Instech Laboratories
Instech Laboratories designs and manufactures integrated infusion and blood-sampling systems, including Vascular Access Buttons, catheters, syringe pumps, and automated blood samplers, for laboratory animal preclinical research. It sells directly to pharmaceutical companies, CROs, academic institutions, and animal-vendor service providers worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1971
- HeadquartersPlymouth Meeting, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Instech Laboratories does
Instech Laboratories, Inc. is a privately held U.S. corporation founded in 1971 and headquartered in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, that designs, manufactures, and sells integrated infusion and blood-sampling systems for laboratory animal research. Its product ecosystem centers on the Vascular Access Button (VAB), a proprietary transcutaneous port that connects implanted catheters to syringes or tethers for long-term, low-stress vascular access in rodents, and PinPort, a needle-free access technology co-developed with Inotiv in 2012. Supporting hardware includes the Instech P400 syringe pump (launching June 2026) with force-sensor occlusion detection, the ABS2 automated blood sampler with refrigerated fraction collector, swivels, tethers, harnesses, peristaltic pumps, and a full line of specialty catheters (carotid, jugular, femoral, tail vein, bile, intrathecal, portal, gastric) plus pharmaceutical-grade catheter flush and lock solutions and pre-assembled maintenance kits. OrchesTA ambulatory pumps and Harvard Apparatus syringe pumps are sold alongside Instech's own line through a distribution partnership.
The company sells directly through a sales team and website on a quote basis to academic research institutions, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, contract research organizations (CROs), and animal-vendor surgical service providers. Named enterprise customers include Charles River Laboratories, Inotiv, The Jackson Laboratory, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, and Utrecht University; channel partners include Taconic, Janvier Labs, Hilltop Lab Animals, Endpoint Preclinical, and Preclinical Research Associates. Instech complements equipment sales with paid online and in-person catheterization training, a technical blog, webinars, and participation in laboratory animal science conferences (AALAS, ASR, Society for Neuroscience, ACT). Revenue derives from one-time hardware sales plus recurring consumables (catheters, flush solutions, maintenance kits), with geographic reach across the USA, UK, France, Netherlands, Denmark, and Japan. The company remains privately held with no disclosed funding, parent company, or M&A activity across its 50-year operating history.
Instech Laboratories firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Instech Laboratories
- Legal name
- Instech Laboratories, Inc.
- Website
- https://instechlabs.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1971
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Instech Laboratories designs and manufactures integrated infusion and blood-sampling systems, including Vascular Access Buttons, catheters, syringe pumps, and automated blood samplers, for laboratory animal preclinical research. It sells directly to pharmaceutical companies, CROs, academic institutions, and animal-vendor service providers worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Instech Laboratories industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Laboratory Animal Research Equipment
- NAICS
- Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing (339112), Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing (339113)
- SIC
- Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), Wholesale-Medical, Dental & Hospital Equipment & Supplies (5047)
- akta.pro primary industry
- IV Therapy, Infusion & Fluid Management (Pumps, Catheters, Fluid Sets) (HLAMAFAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Infusion Sets, Catheters & Pump Consumables (HLAHAIAH), Practice Consumables & General Medical Supplies (Needles, Syringes, Gloves, Swabs) (HLAMAFAO), Liquid Handling & Laboratory Automation (Pipettes, Robots, Workstations) (HLAGAIAD)
Keywords
Where Instech Laboratories is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Plymouth Meeting
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Instech Laboratories business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Laboratory Equipment Sales: Sale of rodent infusion equipment including catheters, buttons, tethers, swivels, tubing, and pumps. Products sold directly to research institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and CROs.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Instech Laboratories product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Instech Laboratories designs and manufactures integrated infusion, catheterization, and blood sampling systems for laboratory animal research. Its portfolio includes Vascular Access Buttons (VAB), PinPort needle-free access ports, the P400 syringe pump, the ABS2 automated blood sampler, rodent catheters, swivels, feeding tubes, and heparin/glycerol catheter lock solutions. These products are sold primarily to pharmaceutical, biotech, contract research, and academic research organizations conducting preclinical studies.
Product overview
Instech Laboratories offers a comprehensive portfolio of rodent infusion and blood sampling products centered around their Vascular Access Button (VAB) system. The core offering includes vascular access buttons, catheters, swivels, tethers, and tubing for continuous and intermittent IV infusion in mice and rats. Supporting products include pharmaceutical-grade catheter flush and lock solutions, the Instech P400 Syringe Pump with force sensor occlusion detection, ABS2 automated blood sampler, and Rodent Dose Puller. The company also distributes OrchesTA and Harvard Apparatus syringe pumps. Services include online and in-person training for catheterization surgery. The product ecosystem is designed to work together as an integrated system for preclinical infusion studies, with a focus on animal welfare and the 3Rs principles.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Vascular Access Button (VAB): Miniature externalized ports that connect implanted catheters to syringes for direct access or to tethers for continuous access
- PinPort
- OrchesTA
- ABS2
Products and services
- Vascular Access Button (VAB)
Quantifiable outcome
- Patency of mouse jugular vein catheters improved 5x when using VAB compared to standard exteriorized catheters (Charles River research)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Instech Laboratories
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Instech Laboratories technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Instech Laboratories partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Charles River LaboratoriescoreLeading animal vendor offering catheterization surgical services. Collaborated on development of 2-channel rat VAB for combined infusion and PK blood sampling. CRL has conducted research validating VAB effectiveness and patency improvements.
