Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc
Cambridge Isotope Laboratories (CIL) is a privately held specialty chemicals company founded in 1981 that manufactures the world's largest catalog of over 11,500 stable isotope-labeled compounds (carbon-13, deuterium, nitrogen-15, oxygen-18), serving pharmaceutical, environmental testing, clinical diagnostics, electronics, and academic research customers globally through direct sales and distributors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1981
- HeadquartersTewksbury, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc does
Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc. (CIL) is a privately held specialty chemicals company founded in 1981 and headquartered in Tewksbury, Massachusetts. The company manufactures and distributes stable isotope-labeled compounds, with a portfolio exceeding 11,500 products spanning isotopes of carbon-13, deuterium (hydrogen-2), nitrogen-15, and oxygen-18. CIL operates with vertical integration through its wholly-owned subsidiary CIL Isotope Separations (Ohio), which houses the world's largest commercial deuterium oxide enrichment columns, and through Eurisotop (France, acquired 2001), which serves as direct European supplier for environmental standards. The company has manufactured cGMP products since 1994 and holds ISO-13485 certification, with FDA-inspected facilities supporting pharmaceutical and clinical diagnostic applications.
CIL's product portfolio serves five primary customer segments: pharmaceutical companies (drug discovery, clinical trials, API development), environmental testing laboratories (pesticides, PFAS, dioxins, PAHs), clinical diagnostics and healthcare (newborn screening, urea breath tests), electronics manufacturers (semiconductor deuterium gas, OLED materials), and academic research institutions (NMR, proteomics, metabolomics). The company sells through a direct e-commerce platform supplemented by international distributors, with custom synthesis services and cGMP clinical research substrates representing higher-value offerings. Recent strategic expansion includes a 2025 joint venture with Chemtatva Chiral Solutions to build a Rs 300 crore manufacturing facility in Hyderabad, India, and the launch of two branded product lines — ISOAPI-D (deuterated pharmaceutical intermediates, October 2025) and ISOLED-D (deuterated reagents for OLED manufacturing).
Revenue is generated primarily through one-time product sales of isotope-labeled compounds, with pricing ranging from approximately $14 for standard catalog items to over $100,000 for custom cGMP-manufactured pharmaceutical materials. The company maintains a global footprint across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific, with approximately 501-1,000 total employees. No revenue figures are publicly disclosed, and the company operates as an independent private entity with no identified parent company or external investor ownership structure.
Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc
- Legal name
- Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc.
- Website
- https://isotope.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1981
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Cambridge Isotope Laboratories (CIL) is a privately held specialty chemicals company founded in 1981 that manufactures the world's largest catalog of over 11,500 stable isotope-labeled compounds (carbon-13, deuterium, nitrogen-15, oxygen-18), serving pharmaceutical, environmental testing, clinical diagnostics, electronics, and academic research customers globally through direct sales and distributors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Stable Isotope Chemicals and Reagents
- NAICS
- Chemical Manufacturing (325), Industrial Gas Manufacturing (32512), Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers (4246)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890), Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Electronic & High-Purity Specialty Chemicals (IMAEABAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Compounding Ingredient & API Distributors (Pharma Supply) (HLAIAJAO), Electronic-Grade Solvents & Thinners (IMAEAKAD)
Keywords
Where Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tewksbury
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Product Sales - Isotope Compounds: One-time product sales of stable isotope-labeled compounds and gases. Products range from standard laboratory quantities to custom cGMP-manufactured materials for pharmaceutical applications.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard laboratory products |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Specialty and custom products |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc. (CIL) manufactures and globally distributes over 11,500 stable isotope-labeled compounds (carbon-13, deuterium, nitrogen-15, oxygen-18) along with environmental reference standards, cGMP-manufactured pharmaceutical APIs, deuterated reagents for OLED and semiconductor applications, and NMR solvents. Its products support pharmaceutical R&D, clinical diagnostics, life sciences research, electronics manufacturing, and environmental testing. The company operates manufacturing facilities in the US, France, and India, and serves customers through direct e-commerce sales and an international distributor network.
Product overview
Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc. (CIL) is a specialized B2B supplier offering over 11,500 stable isotope-labeled compounds and related products for research, pharmaceutical, environmental, and industrial applications. The portfolio centers on stable isotope-labeled chemicals (carbon-13, deuterium, nitrogen-15, oxygen-18) and is organized into several interconnected offerings: Core stable isotope-labeled compounds serve life sciences research including metabolomics, proteomics, and structural biology; Environmental Standards (including PFAS, dioxins, pesticides) address regulatory testing needs; cGMP Clinical Research Substrates support pharmaceutical development; Specialized deuterated reagents for semiconductors (Deuterium Gas) and OLED displays (ISOLED-D) serve electronics manufacturing; ISOAPI-D provides pharmaceutical deuterated intermediates for API synthesis. Additional offerings include NMR solvents, cell growth media, and custom synthesis services. The company operates manufacturing facilities across multiple continents and serves academic, pharmaceutical, clinical, and industrial customers worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ISOLED-D™: Deuterated reagents for OLED synthesis - a groundbreaking line of deuterated reagents specifically designed for organic light-emitting diode (OLED) manufacturing.
