Cellexus
Cellexus designs and manufactures the CellMaker range of single-use airlift bioreactor systems (1.5L–50L), selling controllers, enclosures, and consumable bags to academic, biotech, and pharmaceutical customers globally for cell culture and fermentation applications.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersDundee, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Cellexus does
Cellexus International Ltd. is a privately held UK biotechnology equipment manufacturer headquartered in Dundee, Scotland. Founded in 2005 in Cambridge around patented airlift bioreactor technology invented by Kevin A. Auton Ph.D., the company was acquired by its current management team in 2017 and operates with 1–10 employees. Its core product is the CellMaker range of single-use airlift bioreactor systems, which use gas bubbles instead of mechanical impellers to mix and aerate cell cultures. This produces low-shear, homogeneous mixing suitable for microbial, bacteriophage, mammalian, and plant cell applications. The portfolio spans three controller tiers (Regular, Plus, Low Flow) plus a Dual Regular configuration, 8L and 50L enclosures, single-use bags in 4L/8L/50L capacities, and bundled Verder peristaltic pumps for pH control. Working volumes range from 1.5L to 50L, scalable to 100L via the Dual Controller.
The company sells directly from its Dundee headquarters and through an authorized distributor network covering 13 countries across Europe, Asia-Pacific, and North America. Revenue streams comprise hardware sales (controllers, enclosures, bags), recurring consumable sales (gamma-irradiated single-use bags manufactured in an ISO Class VII clean room under ISO 13485:2016 and FDA 21CFR 820 compliance), and short-term equipment rentals that allow customers to trial systems before purchase. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Manufacturing is in-house at Dundee, with bag fabrication certified to ISO 9001:2015 quality management and the controller software meeting FDA 21 CFR Part 11 requirements.
Cellexus serves academic researchers, biotech startups, and pharmaceutical companies working on bacteriophage therapy, antimicrobial resistance, monoclonal antibody production, recombinant proteins, viral vectors, and plant cell culture. Named customers include Proteon Pharmaceuticals (4 systems used in BAFASAL phage production), Green Bioactives (plant cell culture), Fixed Phage (1×10^13 pfu/ml titres), TechnoPhage, and universities including Dundee, Abertay, KU Leuven, Indiana University School of Medicine, and Cambridge's Laboratory of Molecular Biology. The company collaborates with IBioIC, CPI, and Abertay University on co-development projects, and holds awards including International Life Sciences Awards' Best Cell Culture & Fermentation Technology 2021 and Business Excellence Awards' Most Pioneering Biotech Company (UK) 2021.
Cellexus firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cellexus
- Legal name
- Cellexus International Ltd.
- Website
- https://cellexus.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Cellexus designs and manufactures the CellMaker range of single-use airlift bioreactor systems (1.5L–50L), selling controllers, enclosures, and consumable bags to academic, biotech, and pharmaceutical customers globally for cell culture and fermentation applications.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Cellexus is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dundee
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cellexus business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Bioreactor Hardware Sales: Sale of CellMaker bioreactor systems including Controllers (Regular, Plus, Low Flow, Dual Regular), Enclosures (8L and 50L), and bioreactor bags. Systems built in-house by engineers.
- Equipment Rental: Flexible rental options for CellMaker systems allowing customers to try before buying. Short-term rental with attractive pricing options.
- Consumables (Bioreactor Bags): Ongoing sales of single-use bioreactor bags in 4L, 8L, and 50L capacities with Regular and Plus configurations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Rental option for try-before-you-buy |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Cellexus product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cellexus designs, manufactures, and sells the CellMaker range of single-use airlift bioreactor systems, comprising controllers (Regular, Plus, Low Flow, Dual Regular), 8L and 50L enclosures, and single-use sterile bioreactor bags (4L, 8L, 50L) for microbial, bacteriophage, mammalian, and plant cell culture. Patented airlift mixing technology eliminates mechanical impellers, providing low-shear, contamination-free fermentation for biopharmaceutical and academic customers worldwide.
Product overview
Cellexus offers the CellMaker range of single-use airlift bioreactor systems designed for cell culture and fermentation applications. The portfolio consists of three controller tiers (Regular, Plus, and Low Flow) that work with 8L or 50L enclosures and single-use bioreactor bags in 4L, 8L, and 50L capacities. The Regular Controller provides basic temperature and airflow control; the Plus Controller adds pH and dissolved oxygen monitoring with automatic control and additional gas inputs (N2, CO2); the Low Flow Controller offers ultra-gentle mixing for shear-sensitive mammalian cells. The Dual Regular Controller enables running two enclosures simultaneously. Accessories include Verder peristaltic pumps for pH control. The patented airlift technology uses gas bubbles instead of mechanical stirring to mix and aerate cultures, providing low shear stress suitable for microbial, mammalian, and plant cell cultures.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CellMaker: The CellMaker range of single-use airlift bioreactor systems, available in Regular, Plus, Low Flow, and Dual configurations with 8L and 50L enclosures.
