What Sanquin does

Sanquin (legal name Stichting Sanquin Bloedvoorziening) is a not-for-profit foundation headquartered in Amsterdam that operates as the legally designated primary blood supplier for the Netherlands under the Wet inzake bloedvoorziening (Blood Supply Act). It collects, processes, tests, and distributes blood products — red blood cells, platelets, and plasma — to Dutch hospitals through a network of 90 donation sites and five regional distribution hubs (Amsterdam, Groningen, Deventer, Rotterdam, Weert), supported by dedicated relationship managers covering every Dutch province. Beyond core transfusion products, Sanquin supplies specialized products including HLA/HPA-matched platelets for immunized patients, typed and frozen erythrocytes for rare blood groups (via the Sanquin Bank of Frozen Blood, storing inventory for up to 30 years), custom magistral preparations, and experimental high-titer anti-COVID-19 plasma. The platform has been extended into cellular therapies through the Laboratory for Cell Therapy (bone marrow and stem cell processing for hematologic malignancies) and an iPSC generation facility operating since 2013, plus the Sanquin Cord Blood Bank for allogeneic stem cell transplants.

The organization runs an integrated diagnostics business (PurSang Diagnostiek B.V.) covering immunohematology, molecular diagnostics, immunology, and large-scale blood donation screening, and operates the Sanquin Academy for healthcare-professional training. Approximately 75-80 PhD researchers and 200+ scientific studies per year support an active translational research program. Wholly-owned subsidiaries Sanquin Health Solutions Group B.V., Sanquin Innovatie B.V., Sanquin Property & Services B.V., and Sanquin Real Estate B.V. support commercial, innovation, and shared-services activities. Strategic partnerships include Matchis (Dutch stem cell donor registry), the University of Groningen and UMC Groningen (joint Management of Transfusion Medicine postgraduate program), EU research co-funding relationships, and plasma supply agreements with pharmaceutical companies.

Revenue mechanics are mixed: transfusion blood products are supplied to Dutch hospitals at regulated prices under the Blood Supply Act; plasma is sold at market-based commercial prices to pharmaceutical companies processing it into medicines for over 100 diseases; non-transfusion blood products for research and education are supplied at cost price consistent with the foundation's not-for-profit status; and diagnostic, consulting, and educational services generate fee-based revenue. Following a 2024 restructuring that dissolved three legacy divisions in favor of 11 departments reporting to a single Executive Board, Sanquin operates under a unified governance structure while maintaining its statutory public-health mission.

Name

Sanquin

Legal name

Stichting Sanquin Bloedvoorziening

Website

https://sanquin.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Sanquin is the Netherlands' not-for-profit national blood supply foundation, collecting and distributing blood products to Dutch hospitals through 90 donation sites and 5 regional hubs. It also operates diagnostics, cell therapy, cord blood banking, and research services, helping over 100,000 patients annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Blood Banking Services

NAICS

Blood and Organ Banks (621991), Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (62151), In-Vitro Diagnostic Substance Manufacturing (325413)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071)

akta.pro primary industry

Transfusion Medicine & Immunohematology (Blood Bank) (HLAFAMAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cell & Tissue Banking (biobanking, cord blood/tissue) (HLAAAGAE), Plasma Collection & Donor Services (Plasmapheresis Centers) (HLAIAHAH), Plasma-Derived & Blood Products Distributors (HLAIAJAJ), Plasma-Derived Therapeutics (immunoglobulins, albumin, clotting factors) (HLAAAAAI)

Keywords

• Blood supply services
• Transfusion medicine
• Plasma derived medicines
• Immunohematology diagnostics
• Blood banking research

