Myllia Biotechnology

What Myllia Biotechnology does

Myllia Biotechnology GmbH is a Vienna-based contract research organization (CRO) founded in 2018 by Thomas Moser (CEO) and Tilmann Buerckstuemmer (CSO), originally under the name Aelian Biotechnology. The company operates exclusively as a B2B services provider, executing tailor-made, high-content CRISPR screens for biotechnology and pharmaceutical partners engaged in drug target identification and validation. Its customer base is concentrated in oncology, immunology, autoimmunity, and metabolic disease drug discovery, with a secondary segment of AI/bioinformatics groups seeking causal perturbation datasets for foundation-model training.

The company's core technology is CROP-Seq, which combines pooled CRISPR perturbation (CRISPRn, CRISPRi, and CRISPRa) with single-cell RNA sequencing to link genetic perturbations to transcriptomic phenotypes at single-cell resolution. A distinguishing capability is its use of primary human cells — including T cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells sourced directly from healthy volunteers or patients — rather than immortalized cell lines, increasing translational relevance. In June 2025 it launched the VISTA platform, the first platform enabling genome-wide CRISPR screens in primary human macrophages and dendritic cells, validated with Ultima Genomics sequencing. In March 2026 it added Optical Pooled Screening on Element Biosciences' AVITI24 system, integrating RNA, protein, and morphology readouts. The company also maintains a proprietary sgRNA design algorithm and operates a joint venture, bit.bio discovery, with Cambridge-based bit.bio for iPSC-derived cell applications.

Myllia monetizes through quote-based contract research fees per project, with bespoke assay design, screening execution, and bioinformatic analysis bundled into each engagement. Distribution is direct enterprise sales via a small business development team. The company has not publicly disclosed funding rounds or revenue figures, remains privately held with 11-50 employees, and has received the Phoenix Award 2022 in the Start-up category. Strategic partnerships with Ultima Genomics and Element Biosciences anchor its sequencing and multiomic instrumentation stack.

Name

Myllia Biotechnology

Legal name

Myllia Biotechnology GmbH

Website

https://myllia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Myllia Biotechnology is a Vienna-based CRO that performs bespoke CRISPR screens in primary human cells for biotech and pharma drug discovery partners, using CROP-Seq and the VISTA platform to deliver causal, mechanism-resolved drug target identification and AI-ready perturbation datasets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Functional Genomics CRO Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

CRISPR & Functional Genomics Screening Platforms (pooled/arrayed screens, perturb-seq) (HLAAAIAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

AI/ML-Enabled Biologic Discovery Platforms (computational design, in silico screening) (HLAAAIAE)

Keywords

• CRISPR screening services
• Functional genomics
• Drug target discovery
• Single-cell sequencing
• Primary human cell models

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. CRO Services - CRISPR Screening: Contract research organization providing tailor-made CRISPR screens as a service to biotechnology and pharmaceutical partners. Services include bespoke assay development, execution of screens, and bioinformatic analysis.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Myllia Biotechnology is a contract research organization (CRO) that provides tailor-made CRISPR screening services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Using its proprietary CROP-Seq technology—which combines pooled CRISPR perturbation with single-cell RNA sequencing—Myllia performs high-content functional genomics screens in primary human cells (T cells, macrophages, dendritic cells, epithelial cells) to enable causal, mechanism-resolved drug target identification and validation, mode-of-action analysis, and generation of AI-ready perturbation datasets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VISTA: A platform enabling genome-wide CRISPR screens in primary human macrophages and dendritic cells for drug target discovery.

