CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems
CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems AG is a privately held Swiss life science company that develops chemically defined, animal-component-free cell culture media and specialty culture systems for epithelial research, tissue engineering, stem cell applications, and ATMP development, sold globally through authorized distributors and direct sales.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersBern, Switzerland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems does
CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems AG is a privately held Swiss life science company headquartered in Bern that develops and sells chemically defined, animal-component-free cell culture media and specialty culture systems for epithelial biology, tissue engineering, stem cell research, and translational applications. The portfolio spans proliferation media (e.g., CnT-NX-E, CnT-NX-EX, CnT-PR, CnT-07, CnT-40, CnT-PR-F), differentiation and 3D airlift media (CnT-PR-3D, CnT-PR-AD), co-culture and endothelial media (CnT-PR-KM, CnT-PR-CC, CnT-PR-EN), airway media, the Higher Certified (HC) clinical-grade line for ATMP development, primary cells (HBLAK and others), and reagents such as CnT-Accutase-100 and CnT-CRYO-50. The company's technical differentiator is a universal base chemistry that allows seamless transitions across workflow steps, combined with xeno-free, clinically upgradable formulations designed to reduce regulatory friction for cell therapy developers.
The company sells primarily through a global network of authorized distributors covering North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, with direct sales handled from its Bern headquarters for select markets. Pricing is unit-based per SKU (e.g., HBLAK cells listed at $1,174 per vial), billed on a pay-as-you-go basis, and final prices vary by region due to customs, VAT, freight, and currency. Customer segments are academic and industrial epithelial researchers, ATMP and cell therapy developers, and contract research organizations serving toxicology and alternative testing applications. The company has been operating for more than two decades, is led by CEO Thomas Schnibbe with a Board chaired by Eliane J. Müller, has no disclosed external funding, and reported $95% of products shipped with 3–12 months of remaining shelf life as a quality signal.
CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems
- Legal name
- CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems AG
- Website
- https://cellntec.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems AG is a privately held Swiss life science company that develops chemically defined, animal-component-free cell culture media and specialty culture systems for epithelial research, tissue engineering, stem cell applications, and ATMP development, sold globally through authorized distributors and direct sales.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cell Culture Media and Reagents
- NAICS
- Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)
- SIC
- Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cell Processing & Ancillary Materials (media, cytokines, beads, vectors, disposables) (HLAAABAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Cell Therapy Enabling Technologies (gene editing, cell engineering, delivery methods) (HLAAABAL)
Keywords
Where CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bern
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Cell Culture Media and Reagents: Sale of specialty cell culture media, reagents, kits, and cell lines for epithelial research and translational applications. Products include proliferation media, differentiation media, 3D culture systems, and primary human cells.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Research grade cell products |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CELLnTEC develops, manufactures, and sells chemically defined, animal-component-free cell culture media, primary human epithelial cells, reagents, and kits for epithelial biology, tissue engineering, stem cell research, and translational/ATMP applications. Its product portfolio spans proliferation, differentiation, 3D airlift, co-culture, and cryopreservation media, plus Higher Certified (HC) formulations designed for clinical translation. Products are sold globally through authorized distributors and direct sales from the Bern, Switzerland headquarters.
Product overview
CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems is a Swiss life science company specializing in precision cell culture technologies for epithelial biology, tissue engineering, stem cell research, and translational applications. The company offers a portfolio of chemically defined, animal-component-free cell culture media and primary human cells organized into product categories: Media (proliferation, differentiation, and specialty media including CnT-NX-E, CnT-PR-3D, CnT-NX-EX, CnT-PR-F, CnT-PR-KM, CnT-PR-CC, CnT-PR-EN), Cells (including HBLAK bladder cells, HGEP gingival cells, HPEK epidermal keratinocytes), Reagents (including Accutase, cryopreservation media), and Kits (starter kits for 2D and 3D culture). The portfolio includes Higher Certified (HC) products designed for clinical and ATMP development workflows.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- CnT-NX-E Epithelial Proliferation Medium Chemically defined, animal-component-free epithelial proliferation medium for isolation and rapid expansion of primary epithelial cells from multiple tissue types, iPSC-derived cells, and cell lines.
