Cambridge Bioscience
Cambridge Bioscience is a UK-based specialist distributor of life science research products, sourcing reagents, kits, and tools from international suppliers for academic, government, and biopharmaceutical R&D customers across Great Britain and Ireland.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersCambridge, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Cambridge Bioscience does
Cambridge Bioscience is a specialist UK distributor of life science research products, headquartered in Cambridge with operations focused on Great Britain, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland. Originally founded in 1984 under the name Stratech Scientific, the company rebranded to Cambridge Bioscience in 2026 and now curates and distributes research reagents and tools from a portfolio of international suppliers including Zymo Research, Lexogen, Cayman Chemical, Mirus Bio, Lucigen, BioXCell, and Bethyl Laboratories. Its catalog spans antibodies, assays and ELISAs, biochemicals, cell biology reagents, diagnostics, drug discovery tools, molecular biology products, next-generation sequencing reagents, and proteins and peptides, with deliberate emphasis on emerging applications in gene therapy, mRNA delivery (lipid nanoparticles), single-cell sequencing, and viral vector production.
The business model is straightforward third-party distribution: Cambridge Bioscience sources products from upstream suppliers, holds inventory in the UK, and sells to researchers through a self-service e-commerce platform, phone orders, email purchase orders, and customer procurement system integration. Pricing is unit-based on individual SKUs (e.g., Lexogen QuantSeq kits at £1,748–£11,398, Cayman LipidLaunch LNP kits at £369–£1,239, Mirus Bio VirusGen reagent at £133–£1,715), with free UK shipping on orders above £500. The company holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and Cyber Essentials certifications and positions quality assurance and Cambridge-based technical support as its core service differentiators.
The company serves two principal customer verticals — academic and government research institutes, and biopharmaceutical and biotechnology R&D organizations — both flagged as primary, with demand drivers spanning standard research applications through specialized oncology, immunotherapy, and gene therapy workflows. Cambridge Bioscience is privately held under Cambridge Bioscience Limited, operates with 1–10 employees, has no disclosed institutional investors, no parent company, and no funding events on record.
Cambridge Bioscience firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cambridge Bioscience
- Legal name
- Cambridge Bioscience Limited
- Website
- https://bioscience.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Cambridge Bioscience is a UK-based specialist distributor of life science research products, sourcing reagents, kits, and tools from international suppliers for academic, government, and biopharmaceutical R&D customers across Great Britain and Ireland.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cambridge Bioscience industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Life Science Reagent Distribution
- SIC
- Wholesale-Medical, Dental & Hospital Equipment & Supplies (5047)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Molecular Biology & Genomics Instruments (PCR/qPCR, Sequencing, Microarrays) (HLAGAIAF)
Keywords
Where Cambridge Bioscience is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cambridge
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cambridge Bioscience business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Product Distribution Sales: Revenue is generated through the distribution and sale of life science research products including antibodies, assays, biochemicals, cell biology reagents, diagnostics, drug discovery tools, molecular biology products, NGS reagents, and proteins/peptides. Products are sold via website, phone, email purchase orders, and procurement systems with free shipping for orders over £500 to Great Britain.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Lexogen QuantSeq 3' mRNA-Seq V2 Kit - 384 preparations |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Lexogen LUTHOR HD 3' mRNA-Seq Kit - 96 preparations |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Lexogen LUTHOR HD 3' mRNA-Seq Kit - 24 preparations |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cayman Chemical LipidLaunch LNP Kits |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Zymo Research DNA/RNA Shield Collection Tubes |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mirus Bio VirusGEN Transfection Reagent |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Lucigen Endura Chemically Competent Cells |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Cambridge Bioscience product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cambridge Bioscience is a UK-based specialist distributor of life science research products, supplying antibodies, assays, biochemicals, cell biology reagents, diagnostics, drug discovery tools, molecular biology products, NGS reagents, and proteins/peptides from international suppliers to the UK and Ireland research community. The company provides a single procurement point for products from multiple global manufacturers with technical support, fast delivery from local stock, and integration with institutional purchasing systems.