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Blood product sales to hospitals: Sanquin supplies hospitals with blood products including red blood cells, platelets, and plasma under the Wet inzake bloedvoorziening (Blood Supply Act). Products are provided to Dutch healthcare institutions at regulated prices.
2. Plasma sales to pharmaceutical companies: Most plasma donations are sold to pharmaceutical companies that process the plasma into medicines (immunoglobulins, clotting factors, albumin) for treating over 100 diseases. The Dutch market for plasma-derived medicines is open to international commercial pharmaceutical companies, and these medicines are sold at market-based commercial prices.
3. Diagnostic services: Sanquin provides specialized diagnostic services including immunohematology, molecular diagnostics, immunology testing, and large-scale blood donation screening through PurSang Diagnostiek.
4. International consulting services: Sanquin offers consulting and advisory services for blood transfusion improvement worldwide, helping other countries establish or improve their blood supply systems.
5. Non-transfusion blood products: Blood products for research, calibration, proficiency testing, and education purposes are supplied to scientific institutions and laboratories at cost price, as Sanquin is a not-for-profit foundation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sanquin is the sole provider of blood products in the Netherlands, operating under the Wet inzake bloedvoorziening (Blood Supply Act). It collects, processes, tests, and distributes red blood cells, platelets, and plasma to Dutch hospitals. Beyond transfusion products, Sanquin supplies specialized products such as HLA/HPA-matched platelets, typed erythrocytes, frozen blood from the Sanquin Bank of Frozen Blood, and magistral preparations. It also collects plasma sold to pharmaceutical companies for manufacturing plasma-derived medicines, provides diagnostic services via PurSang Diagnostiek, operates a Cord Blood Bank and Laboratory for Cell Therapy, conducts blood-related research, and offers transfusion medicine consulting and education.

Product overview

Sanquin operates as a not-for-profit blood supply foundation offering a comprehensive portfolio of blood products and related services. The core product range spans standard transfusion blood products (red blood cells, platelets, plasma) alongside specialized blood products including HLA/HPA-matched platelets for immunologically refractory patients, typed erythrocytes for patients with rare blood group antibodies, frozen red blood cells from the Sanquin Bank of Frozen Blood, custom magistral products, and experimental products such as anti-COVID-19 plasma. Service products for non-transfusion (NVT) research use include whole blood, buffycoat, erythrocytes in SAGM, pooled platelets in PAS-E/plasma, leukopack, plasma from whole blood, apheresis plasma, serum products (fresh, fresh frozen, 2x tested, pooled), used laboratory test tubes, and researcher-requested blood tubes — all supported by infectious disease screening services. Beyond blood products, Sanquin provides the Laboratory for Cell Therapy (bone marrow and stem cell processing), an iPSC facility (operating since 2013), the Cord Blood Bank, transfusion medicine advisory services (available 24/7), international consulting services, and PurSang Diagnostiek for complex diagnostic testing. Education offerings include Sanquin Academy, PhD programs, and postgraduate training in Management of Transfusion Medicine.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HLA/HPA-matched platelets HLA- and/or HPA-matched platelet products for patients with immunological refractoriness to random platelets. Donors are selected and matched using Sanquin's proprietary matching program that draws on an extensive database of HLA- and HPA-typed donors.
• Frozen erythrocytes (Sanquin Bank of Frozen Blood) Frozen red blood cells with rare blood group typings stored long-term (up to 30 years at -80°C or indefinitely in liquid nitrogen), for patients with alloantibodies against high-frequency blood group antigens or difficult antibody combinations. Uses both low-glycerol and high-glycerol cryopreservation methods.
• Typed erythrocytes Red blood cell products matched for specific blood group antigens, for patients with special blood types or antibodies. Includes the ability to call in rare-typed donors specifically to donate for individual patients.
• Magistral (custom-prepared) blood products Custom-prepared blood products for specific individual patient clinical situations, documented in a dossier with physician sign-off, including emergency products delivered before test results are available.
• Anti-COVID-19 plasma Experimental plasma product from donors with high anti-COVID-19 titers, prepared and applied within clinical evaluation frameworks for immunocompromised COVID patients.
• Non-transfusion (NVT) blood products for research Non-transfusion (NVT) blood products supplied to research institutions and laboratories at cost price under signed delivery agreements. Includes whole blood, buffycoat, erythrocytes in SAGM, pooled platelets in PAS-E/plasma, leukopack, fresh frozen plasma from whole blood or apheresis, fresh and fresh frozen serum (1x tested and 2x tested), pooled heat-treated serum, used laboratory test tubes, and blood tubes drawn on request, with optional infectious disease screening.
• Laboratory for Cell Therapy Processing, storage, and reinfusion of bone marrow and stem cells for patients with hematologic malignancies including leukemia and Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas.
• iPSC facility services Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) facility routinely generating iPSC lines for research applications, operational since 2013.
• Cord Blood Bank Sanquin Cord Blood Bank in Amsterdam supplying cord blood stem cell transplants for allogeneic applications.
• Transfusion medicine advisory service 24/7 transfusion physicians and specialists providing advice and consultation on indications, administration, and side effects of blood products, including HLA/HPA-matched platelet ordering and clinical feedback monitoring.
• International consulting services International consulting services providing guidance and advice on blood transfusion improvement for organizations worldwide.
• PurSang Diagnostiek

