Eton Bioscience
Eton Bioscience is a privately held, San Diego–based molecular-biology services and reagents provider founded in 2003, offering Sanger and Nanopore DNA sequencing, oligo and gene synthesis, peptide synthesis, antibody production, and recombinant protein expression to academic and biotech/pharma research customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersSan Diego, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Eton Bioscience does
Eton Bioscience Inc. is a privately held, San Diego–headquartered molecular-biology service provider founded in 2003 by Tony Chen. The company operates from three US sites (San Diego, Research Triangle Park NC, and Boston/Auburndale MA — the latter currently relocating), supported by an international distributor network spanning more than ten countries. Its service portfolio spans DNA sequencing (Sanger on Applied Biosystems 3730xl instruments and Oxford Nanopore MinION whole-plasmid sequencing), DNA/RNA oligo synthesis, peptide synthesis, polyclonal and recombinant antibody production, recombinant protein expression across six host systems, gene synthesis and cloning, mutagenesis, fragment analysis, and DNA preparation at Mini through Gigaprep scales; it also sells in-house biochemical reagents including metabolism assay kits, PAK kinase domains, proteases (HRV 3C, TEV/TurboTEV), TurboNuclease, and a quick ligation kit. Differentiated offerings include the ReturnPrep MiniPrep-plus-sequencing service at $10 per sample, a difficult-template sequencing protocol that handles hairpins and secondary structures with sub-24-hour turnaround, and the SeqSaver prepaid barcode program that extends remote sequencing logistics with a 12-hour turnaround promise.
The business model is service- and catalog-product based, generating revenue per reaction, per base pair, per mg of peptide, or per kit. Pricing is positioned at the lower end of the academic CRO market — e.g., $10 per sequencing reaction, $0.07/bp for synthetic fragments, $0.09/bp for clonal genes, and $849 base price for 30-day polyclonal antibody production — with free repeats on standard sequencing and 5% discounts for first-time customers. Distribution is omnichannel: self-serve online ordering, local pickup in San Diego and RTP, regional distributors abroad for biochemical reagents, sales representatives for enterprise accounts, and an email-driven referral program offering free reactions or Amazon gift cards.
Target customers are university and academic medical-center laboratories plus biotech and pharmaceutical R&D groups needing plasmid validation, clone screening, recombinant proteins, and custom nucleic-acid and peptide reagents; secondary customers include immunology, structural-biology, and assay-development researchers. Geographic restriction: TEV and HRV 3C proteases are sold to US customers only. The company is independent, with no disclosed parent, subsidiaries, or institutional capital.
Eton Bioscience firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Eton Bioscience
- Legal name
- Eton Bioscience Inc.
- Website
- https://etonbio.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Eton Bioscience is a privately held, San Diego–based molecular-biology services and reagents provider founded in 2003, offering Sanger and Nanopore DNA sequencing, oligo and gene synthesis, peptide synthesis, antibody production, and recombinant protein expression to academic and biotech/pharma research customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Eton Bioscience is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Diego
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Eton Bioscience business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- DNA Sequencing Services: Sanger DNA sequencing services including standard sequencing, same-day sequencing, difficult template sequencing, direct sequencing from colonies/cultures, primer walking, and Nanopore whole-plasmid sequencing. Revenue generated per reaction with turnaround times ranging from same-day to 7-12 hours for specialty sequencing.
- Oligo Synthesis Services: DNA and RNA oligo synthesis including modified oligos, LNA, ASO, and probes with various purification options. Revenue generated per order based on scale (25nmol, 50nmol, 200nmol, 1μmol) and modifications.
- Peptide Synthesis Services: Custom peptide synthesis for standard, modified, and conjugated peptides with HPLC purification and MS confirmation. Priced per mg based on quantity tiers (1-5mg through 100+mg) with purity levels from crude to 98%+.
- Antibody Production Services: Polyclonal antibody production in rabbits (30-day service) and recombinant antibody expression in IgG, VHH-His, VHH-Fc, and Fab formats. Base service at $849 with add-on services for conjugation ($275), ELISA ($300), purification ($350).
- Gene Synthesis and Cloning: De novo gene synthesis priced from $0.07/bp (fragments 0.1-3kb) to $0.09/bp (genes 0.3-5kb), cloning services at $400 per reaction, sub-cloning at $450, and mutagenesis at $400 per mutation.
