development services. Overlaps with Echelon's LNP formulation service but is more focused on full development programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/echelon_bio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Echelon Biosciences