- CnT-PR-3D Epithelial 3D Airlift Medium Prime epithelial 3D airlift medium for optimal differentiation of primary human epidermal keratinocytes and other epithelial tissues in 3D airlift culture.
- CnT-NX-EX Extended Proliferation Medium Chemically defined, animal-component-free medium for isolation and substantially prolonged expansion of primary epithelial cells derived from multiple tissue types.
- CnT-PR-F Fibroblast Proliferation Medium Prime fibroblast proliferation medium for high efficiency isolation and expansion of fibroblasts without plate coating.
- CnT-40 Melanocyte Proliferation Medium Melanocyte proliferation medium for selective isolation and rapid expansion of primary epidermal melanocytes.
- CnT-PR-KM Keratinocyte-Melanocyte Co-culture Medium Prime keratinocyte melanocyte co-culture medium for 2D co-culture of keratinocytes and melanocytes.
- CnT-PR-CC Epithelial-Stromal Co-culture Medium Prime epithelial stromal co-culture medium for co-culture of epithelial and stromal cells in 2D culture.
- CnT-PR-EN Endothelial Proliferation Medium Prime endothelial proliferation medium for high-efficiency isolation and expansion of primary human endothelial cells in an FBS-free, xeno-free, clinically upgradable formulation.
- CnT-07 Epithelial Proliferation Medium Epithelial proliferation medium for efficient isolation and expansion of epithelial cells from multiple tissue types.
- CnT-PR Epithelial Proliferation Medium Prime epithelial proliferation medium for isolation and expansion of epithelial cells from multiple tissue types, chemically defined and containing no components of animal or human origin.
- CnT-PR-AD Airway Epithelial 2D/3D Differentiation Medium Prime airway epithelial 2D/3D differentiation medium for differentiation of large airway epithelial cells.
- CnT-PR-A Airway Epithelial Proliferation Medium Prime airway epithelial proliferation medium for efficient isolation and expansion of large airway epithelial cells.
- HBLAK Bladder Epithelium Progenitors Spontaneously immortalized human bladder epithelial cells cryopreserved at approximately passage 10, derived from normal uroepithelial tissue, offering long-term in vitro growth without senescence while retaining ability to differentiate and form 3D cultures.
- Higher Certified (HC) Media Line Clinically upgradable media formulations designed to support seamless transition from lab to clinical trials for cell therapy development, including the CnT-NX-E-HC variant.
- CnT-Accutase-100 Cell Detachment Solution Enzyme-based cell detachment and passaging reagent with gentle action that requires no separate stop reagent.
- CnT-CRYO-50 Defined Animal-Component-Free Freezing Medium Defined cryopreservation medium containing all necessary components to protect cells during freezing and thawing.
Quantifiable outcome
- 95% of products shipped with 3-12 months remaining shelf life
Companies that use CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered standard.
- CedarlabsstandardAuthorized distributor for CELLnTEC products in Canada. Orders can be placed directly through Cedarlabs for Canadian customers.
- Zen-Bio (BioIVT)standardAuthorized distributor for CELLnTEC products in the USA. Part of BioIVT company providing cell biology products and services.
- Bio-ConNECT B.V.standardAuthorized distributor for CELLnTEC products in Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Also serves as direct sales contact for Benelux region.
- Caltag MedsystemsstandardAuthorized distributor for CELLnTEC products in the United Kingdom. Located in Buckingham, UK.
- S.I.A.L. SRLstandardAuthorized distributor for CELLnTEC products in Italy. Direct ordering from CELLnTEC is also available in this country.
- 4A Biotech Co., LtdstandardAuthorized distributor for CELLnTEC products in China and Taiwan. Located in Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area.
- Funakoshi Co., LtdstandardAuthorized distributor for CELLnTEC products in Japan. Located in Tokyo, Japan.