- Biochemical Products: Sale of research biochemical products including metabolism assay kits (Glucose, L-Lactate), proteases (HRV 3C, TEV Turbo), nucleases (TurboNuclease), ligation kits, kinases, and SeqSaver barcode packs. Unit pricing per kit size or reaction count.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Difficult Template Sequencing |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gene Synthesis |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cloning Services |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Site-Directed Mutagenesis |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Polyclonal Antibody Production |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | L-Lactate Assay Kit I |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | L-Lactate Assay Kit II |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Glucose Assay Kit I |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Glucose Assay Kit II |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | TEV Protease (TurboTEV) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | HRV 3C Protease |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | TurboNuclease |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | TurboLigation Kit |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | SeqSaver Barcode Packs |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Peptide Synthesis |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Eton Bioscience product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Eton Bioscience operates a contract laboratory providing molecular biology services — primarily Sanger and Oxford Nanopore DNA sequencing, DNA and RNA oligo synthesis, plasmid DNA prep, de novo gene synthesis and cloning, fragment analysis, recombinant protein expression across six systems, custom peptide synthesis, and 30-day rabbit polyclonal antibody production. The company also manufactures and distributes a line of branded biochemical reagents (metabolism assay kits, recombinant kinase products, HRV 3C and TEV proteases, TurboNuclease, TurboLigation Kit, SeqSaver Barcode Packs).
Product overview
Eton Bioscience is a privately held biotech company founded in 2003 in San Diego, California, providing a comprehensive suite of DNA/RNA services and biochemical products. The core offerings include DNA sequencing services (Sanger and Nanopore), oligo synthesis, DNA plasmid preparation, gene synthesis & cloning, fragment analysis, and protein & antibody services. Their product portfolio includes metabolism assay kits (Glucose and L-Lactate Assay Kits I and II), recombinant kinase proteins (PAK1-7 kinase domains), proteases (HRV 3C Protease and TEV Protease/TurboTEV), TurboNuclease, TurboLigation Kit, and SeqSaver Barcode Packs for remote sample processing. The services and products are designed to support research institutions and biotechnology companies in molecular biology, genomics, and protein research applications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ReturnPrep: Plasmid sequencing service offering MiniPrep combined with Nanopore/Sanger sequencing for $10 per sample.
- SeqSaver
Products and services
- DNA Sequencing Services Sanger DNA sequencing services (standard, same-day, specialty for difficult templates, direct sequencing from colonies or cultures, and primer walking) for academic and biotech customers, priced per reaction with <24-hour turnaround and free repeats on unsatisfactory runs.
- Oxford Nanopore Whole-Plasmid Sequencing ONT MinION long-read whole-plasmid sequencing with Q30+ assemblies that detects contaminants and avoids primer walking, offered as a core and add-on option within the ReturnPrep plasmid prep-plus-sequencing bundle.
- Oligo Synthesis DNA and RNA oligonucleotide synthesis including modified oligos, LNA, ASO and probes with multiple purification options and quantities from 25 nmol to 1 μmol, for researchers needing custom primers and probes.
- DNA Prep Services Plasmid DNA preparation at MiniPrep, MaxiPrep, MegaPrep and Gigaprep scales, including endotoxin-free options, for researchers who need ready-to-use plasmid DNA for downstream applications.
- Gene Synthesis and Cloning De novo gene synthesis (0.1–3 kb fragments at $0.07/bp; 0.3–5 kb clonal genes at $0.09/bp), gene cloning ($400), sub-cloning ($450) and site-directed mutagenesis ($400 per mutation) across 200+ commercial vectors or customer-supplied vectors, 100% sequence-verified via Sanger + Nanopore.
- Fragment Analysis Capillary electrophoresis-based fragment analysis for microsatellites, SNP genotyping, AFLP, LOH and INDEL detection, suitable for genetic studies and genotyping projects in academic and biotech labs.
- Recombinant Protein Expression Custom recombinant protein production across six expression systems — E. coli, B. subtilis, yeast (Pichia/Saccharomyces), baculovirus/insect, mammalian (CHO/HEK293) and cell-free — with free codon optimization, for researchers needing functional proteins at varying complexity and yield.
- Polyclonal Antibody Production Accelerated 30-day rabbit polyclonal antibody production service generating 20–30 ml antiserum or 3–5 mg purified antibody from two rabbits with typical titre of ≥1/20,000, plus add-on ELISA, conjugation and affinity purification options.
- Antibody Screening and Discovery High-throughput antibody discovery platforms including single B-cell screening, VHH (nanobody) discovery, and hybridoma, with client IP ownership, for biotech and pharma antibody programs.
- Custom Peptide Synthesis Synthetic peptide production in standard, modified and conjugated formats (including biotin, FITC, dansyl, MAPS branches, carrier protein conjugation, phosphorylation and up to 3 disulfide bridges), with HPLC purification and MS confirmation at purity grades from crude to 98%+, and 2–3 week turnaround.