Products and services
- CellMaker Regular Controller Basic CellMaker controller offering manual and automatic control of microbial bioprocesses with temperature and airflow control via touchscreen, integrated compressor, and 21 CFR Part 11 compliant software; sold to laboratories running microbial fermentation.
- CellMaker Plus Controller Advanced controller adding pH and dissolved oxygen monitoring with automatic control, plus N2 and CO2 gas inputs for automated culture optimisation; targets laboratories needing richer process control and acid/base pH management.
- CellMaker Low Flow Controller Specialised controller delivering ultra-low airflow (0.06–0.25 VVM) for gentle mixing of shear-sensitive cells such as CHO and hybridoma; includes pH and dissolved oxygen monitoring with automated temperature regulation from 16°C to 40°C ±0.1°C.
- CellMaker Dual Regular Controller Dual-unit controller that runs two enclosures (2x 8L, 2x 50L, or 1x 8L + 1x 50L) concurrently from a single unit, enabling identical or parallel processes with up to 100L working volume and reduced lab footprint.
- CellMaker Enclosures (8L and 50L) Benchtop enclosures available in 8L (1.5L–8L working volumes) and 50L (10L–50L working volumes) configurations, with integrated Peltier heating/cooling and transparent viewing panels for visual monitoring of bioreactor bags.
- CellMaker Bioreactor Bags Patented single-use sterile bioreactor bags fabricated in ISO Class VII clean rooms under ISO 13485:2016 and FDA 21CFR 820, gamma irradiated and double-bagged; available in 4L, 8L, and 50L capacities with Regular and Plus configurations for use with CellMaker systems.
- Verder Mini-Load Pump (acid/base pH control accessory) Peristaltic pump supplied with CellMaker Plus and Low Flow systems for automated or manual acid/base pH control, offering compact design and user-friendly tube changes for pH-adjusting solution injection into bioreactor bags.
- CellMaker Equipment Rental Program Short-term monthly rental of CellMaker systems enabling customers to trial the bioreactor in their own lab with their own processes and attractive pricing before deciding to purchase, functioning as a try-before-you-buy motion.
Quantifiable outcome
- 10-100x higher phage titres compared to other bioreactors
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Cellexus
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Cellexus technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature5 records
Cellexus partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Verder LiquidscorePartnership with Castleford-based Verder Liquids to provide Mini-Load pumps for acid/base control included as standard with CellMaker Plus and Low Flow bioreactor systems. Pump selected for size, quality, RPM ranges and pump head/motor integrations. Enables simple tube changes in seconds and user-friendly operation.
- CPI (Centre for Process Innovation)coreResearch partnership for studying efficiency of liquid mixing and volumetric mass transfer coefficient in CellMaker bioreactor systems. CPI is a UK technology innovation centre.
- IBioIC (Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre)corePartnership with IBioIC supporting feasibility projects and joint development. IBioIC is a Scottish innovation centre supporting industrial biotechnology.
- CB TechnologyminorPartnership with Scottish company CB Technology to speed up development of medicines, vaccines, and key ingredients.
- University of Abertay DundeecoreJoint research project supported by IBioIC Feasibility Project grant for amplification and transfection of CHO suspension cells in CellMaker Low Flow bioreactor. Academic collaboration for proof-of-concept studies.
- Abertay UniversitycoreJoint project in collaboration with IBioIC for bioprocessing research and development.
- Green Bioactives LtdminorCustomer partnership where Green Bioactives uses CellMaker for plant cell culture research, providing case study content and testimonial for Cellexus marketing.
- Proteon PharmaceuticalscoreKey customer partnership where Proteon uses CellMaker systems for phage production. Proteon has 4 CellMaker systems as vital part of BAFASAL production. Company achieves Net Zero with phage products.
- TechnoPhageminorCustomer using CellMaker for phage production for therapeutic applications. Featured in Capsid & Tail case study.
- 7BioScience GmbHcoreAuthorized distributor for CellMaker products in Germany.
- Accuscience Ireland LtdcoreAuthorized distributor for CellMaker products in Ireland.
- BioSPx Belgium/Luxembourg and NetherlandscoreAuthorized distributor for CellMaker products in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Netherlands.
- Cell Systems BiologycoreAuthorized distributor for CellMaker products in Australia (Melbourne).
- FroggaBiocoreAuthorized distributor for CellMaker products in Canada.
- Labex Inc.coreAuthorized distributor for CellMaker products in South Korea.
- Mars BioanalyticalcoreAuthorized distributor for CellMaker products in India.