- Koma BiotechstandardAuthorized distributor for CELLnTEC products in South Korea. Located in Seoul, Korea.
- Assay Matrix PTY LTDstandardAuthorized distributor for CELLnTEC products in Australia. Located in Ivanhoe North, VIC, Australia.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Bio-Techne: US-based developer of proteins, reagents, and cell culture media (including defined media for stem cells and primary cells). Overlaps with CELLnTEC in research-grade epithelial media and benefits from a much larger commercial reach.
- STEMCELL Technologies: Canadian developer of cell culture media, primary cells, and reagents for stem cell and immunology research. Overlaps with CELLnTEC in defined media and primary cells, but with a far broader product portfolio across multiple cell types.
- Miltenyi Biotec: German life sciences company offering cell culture media, primary cells, and cell therapy manufacturing tools. Comparable to CELLnTEC in epithelial and endothelial media and increasingly in the ATMP manufacturing space.
- Corning Life Sciences: Major supplier of cell culture media, sera, and plasticware. Competes with CELLnTEC in defined media categories and bundles media with consumables, giving it stronger accounts in standard research labs.
- Sartorius: German bioprocessing supplier offering cell culture media and process solutions. Competes most directly with CELLnTEC's HC line at the clinical/ATMP manufacturing end of the market.
- Lonza: Swiss global leader in cell culture media and bioprocessing services. Lonza competes directly in defined epithelial and stem cell media but operates at vastly greater scale, with cGMP manufacturing capabilities that pressure specialty media suppliers on clinical-grade deals.
Direct peers
- PromoCell: German supplier of primary human cells and specialty cell culture media with strong epithelial and dermatology focus. Closest direct peer to CELLnTEC in the chemically defined, animal-component-free media niche serving academic and translational researchers.
- Cell Applications, Inc. US supplier of primary human cells and optimized culture media, including epithelial products. Comparable niche positioning to CELLnTEC, particularly for researchers needing matched cell-plus-media systems.
- Epithelix: Swiss company specializing in human airway epithelial models (MucilAir) and related media/reagents. Comparable to CELLnTEC in epithelial specialization, Swiss origin, and translational research customer base.
Others
- Thermo Fisher Scientific (Gibco): Owns the Gibco cell culture media brand, the dominant player in research- and clinical-grade media. Overlaps directly with CELLnTEC's epithelial and stem cell media lines and sets the competitive price/quality benchmark for the broader category.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems social profiles
Digital presenceCELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems 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 CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems
What does CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems do?
CELLnTEC develops, manufactures, and sells chemically defined, animal-component-free cell culture media, primary human epithelial cells, reagents, and kits for epithelial biology, tissue engineering, stem cell research, and translational/ATMP applications. Its product portfolio spans proliferation, differentiation, 3D airlift, co-culture, and cryopreservation media, plus Higher Certified (HC) formulations designed for clinical translation. Products are sold globally through authorized distributors and direct sales from the Bern, Switzerland headquarters.
Is CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems a public or private company?
CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems founded?
CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems was founded in 2004. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems based?
CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems is headquartered in Bern, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems make money?
One revenue line is on record: cell Culture Media and Reagents.
Who are CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Bio-Techne, STEMCELL Technologies, Miltenyi Biotec, Corning Life Sciences, Sartorius and Lonza. Direct peers are PromoCell, Cell Applications, Inc. and Epithelix. Thermo Fisher Scientific (Gibco) is listed as an others.
Does CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems have an API?
No public API is recorded for CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems.
What industry is CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems in?
CELLnTEC Advanced Cell Systems's product category is Cell Culture Media and Reagents. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAABAH, Cell Processing & Ancillary Materials (media, cytokines, beads, vectors, disposables), with a secondary code of HLAAABAL, Cell Therapy Enabling Technologies (gene editing, cell engineering, delivery methods). Its NAICS code is 325414 and its SIC code is 2836.