- IVT mRNA Synthesis Custom in vitro transcribed mRNA with sequence optimization, capping, tailing and modified nucleotides (psi, N1psi), plus optional LNP encapsulation, for vaccine, therapeutic and research applications.
- saRNA and circRNA Synthesis Self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) and circular RNA (circRNA) synthesis platforms for extended protein expression and enhanced nuclease stability in therapeutic and vaccine research.
- L-Lactate Assay Kit I Colorimetric L-Lactate assay using L-LDH enzyme with a 50–3200 μM standard curve, measuring absorbance at 490 nm, available in 100-, 200- and 400-assay kit sizes with optional plate, for metabolism research.
- L-Lactate Assay Kit II Colorimetric L-Lactate assay using Lactate Oxidase with a 2–100 μM standard curve, measuring absorbance at 570 nm, available in 100- and 200-assay kit sizes with optional plate.
- Glucose Assay Kit I Glucose oxidase–peroxide colorimetric assay with a 8–400 μM standard curve, measuring absorbance at 490 nm with 15-minute reaction time, available in 100-, 200- and 400-assay kit sizes.
- Glucose Assay Kit II Enzyme-based colorimetric glucose quantification assay with a 4–200 μM standard curve, measuring absorbance at 570 nm with 30-minute reaction time, available in 100- and 200-assay kit sizes.
- Recombinant Human PAK Kinase Domain Products (PAK1, PAK2, PAK3, PAK4, PAK6, PAK7) Catalogue of recombinant wild-type human PAK kinase domain proteins (PAK1KD 248-545, PAK2KD 227-524, PAK3KD 246-544, PAK4KD 300-591, PAK6KD 385-680, PAK7KD/PAK5KD 425-719) expressed in E. coli, for enzymatic studies and inhibitor screening.
- HRV 3C Protease Ultra-pure recombinant human rhinovirus 3C protease (47 kDa) carrying GST and His tags for easy removal, cleaving at the PreScission Leu-Glu-Val-Leu-Phe-Gln/Gly-Pro site, available to U.S. customers only in 1 mg and 10 mg sizes.
- TEV Protease (TurboTEV) Enhanced TEV protease (52 kDa) with GST and His tags, recognizing the Glu-Asn-Leu-Tyr-Phe-Gln-Gly site, retaining robust activity at 4°C with high specificity, available to U.S. customers only in 1 mg and 10 mg sizes.
- TurboNuclease Ultra-pure recombinant Serratia marcescens endonuclease (Benzonase equivalent) produced in E. coli with >99% purity and no detectable protease activity, hydrolyzing DNA and RNA to 1–4 base oligonucleotides, available in 50,000 / 100,000 / 250,000 unit sizes.
- TurboLigation Kit Quick ligation kit performing blunt-end or cohesive-end DNA ligation in 5 minutes at room temperature using TurboLigase recombinant T4 DNA Ligase with optimized quick ligation buffer, sold in 100- and 500-reaction kit sizes.
- SeqSaver Barcode Packs Pre-paid barcode label packs for affordable remote Sanger sequencing for customers outside Eton's local pickup areas, with per-barcode pricing from $1.66 to $2.63 depending on volume and plate format, and 12-hour turnaround upon sample arrival with a free trial for new customers.
Quantifiable outcome
- 30-day rabbit polyclonal antibody production (vs. typical 80 days)
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Eton Bioscience
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Eton Bioscience technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Eton Bioscience partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered standard and core.
- Life ResearchstandardAustralian distributor for Eton Bioscience biochemical products including metabolism assay kits, proteases, nucleases, and other research reagents.
- CEDARLANEstandardCanadian distributor for Eton Bioscience biochemical products including metabolism assay kits, proteases, nucleases, and other research reagents.
- Dakewe Biotech Co. (Beijing Office)standardChinese distributor (Beijing office) for Eton Bioscience biochemical products including metabolism assay kits, proteases, nucleases, and other research reagents.
- Scholz GmbHstandardGerman distributor for Eton Bioscience biochemical products including metabolism assay kits, proteases, nucleases, and other research reagents.
- Immunoconcept IndiastandardIndian distributor for Eton Bioscience biochemical products including metabolism assay kits, proteases, nucleases, and other research reagents.
- AHM Biotech IndonesiastandardIndonesian distributor for Eton Bioscience biochemical products including metabolism assay kits, proteases, nucleases, and other research reagents.
- Quimera BiolabsstandardMexican distributor for Eton Bioscience biochemical products including metabolism assay kits, proteases, nucleases, and other research reagents.