Products and services

• CROP-Seq Technology Platform (CRISPR screening service) Contract research service combining pooled CRISPR perturbation (CRISPRn, CRISPRi, CRISPRa) with single-cell RNA sequencing in primary human cells to map the impact of genetic perturbations on single-cell transcriptomes for drug target discovery and functional genomics. Offered to pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients as a bespoke CRO service.
• VISTA Platform First-ever platform enabling unbiased, genome-wide CRISPR perturbations in primary human macrophages and dendritic cells combined with single-cell readouts, targeting drug discovery across autoimmunity, inflammation, cancer, and infectious disease areas. Offered as a CRO service to biotech and pharma partners.
• Optical Pooled Screening (OPS) Service Image-based multimodal CRISPR screening service that integrates transcriptomic, proteomic, and high-content morphological readouts via the Element Biosciences AVITI24 system, enabling researchers to link CRISPR perturbations directly to rich cellular phenotypes. Offered as a CRO service to biotechnology and pharmaceutical partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• Validated the ability to capture genotype-to-phenotype relationships at scale with reproducibility and scalability
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Element BiosciencescoreTechnology or Integration · 16 March 2026Collaboration to validate multimodal optical pooled screening (OPS) using Element's AVITI24 5D multiomic system. The partnership demonstrated successful integration of RNA, protein, and cellular morphology data from CRISPR-based perturbations, validating the ability to capture genotype-to-phenotype relationships at scale. Myllia plans to offer OPS-based multimodal screening services to biotech and pharma partners.
• Ultima GenomicscoreTechnology or Integration · 6 June 2025Collaboration utilizing Ultima Genomics' high-throughput, cost-efficient sequencing technology for VISTA platform validation. The proof-of-concept screens enabling genome-wide CRISPR screening in primary human macrophages and dendritic cells were made possible through this partnership with Ultima's sequencing platform providing the required data scale.
• bit.bio discoverycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture between Vienna-based Myllia Biotechnology and Cambridge-based bit.bio. Tilmann Buerckstuemmer serves as CEO of bit.bio discovery, combining Myllia's CRISPR screening expertise with bit.bio's induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) differentiation technology for expanded functional genomics capabilities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• bit.bio: Cambridge-based iPSC differentiation platform company and Myllia's joint venture partner in bit.bio discovery. Comparable as an enabling platform for human-cell-based functional genomics and drug discovery workflows.
• Cellecta: US-based functional genomics CRO specializing in pooled CRISPR and shRNA screening services with bespoke assay design — closely overlaps Myllia's core CROP-Seq service offering for pharma target discovery.
• Synthego: CRISPR genome engineering products and services company offering sgRNA libraries and screening support — directly competes in CRISPR reagent and screening services for biotech customers.
• Revvity (formerly Horizon Discovery): Revvity's Horizon Discovery business pioneered commercial CRISPR screening and gene-engineered cell line products — and is Myllia's founders' former employer. Directly comparable as a functional genomics CRO offering pooled CRISPR screens to pharma/biotech, though broader in scope.

Others

• Element Biosciences: Sequencing platform company and Myllia's strategic partner for optical pooled screening on the AVITI24 multiomic system. Adjacent rather than competitive — provides enabling instrumentation for Myllia's OPS service line.
• Ultima Genomics: High-throughput sequencing platform company and Myllia's VISTA platform technology partner. Supplies the sequencing backbone that made genome-wide CRISPR screens in primary myeloid cells economically viable.

Emerging players

• Active Motif: Epigenetics and functional genomics tools/services company offering cell-based screening and target validation services — partially overlaps Myllia's service portfolio for pharma target discovery customers.
• Caribou Biosciences: CRISPR-based genome editing company developing both therapeutic programs and CRISPR platform technology; partially overlaps Myllia's functional genomics screening capability but with a therapeutic development focus.

Broad incumbents

• Recursion Pharmaceuticals: AI-driven drug discovery company that has historically operated its own high-throughput CRISPR screening pipelines for target discovery — overlapping with Myllia's positioning as a causal perturbation data generator for bio-AI.
• Charles River Laboratories: Large global CRO with established cell biology and discovery services including CRISPR-based screening for pharma clients — competes for the same enterprise CRO budgets though Myllia is more specialized in primary immune cells.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/mylliabio
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCsJ5gCLbhMwbKUHlKz9a_4g
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mylliabio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 Myllia Biotechnology