Product overview
Cambridge Bioscience is a UK-based specialist life science distributor offering a comprehensive portfolio of research products across multiple categories including antibodies, assays, biochemicals, cell biology, diagnostics, drug discovery tools, instruments, molecular biology, next generation sequencing, and proteins/peptides. The company distributes products from established suppliers including Lexogen (LUTHOR HD, QuantSeq NGS library prep kits), Zymo Research (ZymoPURE plasmid kits, DNA/RNA Shield), Cayman Chemical (LipidLaunch LNPs), Mirus Bio (VirusGen transfection reagents), and Lucigen (competent cells). The product range serves academic and government research institutes and biopharmaceutical R&D organizations, with a focus on supporting research workflows from sample collection through to NGS analysis and gene therapy development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- LUTHOR HD 3' mRNA-Seq Kit High-definition 3' mRNA-Seq library preparation kit for next-generation sequencing, enabling accurate transcript expression profiling from low-input samples. Distributed from Lexogen to UK and Ireland research customers.
- QuantSeq 3' mRNA-Seq Library Prep Kit V2 3' mRNA-Seq library preparation kit for generating Illumina-compatible sequencing libraries from total RNA, designed for fast and cost-effective gene expression analysis. Distributed from Lexogen to UK and Ireland research customers.
- ZymoPURE Plasmid Kits Plasmid DNA purification kits for rapid isolation of transfection-grade plasmid DNA from bacterial cultures, available in multiple size formats. Distributed from Zymo Research to UK and Ireland research customers.
- DNA/RNA Shield Collection Tubes Prefilled collection tubes containing DNA/RNA Shield reagent for safe inactivation and stabilisation of pathogens and nucleic acids in collected samples at ambient temperature. Distributed from Zymo Research to UK and Ireland customers.
- LipidLaunch LNP Kits Ready-to-use lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulation kits for encapsulating nucleic acids and other cargoes, supporting mRNA vaccine, gene therapy, and drug delivery research. Distributed from Cayman Chemical to UK and Ireland biopharma customers.
- VirusGen Transfection Reagent Transfection reagent optimised for production of viral vectors (e.g., lentivirus, AAV) in manufacturing-grade cell cultures. Distributed from Mirus Bio to UK and Ireland customers.
- Lucigen Competent Cells High-efficiency competent bacterial cells for molecular cloning, plasmid transformation, and library construction. Distributed from Lucigen to UK and Ireland customers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Products held in stock with frequent orders to suppliers ensuring fast turnaround.
Companies that use Cambridge Bioscience
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Cambridge Bioscience technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Cambridge Bioscience partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and support.
- Zymo ResearchcoreCambridge Bioscience distributes Zymo Research products including DNA/RNA Shield collection tubes, plasmid purification kits (ZymoPURE), Quick-RNA kits, and fecal collection kits. Products are CE-IVD certified where applicable and widely cited in peer-reviewed publications with over 5000 citations.
- LexogencoreCambridge Bioscience distributes Lexogen products including LUTHOR HD single-cell 3' mRNA-Seq kits, QuantSeq 3' mRNA-Seq V2 kits, CORALL RNA-Seq kits, and UDI index kits. QuantSeq has been cited in over 1600 publications since its launch.
- Cayman ChemicalcoreCambridge Bioscience distributes Cayman Chemical products including LipidLaunch LNP kits for gene therapy and mRNA delivery, VirusGen transfection reagents for viral vector production, ELISA kits, and multiplexed qPCR assays for STI and virus detection.
- Mirus BiocoreCambridge Bioscience distributes Mirus Bio's VirusGen platform for scalable and efficient AAV and lentiviral vector production, including VirusGen LV Transfection Kit and VirusGen LV Enhancer products.
- LucigencoreCambridge Bioscience distributes Lucigen competent cells including Endura and HI-Control chemically competent cells for molecular cloning, protein expression, and gene therapy applications with high transformation efficiency.
- BioXCellminorCambridge Bioscience distributes BioXCell products for immune cell biology research, featuring prominently in case studies about NK cell dysfunction in cancer immunotherapy.