- Bio-Connect B.V.standardNetherlands distributor for Eton Bioscience biochemical products including metabolism assay kits, proteases, nucleases, and other research reagents.
- Joagene Bioscience.co.ltdstandardSouth Korean distributor for Eton Bioscience biochemical products including metabolism assay kits, proteases, nucleases, and other research reagents.
- SIGstandardSouth Korean distributor for Eton Bioscience biochemical products including metabolism assay kits, proteases, nucleases, and other research reagents.
- Asia Bioscience Co., Ltd.standardTaiwan distributor for Eton Bioscience biochemical products including metabolism assay kits, proteases, nucleases, and other research reagents.
- CY Molecular DiagnosticscoreCollaborator available to support Eton Bioscience sequencing services. Listed as available collaborator to assist with sequencing service needs.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Eton Bioscience competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- GenScript: GenScript offers gene synthesis, peptide synthesis, recombinant protein expression, and antibody production — closely mirroring Eton's full bench-to-antibody service breadth and serving the same academic and biotech segments.
- Eurofins Genomics: Eurofins Genomics provides DNA sequencing, oligo synthesis, gene synthesis, and related molecular biology services globally. It competes directly across Eton's core sequencing and synthesis offerings with broader geographic reach and deeper institutional backing.
- Twist Bioscience: Twist provides high-throughput gene synthesis, oligo synthesis, and synthetic biology tools, competing most directly with Eton's gene synthesis service. It represents a higher-scale, technology-led alternative in synthetic nucleic acid manufacturing.
- Boster Bio: Boster Bio specializes in antibody production and related immunoassay services, overlapping directly with Eton's polyclonal antibody offering and peptide-antibody workflows.
- Bio Basic: Bio Basic provides custom oligo synthesis, DNA sequencing, gene synthesis, and peptide synthesis services, closely mirroring Eton's service mix and targeting similar academic and biotech customers.
- Macrogen: Macrogen is a global sequencing services provider offering Sanger, NGS, and oligo synthesis. It competes directly with Eton's DNA sequencing service and shares a similar academic/biotech customer base across multiple geographies.
- Azenta (formerly Genewiz): Azenta's Genewiz brand is the largest direct competitor in Sanger sequencing, gene synthesis, and oligo synthesis services for academic and biotech customers. It is the most operationally similar peer given overlapping service portfolio and customer base.
- Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT): IDT is a leading oligo manufacturer offering custom DNA/RNA oligos, including modified oligos, ASOs, and probes. It overlaps directly with Eton's oligo synthesis and is one of the most recognized brands in the academic oligo market.
- Synbio Technologies: Synbio Technologies provides gene synthesis, oligo synthesis, and molecular biology services with a similar price-and-speed value proposition to Eton's, particularly in the academic and early-stage biotech market.
Emerging players
- ProteoGenix: ProteoGenix focuses on recombinant protein expression and antibody production services, overlapping with Eton's protein and antibody service lines and representing a comparable specialty CRO in the protein sciences space.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Eton Bioscience social profiles
Digital presenceEton Bioscience financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Eton Bioscience leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Eton Bioscience funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Eton Bioscience 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 Eton Bioscience
What does Eton Bioscience do?
Eton Bioscience operates a contract laboratory providing molecular biology services — primarily Sanger and Oxford Nanopore DNA sequencing, DNA and RNA oligo synthesis, plasmid DNA prep, de novo gene synthesis and cloning, fragment analysis, recombinant protein expression across six systems, custom peptide synthesis, and 30-day rabbit polyclonal antibody production. The company also manufactures and distributes a line of branded biochemical reagents (metabolism assay kits, recombinant kinase products, HRV 3C and TEV proteases, TurboNuclease, TurboLigation Kit, SeqSaver Barcode Packs).
Is Eton Bioscience a public or private company?
Eton Bioscience is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Eton Bioscience founded?
Eton Bioscience was founded in 2003. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Eton Bioscience based?
Eton Bioscience is headquartered in San Diego, United States, in the North America region.
How does Eton Bioscience make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. DNA Sequencing Services are the primary driver. The others are oligo Synthesis Services, peptide Synthesis Services, antibody Production Services, gene Synthesis and Cloning and biochemical Products.
Who are Eton Bioscience's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are GenScript, Eurofins Genomics, Twist Bioscience, Boster Bio, Bio Basic, Macrogen, Azenta (formerly Genewiz), Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT) and Synbio Technologies. ProteoGenix is listed as an emerging player.
Does Eton Bioscience have an API?
No public API is recorded for Eton Bioscience.