- InotivcoreLarge rodent vendor with surgical services in US and Europe. Worked with Instech in 2012 to develop the PinPort technology for catheter access.
- The Jackson LaboratorycoreLeading global supplier of specialized mouse strains. Offers catheterization surgeries and collaborated on development and refinement of mouse VAB models.
- TecniplastminorPartnership to develop prototype infusion caging for paired housing of rats during infusion studies, aimed at reducing animal stress through social housing.
- Ferring PharmaceuticalsminorPharmaceutical company involved in collaboration with Charles River and Instech to develop the 2-channel rat VAB for combined infusion and pharmacokinetic blood sampling studies.
- René Remie Surgical Skills CentreminorEuropean surgical training provider offering courses on rodent catheterization techniques, referenced as a resource for developing in-house surgical capabilities.
- Endpoint PreclinicalminorPreclinical research services provider offering on-site surgical catheterization services in the US.
- Janvier LabsminorFrench animal model provider offering rodent catheterization services including mice and rats.
- Hilltop Lab AnimalsminorUS-based animal vendor providing surgical catheterization services for mice and rats.
- TaconicminorAnimal model provider offering rat cannulation services in the US.
- Preclinical Research AssociatesminorUS-based preclinical research services provider offering on-site surgical catheterization services.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Instech Laboratories competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Harvard Apparatus: Long-established manufacturer of syringe pumps and laboratory equipment for life science research. Directly competes with Instech's OrchesTA and P400 pumps, while also serving as a distribution partner for Harvard Apparatus pumps sold through Instech's website.
- Braintree Scientific: Manufacturer of infusion pumps, swivels, tethers, and vascular access equipment for laboratory animal research. A direct competitor in the rodent infusion workflow with overlapping product categories.
- Data Sciences International (DSI): Provider of preclinical monitoring, telemetry, and infusion systems for laboratory animals. Directly comparable as a specialist in continuous infusion and physiologic monitoring workflows for rodent and large animal studies.
- emka TECHNOLOGIES: French preclinical research equipment maker specializing in respiratory, cardiovascular, and infusion monitoring for animal models. Direct competitor in the integrated infusion-plus-monitoring workflow.
Regional players
- TSE Systems: German manufacturer of laboratory animal research equipment including metabolic, behavioral, and infusion systems. Comparable product portfolio but primarily serves European markets with limited overlap in North America.
Emerging players
- Coulbourn Instruments: Manufacturer of behavioral research equipment and infusion systems for laboratory animals. Smaller-scale player with partial overlap in rodent infusion and dosing products.
- Kent Scientific: Provider of laboratory animal equipment including anesthesia, surgical platforms, and physiological monitoring. Partial overlap with Instech in supporting rodent surgical and infusion workflows.
- Columbus Instruments: Manufacturer of metabolic and physiological monitoring equipment for laboratory animals. Partial overlap with Instech in preclinical infusion and continuous-monitoring applications.
- Sutter Instrument: Manufacturer of precision laboratory instruments including micromanipulators and related equipment used in rodent surgical preparation. Adjacent in the lab animal microsurgery workflow.
Broad incumbents
- Charles River Laboratories: Global CRO offering preclinical research services including rodent surgical catheterization using Instech equipment. Functions as both a major customer/partner and a broader competitor in the end-to-end preclinical services market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Instech Laboratories social profiles
Digital presenceInstech Laboratories financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Instech Laboratories leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Instech Laboratories funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Instech Laboratories 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 Instech Laboratories
What does Instech Laboratories do?
Instech Laboratories designs and manufactures integrated infusion, catheterization, and blood sampling systems for laboratory animal research. Its portfolio includes Vascular Access Buttons (VAB), PinPort needle-free access ports, the P400 syringe pump, the ABS2 automated blood sampler, rodent catheters, swivels, feeding tubes, and heparin/glycerol catheter lock solutions. These products are sold primarily to pharmaceutical, biotech, contract research, and academic research organizations conducting preclinical studies.
Is Instech Laboratories a public or private company?
Instech Laboratories is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Instech Laboratories founded?
Instech Laboratories was founded in 1971. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Instech Laboratories based?
Instech Laboratories is headquartered in Plymouth Meeting, United States, in the North America region.
How does Instech Laboratories make money?
One revenue line is on record: laboratory Equipment Sales.
Who are Instech Laboratories's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Harvard Apparatus, Braintree Scientific, Data Sciences International (DSI) and emka TECHNOLOGIES. TSE Systems is listed as a regional player. Emerging players are Coulbourn Instruments, Kent Scientific, Columbus Instruments and Sutter Instrument. Charles River Laboratories is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Instech Laboratories have an API?
No public API is recorded for Instech Laboratories.
What industry is Instech Laboratories in?
Instech Laboratories's product category is Laboratory Animal Research Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAMAFAG, IV Therapy, Infusion & Fluid Management (Pumps, Catheters, Fluid Sets), with a secondary code of HLAHAIAH, Infusion Sets, Catheters & Pump Consumables. Its NAICS code is 339112 and its SIC code is 3841.