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,000 lives saved per week through blood donations in the Netherlands
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Pharmaceutical companies for plasma medicinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSanquin collects plasma which is sold to pharmaceutical companies for processing into plasma-derived medicines (immunoglobulins, clotting factors, albumin) used to treat over 100 diseases. While Sanquin does not produce these medicines itself, this partnership is essential for ensuring Dutch patients have access to these life-saving therapies.
• Matchis (Dutch stem cell donor registry)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSanquin shares donor information with Matchis for stem cell donations, facilitating matches between stem cell donors and patients requiring transplants.
• Academic Medical Center Groningen and University of GroningencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for the Management of Transfusion Medicine (MTM) postgraduate program, combining Sanquin's practical expertise with academic resources from the University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• NHS Blood and Transplant: UK's national blood and organ service providing comparable blood collection, processing, and transplantation services to hospitals under statutory framework. Directly comparable business model with sole-provider status and integrated diagnostics/research operations.
• Canadian Blood Services: Canada's national blood operator with exclusive mandate for blood supply outside Quebec. Operates similar model: voluntary donor base, hospital supply, plasma fractionation partnerships, and integrated stem cell registry.
• Australian Red Cross Lifeblood: Australia's national blood service collecting and distributing blood products nationwide. Similar integrated model covering donor recruitment, blood processing, plasma supply to fractionators, and specialized diagnostics.
• American Red Cross Blood Services: Largest US blood collection organization supplying approximately 40% of nation's blood supply. Comparable in scale of operations, though operating in fragmented US market rather than single statutory monopoly.
• Établissement Français du Sang (EFS): France's national blood service with monopoly status under French public health code. Directly comparable model: public-sector operator, sole provider of blood products, plasma collection for fractionation, integrated research.
• Belgian Red Cross Blood Service: Belgium's national blood service operating under similar regulatory framework as Sanquin with cross-border relevance given Benelux healthcare integration. Closest geographic peer with comparable scale and regulatory model.
• German Red Cross Blood Donation Service: Germany's blood donation service operated by regional Red Cross organizations. Comparable in scale and model though fragmented across federal states; provides benchmark for European national blood service operations.

Broad incumbents

• CSL Behring: Global leader in plasma fractionation and plasma-derived therapies. Sanquin sells plasma to companies like CSL Behring, making them both customer and adjacent industry player in plasma-derived medicine value chain.
• Grifols: Major plasma fractionator with vertically integrated plasma collection centers. Comparable in plasma-derived medicines focus but operates commercial collection rather than voluntary donor model; represents both customer and competitive threat for plasma collection.

Emerging players

• Eurofins Scientific: Large medical diagnostics operator including immunohematology and molecular diagnostics services. Competes with Sanquin's PurSang Diagnostiek in providing specialized testing services to hospitals and pharmaceutical companies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/Sanquinchannel
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• Instagraminstagram.com/sanquin
• Xx.com/sanquin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments3 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Sanquin