- MTBcoreAuthorized distributor for CellMaker products in Spain.
- Nerliens MeszanskycoreAuthorized distributor for CellMaker products in Norway.
- Nordic BiolabscoreAuthorized distributor for CellMaker products in Sweden.
- System C BioprocesscoreAuthorized distributor for CellMaker products in France.
- 2B Scientific LtdcoreAuthorized distributor for CellMaker products in United Kingdom.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cellexus competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Applikon Biotechnology (Getinge): Acquired by Getinge in 2020, Applikon manufactures both classical stainless-steel and single-use bioreactors for microbial and mammalian cell culture at benchtop to production scale. Direct competitor with overlapping technology platforms in bioreactor-based cell culture research and biomanufacturing.
- CerCell: Danish manufacturer specializing in single-use bioreactor systems and upstream solutions for cell culture and fermentation. Direct peer of comparable size, targeting similar process development and pilot-scale customers with single-use platform offerings — direct head-to-head competition in EU and academic channels.
- PBS Biotech (Donaldson): Acquired by Donaldson in 2023, PBS Biotech manufactures single-use bioreactors (vertically-stirred PBS line) for cell culture, viral vector, and cell therapy production. Direct competitor in the single-use bioreactor space serving similar benchtop-to-pilot scale customers, with comparable emphasis on gentle mixing for sensitive cell types.
Broad incumbents
- Thermo Fisher Scientific: Through its Life Sciences Solutions and Bioproduction groups, Thermo Fisher offers a comprehensive suite of single-use bioreactors (HyPerforma), cell culture media, and bioprocess services. Broad incumbent with deep life-sciences tooling that competes in nearly every lab equipment category Cellexus serves.
- Merck KGaA / MilliporeSigma: Through its Life Science business (MilliporeSigma), Merck offers Mobius single-use bioreactors and a large bioprocess portfolio. Broad incumbent serving overlapping biopharma customers across single-use mixing, sterile filtration, and process development consumables.
- Cytiva: Major bioprocess equipment manufacturer offering Xcellerex single-use bioreactors plus a full portfolio of media, filters, and process-scale biomanufacturing solutions. Broad incumbent targeting the same customer base as Cellexus across pharmaceuticals and biotech, with much stronger GMP-customer reach.
- Sartorius Stedim Biotech: World leader in single-use bioreactors and bioprocess equipment, offering Ambr, Biostat, and Flexsafe platforms across microbial and mammalian cell culture. Broad incumbent whose SUB portfolio overlaps with Cellexus in single-use mixing for cell culture, but operating at vastly larger scale across full upstream and downstream bioprocess.
- Eppendorf: German lab equipment manufacturer offering the BioFlo range of stirred-tank bioreactors for cell culture and fermentation at research and pilot scales. Broad incumbent with established channels and reputation across pharma and academia; comparable product breadth though focused on stirred-tank rather than airlift mixing.
Emerging players
- Infors HT: Swiss manufacturer of benchtop bioreactors (Minifors, Multifors) for microbial and cell culture applications. Emerging player competing in the same research-scale bioreactor segment as Cellexus, with a stirred-tank focus rather than airlift technology — overlapping customer base in European academia and biotech.
- m2p-labs: German developer of micro-bioreactor technology (BioLector) for high-throughput fermentation and cell culture screening. Emerging player whose micro-bioreactor platform intersects with Cellexus in microbial and cell culture applications but focuses on miniaturization and process screening rather than scale-up production.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cellexus social profiles
Digital presenceCellexus compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Cellexus financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cellexus leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Cellexus funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cellexus 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 Cellexus
What does Cellexus do?
Cellexus designs, manufactures, and sells the CellMaker range of single-use airlift bioreactor systems, comprising controllers (Regular, Plus, Low Flow, Dual Regular), 8L and 50L enclosures, and single-use sterile bioreactor bags (4L, 8L, 50L) for microbial, bacteriophage, mammalian, and plant cell culture. Patented airlift mixing technology eliminates mechanical impellers, providing low-shear, contamination-free fermentation for biopharmaceutical and academic customers worldwide.
Is Cellexus a public or private company?
Cellexus is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Cellexus founded?
Cellexus was founded in 2005. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Cellexus based?
Cellexus is headquartered in Dundee, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Cellexus make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Bioreactor Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are equipment Rental and consumables (Bioreactor Bags).
Who are Cellexus's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Applikon Biotechnology (Getinge), CerCell and PBS Biotech (Donaldson). Broad incumbents are Thermo Fisher Scientific, Merck KGaA / MilliporeSigma, Cytiva, Sartorius Stedim Biotech and Eppendorf. Emerging players are Infors HT and m2p-labs.
Does Cellexus have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cellexus.