Pharmatest Services

What Pharmatest Services does

Pharmatest Services Ltd (legal entity Pharmatest Services Oy) is a Turku, Finland-based contract research organization founded in 1998 that provides clinically predictive preclinical efficacy services for biopharmaceutical drug developers. Its work is organized around two pillars — cancer models and musculoskeletal disease models — and spans in vitro assays, in vivo efficacy studies, and ex vivo bone analysis (histomorphometry, micro-CT imaging, biomarkers). Differentiated capabilities include orthotopic and bone metastasis models, humanized mouse models for immuno-oncology, osteoarthritis and rare bone disease models (including osteogenesis imperfecta), and licensed handling of alpha-emitting radiopharmaceuticals such as Ra-223, Ra-224, and Th-227.

The company operates state-of-the-art laboratories in Turku and runs regional sales offices in Boxborough, MA and San Diego, CA, plus a Guangzhou, China agency office, selling fee-for-service study contracts to enterprise pharmaceutical and biotechnology customers. Revenue is generated primarily through project-based preclinical efficacy contracts; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The customer roster includes Bayer AG, Exelixis, Orion Oyj, Boehringer Ingelheim, Astellas, Zealand Pharma, Taconic Biosciences, Pfenex, Transgene, and Aurexel Life Sciences, with several relationships spanning more than a decade.

Pharmatest monetizes a portfolio of specialized biological assets — including the proprietary KS483 cell line and disease-specific animal models — and supports its offering with ISO 9001:2015 quality certification, EcoVadis Bronze Medal recognition, French CIR approval for 2024–2028, and an active scientific publication and conference presence (AACR, ASBMR, OARSI, ECTS, BIO). Go-to-market is sales-led via direct enterprise engagement, scientific publications, and major industry conferences; the firm holds no disclosed patents, no public APIs, and no AI/ML capabilities in the input data.

Name

Pharmatest Services

Legal name

Pharmatest Services Oy

Website

https://pharmatest.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pharmatest Services is a Finnish preclinical CRO founded in 1998 that provides clinically predictive in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo efficacy testing in oncology and musculoskeletal diseases for biopharmaceutical and biotechnology clients worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Preclinical Contract Research Services

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Therapeutic-Area CROs (e.g., oncology/rare disease) (HLAGAAAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Preclinical contract research
• Oncology efficacy testing
• Musculoskeletal disease models
• Immuno-oncology services
• Bone metastasis research

Headquarters

HQ city

Turku

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Preclinical Contract Research Services: Pharmatest generates revenue by providing fee-for-service preclinical efficacy testing contracts to biopharmaceutical companies. Services include in vitro assays, in vivo efficacy models, and ex vivo bone analysis. Projects are typically custom-designed studies contracted through quotes. The company has thousands of compounds tested across their 25+ year history.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Pharmatest Services is a preclinical contract research organization (CRO) providing clinically predictive in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo efficacy testing services for biopharmaceutical clients. Its offerings are organized around two core domains — cancer models (xenograft, syngeneic, immuno-oncology, orthotopic, and bone metastasis) and musculoskeletal disease models (osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, rare bone diseases) — supplemented by bone analysis, biomarker measurement, radiopharmaceutical testing, hormonal action bioassays, pain assessment, and biostatistics. Services are sold on a fee-for-service, quote-based engagement model with no resellers or distributors.

Product overview

Pharmatest Services is a full-service preclinical CRO (Contract Research Organization) providing clinically predictive preclinical models for oncology and musculoskeletal disease research. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio organized around two core service areas: Cancer Models (covering xenograft, syngeneic, and immuno-oncology models with special expertise in bone metastasis) and Musculoskeletal Disease Models (including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and rare bone disease models). Supporting services include in vitro assays (osteoblasts, osteoclasts, chondrogenic differentiation), bone analysis (histomorphometry, micro-CT imaging), biomarker measurement, radiopharmaceuticals testing, pain assessment, and statistical services. The company operates state-of-the-art laboratories in Finland with a US office in Massachusetts, serving pharmaceutical and biotech companies worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cancer Models Comprehensive portfolio of preclinical oncology efficacy models for biopharmaceutical clients, including xenograft, syngeneic, immuno-oncology, orthotopic, and bone metastasis models. For oncology drug developers evaluating targeted therapies, immunotherapies, radiopharmaceuticals, and combination treatments.
• Musculoskeletal Disease Models

Quantifiable outcome

• Clinically predictive models designed to decrease high failure rates in clinical trials
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers11 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

