Chromatan
ChromaTan is a private Pennsylvania-based biotech process equipment company that develops the Kascade BioRMB, a patented column-free continuous chromatography platform for purifying monoclonal antibodies, gene therapy vectors, mRNA, and other biologics, selling to biopharmaceutical manufacturers and research institutions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersState College, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Chromatan does
ChromaTan Inc. is a privately held Pennsylvania-based biotechnology process equipment company founded in 2009 that develops continuous countercurrent tangential chromatography (CCTC) systems for biopharmaceutical purification. Its flagship product, the Kascade BioRMB system, is a patented column-free chromatography platform based on Biologic Real Moving Bed (BioRMB) true moving bed technology that uses hollow fiber membranes and multi-stage countercurrent extraction to deliver continuous, steady-state purification of biologics at low pressure, with stated advantages of 10X resin volume reduction, up to 70% OpEx savings, and 10–15X productivity improvements versus traditional packed bed chromatography. The platform is validated across sensitive modalities including monoclonal antibodies, AAV gene therapy vectors, mRNA therapeutics, lentivirus, and plasmid DNA, and integrates with a broader partner ecosystem spanning Purolite (custom resin), Proconex/Emerson DeltaV (automation), Securecell (process control software), PendoTECH (in-line sensors), and Shimadzu (analytics).
ChromaTan generates revenue through three streams: sale of Kascade BioRMB hardware systems (quote-based, multi-year contracts), R&D service contracts with major biopharmaceutical companies such as Roche, Takeda, and Merck, and licensing of BioRMB and CCTC patents. Its go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting biopharmaceutical manufacturers and research institutions, supplemented by strategic R&D partnerships with pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions (MIT, Penn State) for technology validation and co-development. The company has been supported by substantial non-dilutive funding from NIH SBIR grants (over $7.7M cumulatively), FDA contracts ($2.5M awarded, $2.3M received), and NIIMBL awards ($1.3M cumulative), alongside equity financing totaling approximately $2.1M in Series A plus bridge rounds.
The company is headquartered at Spring House Innovation Park in Lower Gwynedd, Pennsylvania, with engineering/R&D origins in State College, PA and a prior Philadelphia Science Center location. As of 2024, ChromaTan reported 11–50 employees and shipped its first two commercial Kascade units to MIT and CSL Seqirus, marking its transition from development-stage to early commercial-stage operation with a focus on gene therapy manufacturing applications.
Chromatan firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chromatan
- Legal name
- ChromaTan Inc.
- Website
- https://chromatan.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- ChromaTan is a private Pennsylvania-based biotech process equipment company that develops the Kascade BioRMB, a patented column-free continuous chromatography platform for purifying monoclonal antibodies, gene therapy vectors, mRNA, and other biologics, selling to biopharmaceutical manufacturers and research institutions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chromatan industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Bioprocessing Chromatography Equipment
- NAICS
- Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing (3391)
- SIC
- Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Continuous Bioprocessing Technologies (perfusion, continuous chromatography, integrated lines) (HLAAAJAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Analytical Instruments & Chromatography Systems (HLAGAIAA), Single-Use Technologies (SUT) & Disposable Fluid Management (bags, assemblies, connectors) (HLAAAJAC), mRNA & Nucleic Acid Manufacturing Services (mRNA/saRNA/Plasmid DNA) (HLAGAGAC)
Keywords
Where Chromatan is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- State College
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Chromatan business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Chromatography Hardware Sales: Sale of Kascade BioRMB chromatography systems for advanced process development, preclinical and GMP manufacturing. Systems include flow rates of 2-25 mls/min and resin utilization of 7.5-50 mls.
- R&D Service Contracts: The company has received multiple R&D contracts from major pharmaceutical companies including Roche ($100,000), Takeda (long-term investigation), and Merck (long-term multi-phase contracts) for evaluating and developing the CCTC platform.