- Bethyl LaboratoriesminorCambridge Bioscience distributes Bethyl Laboratories antibodies with promotional offers such as 20% off all products.
- Citation Ltd.supportCitation Ltd. delivers employee training on Modern Slavery and Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace as part of Cambridge Bioscience's compliance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015. Training records are maintained on the Citation Atlas platform.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cambridge Bioscience competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Bio-Techne: Global life science tools company (proteins, antibodies, ELISA kits, cell/gene therapy reagents). Overlaps heavily with Cambridge Bioscience's distributed catalog (notably R&D Systems, Tocris, ProteinSimple) and competes both as a direct manufacturer and via its own distribution.
- VWR (Avantor): Global distributor of laboratory supplies, chemicals, and consumables under Avantor. Comparable distribution-only business model at much greater scale; serves as the principal broad-line competitor for UK research buyers.
- Fisher Scientific (Thermo Fisher Scientific): Global broad-line laboratory products distributor and part of Thermo Fisher Scientific. Overlaps with nearly every product category Cambridge Bioscience carries, but competes on breadth, price, and global logistics rather than specialist curation.
Direct peers
- Source BioScience: UK provider of life science products and services including reagents, lab consumables, and genomic services. Comparable as a UK-domiciled life science distribution and services business serving research and clinical customers.
- Hello Bio: UK-based specialist distributor of life science research reagents focused on drug discovery, neuroscience, and cell biology tools. Similar niche distributor profile with e-commerce-led sales.
- Cambridge Research Biochemicals: Cambridge-based supplier of custom peptides, antibodies, and reagents for research and diagnostics. Shares the same Cambridge ecosystem and serves overlapping academic/biopharma buyer base.
- Scientific Laboratory Supplies (SLS): UK-based distributor of laboratory consumables, instruments, and chemicals to academic, pharmaceutical, and industrial research customers. Closest direct peer in geography, customer base, and multi-channel distribution model.
- Caltag Medsystems: UK distributor of specialty life science research reagents, antibodies, and cell biology products. Directly comparable niche-distributor model with similar supplier relationships and academic/biopharma customer mix.
- Generon: UK life science reagent distributor serving academic and biopharma research markets with molecular biology, proteomics, and immunology products. Comparable in size, customer segments, and distribution-only model.
Regional players
- Tebu-bio: European life science reagent distributor headquartered in Germany, serving researchers across continental Europe and the UK. Comparable product portfolio (molecular biology, cell biology, proteomics) but operates primarily outside the UK.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Cambridge Bioscience social profiles
Digital presenceCambridge Bioscience compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Cambridge Bioscience financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cambridge Bioscience leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Cambridge Bioscience funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cambridge 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 Cambridge Bioscience
What does Cambridge Bioscience do?
Cambridge Bioscience is a UK-based specialist distributor of life science research products, supplying antibodies, assays, biochemicals, cell biology reagents, diagnostics, drug discovery tools, molecular biology products, NGS reagents, and proteins/peptides from international suppliers to the UK and Ireland research community. The company provides a single procurement point for products from multiple global manufacturers with technical support, fast delivery from local stock, and integration with institutional purchasing systems.
Is Cambridge Bioscience a public or private company?
Cambridge Bioscience is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Cambridge Bioscience founded?
Cambridge Bioscience was founded in 1984. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Cambridge Bioscience based?
Cambridge Bioscience is headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Cambridge Bioscience make money?
One revenue line is on record: product Distribution Sales.
Who are Cambridge Bioscience's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Bio-Techne, VWR (Avantor) and Fisher Scientific (Thermo Fisher Scientific). Direct peers are Source BioScience, Hello Bio, Cambridge Research Biochemicals, Scientific Laboratory Supplies (SLS), Caltag Medsystems and Generon. Tebu-bio is listed as a regional player.
Does Cambridge Bioscience have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cambridge Bioscience.
What industry is Cambridge Bioscience in?
Cambridge Bioscience's product category is Life Science Reagent Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAIAF, Molecular Biology & Genomics Instruments (PCR/qPCR, Sequencing, Microarrays). Its SIC code is 5047.