Feature7 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• NK-ENGAGE Consortium (EUROSTARS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 November 2023Nordic consortium funded by EUROSTARS for NK cell engager therapies for multiple myeloma treatment. Pharmatest Services is a partner providing preclinical evaluation of novel synthetic polypeptides for NK cell-mediated immunotherapy.
• Bayer AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing collaboration on radium-223 (Xofigo) combination therapies for bone metastasis; PSMA-targeted thorium-227 conjugates for prostate cancer; multiple joint publications and poster presentations at AACR. Partnership involves preclinical efficacy testing and model development for targeted alpha therapies.
• Aurexel Life Sciences Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on preclinical evaluation of radiopharmaceutical combinations for bone metastases; co-authorship on multiple publications including radium-223 combination studies with Bayer AG. Provides scientific consultation and preclinical research support.
• Taconic BiosciencesmajorTechnology or IntegrationCollaboration on humanized mouse models for immuno-oncology research; establishment of primary tumor models of TNBC and ER+/HER2- breast cancer in humanized mice; joint presentations at AACR and other conferences.
• Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on bone turnover marker assessment in marmoset serum for preclinical studies; joint poster presentation at ASBMR 2022.
• Astellas Innovation Management LLCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on evaluation of knee pain and degenerative changes in rat model of post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis; joint poster presentation at ASBMR 2022.
• Exelixis Inc.majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term collaboration since 2011 on preclinical oncology studies; praised for excellent data quality, detailed reports, and professional staff.
• Orion CorporationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMore than 10 years of collaboration on preclinical skeletal disease models including SARM (Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator) programs; joint publications on osteoporosis research.
• Pfenex Inc.majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on PF708, a therapeutic equivalent and biosimilar candidate to Forteo (teriparatide), demonstrating nonclinical efficacy equivalence in ovariectomized rat model.
• Zealand Pharma A/SmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on novel cyclic PTH(1-17) analogs and other osteoporosis drug candidates; joint ASBMR presentations on bone turnover markers.
• TransgenemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration since 2009 for preclinical evaluation of TG's monoclonal platform in different skeletal diseases; joint presentations at conferences.
• Virobay Inc.majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on in vitro and in vivo model analysis of cathepsin inhibitor drug candidates for cancer and bone metastasis.
• Women's Health Hub FinlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPharmatest is part of WHHF initiative driving innovation in female-focused healthcare; supports women's health research ecosystem in Finland.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Inotiv: Inotiv (formed via Envigo merger) is a US preclinical CRO offering toxicology, disease models, and research services to biopharma. Direct overlap on in vivo efficacy and safety assessment for small-molecule and biologic pipelines at comparable scale.
• Porsolt: Porsolt is a French preclinical CRO providing pharmacology and safety pharmacology services across CNS, metabolic, and musculoskeletal indications. Comparable European specialist CRO with similar headcount and biopharma customer base.
• Oncodesign: Oncodesign is a French preclinical CRO specialising in oncology and immunology drug discovery with proprietary in vivo and in vitro efficacy platforms. Comparable in size (~150 staff) and therapeutic focus (solid tumour + immuno-oncology), making it a strong European specialist comparable.
• Shanghai Medicilon: Medicilon is a China-based preclinical CRO offering in vivo and in vitro pharmacology, toxicology, and oncology efficacy services for global biopharma. Direct overlap on preclinical oncology and small-molecule efficacy testing services.
• Champions Oncology: Champions Oncology operates a proprietary patient-derived xenograft (PDX) and tumour bank platform used in preclinical oncology efficacy studies for biopharma sponsors. Direct overlap on oncology in vivo efficacy with a similarly specialised, model-centric value proposition.
• Crown Bioscience: Crown Bioscience is a global preclinical CRO specialising in oncology and immuno-oncology in vivo models (xenograft, syngeneic, humanized mouse), serving the same biopharma translational customers as Pharmatest. Direct overlap on oncology efficacy and humanized mouse platforms makes it the closest head-to-head comparable.

Broad incumbents

• Eurofins Scientific: Eurofins is a global testing services group whose BioPharma Product Testing arm includes preclinical and discovery services. Comparable at the broad-services level rather than the specialized bone-metastasis niche; relevant as a pricing/benchmark reference.
• Wuxi AppTec: Wuxi AppTec is a leading China-based global CRO/CDMO offering preclinical efficacy and safety services alongside clinical and manufacturing capabilities. Overlaps with Pharmatest on oncology preclinical work and is a credible Asia-headquartered competitor for global biopharma sponsors.
• Charles River Laboratories: Charles River is the largest publicly-traded preclinical CRO, offering discovery, safety assessment, and oncology model services globally. It competes with Pharmatest on oncology efficacy studies at the top end of the market but operates across a far broader service portfolio.

Others

• Taconic Biosciences: Taconic supplies genetically engineered and humanized mouse models used in preclinical research and is a named collaboration partner of Pharmatest for humanized mouse and immuno-oncology work. Not a direct CRO competitor but an ecosystem participant in the same humanized-mouse workflow.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pharmatest-services-ltd

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

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 Pharmatest Services