- Technology Licensing: Licensing of proprietary BioRMB technology and CCTC patents for biopharmaceutical manufacturing applications.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Kascade BioRMB System for process development, preclinical and GMP manufacturing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Chromatan product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ChromaTan develops and sells the Kascade BioRMB System, a column-free continuous chromatography platform based on proprietary Biologic Real Moving Bed (BioRMB) technology. The system performs true steady-state, low-pressure purification of biologics including monoclonal antibodies, gene therapy vectors (AAV), mRNA, and DNA, using disposable closed flowpaths with 10X resin volume reduction and up to 70% OpEx savings. The company also generates revenue through R&D service contracts with major pharmaceutical companies and licensing of its patented CCTC/BioRMB technology.
Product overview
Chromatan offers the Kascade BioRMB System as its flagship product—a column-free chromatography platform based on Biologic Real Moving Bed (BioRMB) technology. This true moving bed technology provides continuous, steady-state purification of biologics with significantly reduced resin consumption and operational costs. The company also maintains earlier generation products (CCTC PiPe and CCTC Max) based on continuous countercurrent tangential chromatography technology. BioRMB represents the evolution and advancement of the original CCTC platform, with improved specifications and design optimizations extending through 2034.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Kascade BioRMB System Column-free chromatography platform using true moving bed technology for continuous purification of biologics, featuring steady-state low-pressure operation, 10X resin volume reduction, up to 70% OpEx savings, disposable closed flowpath, and rapid resin cycling of 3-5 cycles per hour. Sold to biopharmaceutical manufacturers for process development, preclinical, and GMP manufacturing applications.
- CCTC PiPe Earlier generation continuous countercurrent tangential chromatography system from ChromaTan, predecessor to the Kascade BioRMB platform.
- CCTC Max Earlier generation continuous countercurrent tangential chromatography system from ChromaTan, predecessor to the Kascade BioRMB platform.
Quantifiable outcome
- 10X resin volume reduction compared to traditional chromatography
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Chromatan
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Chromatan technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
Feature6 records
Chromatan partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- ShimadzucoreJoint R&D development on Process Analytical Solutions utilizing BioRMB for gene therapy manufacturing announced March 2025.
- Landmark BiocoreReceived $700,000 NIIMBL award for joint development of next-generation solutions for gene therapy manufacturing, specifically for scalable and cost-effective AAV production processes.
- ProconexcoreStrategic partnership with Proconex (Emerson Impact Partner Network) for Emerson DeltaV process automation solutions. Proconex invested both cash and in-kind in ChromaTan's Series A and is jointly implementing complete automation solution for CCTC platform based on DeltaV.
- TakedacoreMajor R&D contract with Takeda for long-term investigation of CCTC for Blood Plasma Purification. Part of $750,000 MLSC project with MIT for evaluation of platform.
- MerckcoreLong-term multi-phase R&D contract with Merck to generate data with ChromaTan's technology. Merck has conveyed positive evaluation and case for further development and possible implementation.
- Rochemajor$100,000 R&D contract to demonstrate CCTC platform capabilities as applied to commercial antibody-based therapy in Roche's pipeline.
- PendoTECHmajorCo-published white paper on utilization of in-line sensors in continuous processing for Bioprocess International. PendoTECH provides sensor technology for CCTC platform monitoring.
- Applikon BiotechnologymajorCo-published white paper on Integrated Continuous and Single-use Bioproduction Platform (ICS) exploring optimization of Perfusion and Cell separation device (Biosep). Joint work under NIH Phase I grant.
- SecurecellmajorPartnership to introduce Securecell's Numera in-line sampling platform and Lucullus software solution to integrate into ChromaTan's continuous bioprocessing solutions for process control and in-line sample prep and analysis.
- University of MarylandmajorFirst award in NIIMBL history - $600,000 awarded to develop in-line NMR instrument for protein concentration and aggregation measurements.
- Purolite Life SciencescoreStrategic collaboration on chromatography resin development resulting in innovative new resin specifically designed for CCTC platform. Joint publication demonstrating 140 grams mAb/L resin/hr - highest ever recorded productivity. Purolite joined ChromaTan at BPI 2018 exhibitor booth.
- Penn State University / Dr. Andrew ZydneycorePartnership established at Penn State University Fenske Laboratory for countercurrent chromatography development. Dr. Zydney serves as Chair of ChromaTan's Technical Advisory Board. Long-term collaboration on CCTC technology development and publications.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Chromatan competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Cytiva: Cytiva (formerly GE Healthcare Life Sciences) is the global leader in bioprocess chromatography with ÄKTA and MabSelect product lines, plus a full biomanufacturing portfolio. Directly comparable to ChromaTan as a chromatography platform provider serving the same biopharma manufacturers.
- Sartorius: Sartorius is a major bioprocess equipment and consumables provider offering chromatography systems, single-use solutions, and process intensification tools. Competes with ChromaTan for the same biopharmaceutical purification customers across mAb and emerging modality manufacturing.
- Bio-Rad Laboratories: Bio-Rad's life science segment supplies chromatography resins (e.g., Nuvia, UNOsphere), systems, and process development tools to biopharma manufacturers. Comparable to ChromaTan as a chromatography-focused provider serving similar biologics purification applications.
- Pall Corporation (Danaher): Pall, part of Danaher's bioprocess segment, supplies chromatography, filtration, and single-use systems to biopharma manufacturers. Comparable to ChromaTan across bioprocess equipment serving similar customers in mAb and gene therapy production.
- Thermo Fisher Scientific: Thermo Fisher's bioproduction and chromatography business (including POROS resins and related systems) competes directly with ChromaTan in serving mAb and gene therapy manufacturers with purification technologies and integrated bioprocess solutions.
- Merck (MilliporeSigma): MilliporeSigma is Merck's life science arm offering a broad bioprocessing portfolio including chromatography resins, systems, and single-use solutions. Comparable as both a ChromaTan partner (multi-phase R&D contract) and the dominant competitor in chromatography consumables and equipment.
Direct peers
- Repligen: Repligen specializes in bioprocessing solutions including chromatography columns, flow-through systems, and process analytics for biologics manufacturing. A direct peer to ChromaTan focused on chromatography innovation with comparable end customers in biopharma production.
- Tosoh Bioscience: Tosoh Bioscience specializes in chromatography resins, columns, and process-scale purification systems for biopharmaceutical manufacturing. A direct peer to ChromaTan competing in the same chromatography market with comparable customer base in mAb and biologics production.
Emerging players
- Shimadzu Scientific Instruments: Shimadzu is ChromaTan's March 2025 R&D partner for process analytical solutions in gene therapy manufacturing. Comparable as an analytical instrumentation provider serving the same bioprocess and biopharma analytical markets with adjacent chromatography and process monitoring technology.
- Purolite Life Sciences: Purolite is a chromatography resin manufacturer and ChromaTan's strategic collaboration partner (joint resin development yielding record 140g mAb/L/hr productivity). Comparable as a specialized chromatography player serving the same biopharma customers, though focused on resins rather than systems.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Chromatan social profiles
Digital presenceChromatan financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chromatan leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Chromatan funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chromatan 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 Chromatan
What does Chromatan do?
ChromaTan develops and sells the Kascade BioRMB System, a column-free continuous chromatography platform based on proprietary Biologic Real Moving Bed (BioRMB) technology. The system performs true steady-state, low-pressure purification of biologics including monoclonal antibodies, gene therapy vectors (AAV), mRNA, and DNA, using disposable closed flowpaths with 10X resin volume reduction and up to 70% OpEx savings. The company also generates revenue through R&D service contracts with major pharmaceutical companies and licensing of its patented CCTC/BioRMB technology.
Is Chromatan a public or private company?
Chromatan is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Chromatan founded?
Chromatan was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Chromatan based?
Chromatan is headquartered in State College, United States, in the North America region.
How does Chromatan make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Chromatography Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are R&D Service Contracts and technology Licensing.
Who are Chromatan's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Cytiva, Sartorius, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Pall Corporation (Danaher), Thermo Fisher Scientific and Merck (MilliporeSigma). Direct peers are Repligen and Tosoh Bioscience. Emerging players are Shimadzu Scientific Instruments and Purolite Life Sciences.
Does Chromatan have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chromatan.
What industry is Chromatan in?
Chromatan's product category is Bioprocessing Chromatography Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAAJAH, Continuous Bioprocessing Technologies (perfusion, continuous chromatography, integrated lines), with a secondary code of HLAGAIAA, Analytical Instruments & Chromatography Systems. Its NAICS code is 541714 and its SIC code is 3826.