- ISOAPI-D™
Products and services
- Stable Isotope-Labeled Compounds Over 11,500 stable isotope-labeled compounds (carbon-13, hydrogen/deuterium, nitrogen-15, oxygen-18) used in research, environmental, pharmaceutical, medical diagnostic, electronics, and industrial applications worldwide.
- Environmental Standards Reference standards for environmental testing including pesticides, PCBs, dioxins, furans, PFAS, flame retardants, cyanotoxins, PAHs, and US EPA method standards for water, food, and exposure analysis.
- cGMP Clinical Research Substrates ISO-13485 certified manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) with stable isotope labeling (13C, 15N, deuterium, 17O, 18O) for clinical research, from milligrams to multikilogram scale.
- ISOAPI-D Deuterated Reagents for Pharmaceuticals Brand of deuterated intermediates specifically designed for pharmaceutical API synthesis, providing improved metabolic profiles, increased half-life, and improved oral bioavailability for drug development.
- ISOLED-D Deuterated Reagents for OLED Synthesis Deuterated reagents specifically designed for organic light-emitting diode (OLED) synthesis, enhancing display lifetime, brightness, and reducing burn-in. Products include anthracene-D10, bromoanthracene derivatives, and naphthalene compounds.
- Deuterium Gas and Stable Isotopes for Semiconductor Manufacturing Ultra-high purity deuterium gas (5N, 99.999%) and labeled compounds (deuterated silane, chlorsilanes, ND3, carbon-13, boron-10/11, oxygen-18) for semiconductor fabrication, including deuterium annealing, plasma etching, and fiber optics applications.
- NMR Solvents and Consumables Deuterated NMR solvents (DMSO-d6, D2O, chloroform-d, etc.) and consumables including NMR tubes in various sizes (5mm to 10mm) and frequencies (100-500 MHz).
- Cell Growth Media and Protein Production BioExpress, Celtone, and Spectra 9 cell growth media for E. coli, yeast, insect, and mammalian cell cultures producing uniformly or selectively isotope-labeled proteins for NMR and mass spectrometry.
- Amino Acids (Labeled and Unlabeled) Broad array of unlabeled and stable isotope-labeled amino acids including free and protected forms (canonical and non-canonical), mixes, and methyl labeling kits for proteomics, metabolomics, and structural biology applications.
- Carbohydrate Standards Labeled simple carbohydrates (glucose, galactose, lactose, maltose, sucrose) and sugar alcohols (arabinitol, galactitol, mannitol) in research and MPT grades for metabolic tracing and NMR applications.
- Custom Synthesis/Mixtures Custom synthesis services for specific isotope labeling patterns and custom mixture formulations to meet unique research requirements.
- Urea Breath Test Products 13C-urea breath test products including calibration standards for H. pylori detection in clinical diagnostics.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 4 million newborns screened globally using CIL isotope products
Companies that use Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- EurisotopcoreEurisotop, CIL's France-based subsidiary, will serve as direct supplier of environmental standards across Europe starting April 1, 2026. This restructure consolidates European distribution through the company's own subsidiary, enabling better service and supply chain control for environmental testing customers throughout Europe.
- Chamtatva Chiral SolutionscoreJoint venture partnership with Chemtatva Chiral Solutions (operating as Chamtatva) for establishing a new manufacturing facility in Hyderabad, India. The ₹300 crore investment will create 250+ jobs and expand CIL's global manufacturing capacity for stable isotope-labeled compounds. This strategic partnership enables localized production for Asian markets while leveraging local expertise in chiral chemistry.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sigma-Aldrich (Merck KGaA) / Isotec: The Isotec stable isotope brand of Sigma-Aldrich (now part of Merck KGaA Life Science) is the most direct global competitor to CIL, offering labeled compounds, NMR solvents, and deuterated reagents with overlapping catalog breadth.
- Alsachim: Alsachim is a French specialist in stable isotope-labeled compounds and internal standards for mass spectrometry, directly competing with CIL's pharmaceutical and environmental reference standards lines.
- Toronto Research Chemicals: Toronto Research Chemicals manufactures a broad catalog of isotope-labeled and specialty organic compounds for pharmaceutical R&D and analytical standards, competing with CIL in labeled APIs, metabolites, and impurities.
- C/D/N Isotopes: C/D/N Isotopes is a Canadian producer of deuterated and other stable isotope-labeled compounds serving research and pharmaceutical customers with overlapping catalog and similar custom synthesis capabilities.
- IsoSciences: IsoSciences supplies stable isotope-labeled internal standards and reference materials for mass spectrometry-based clinical and environmental assays, directly competing with CIL's MS/MS and environmental reference lines.
- Silantes GmbH: Silantes is a German specialist in stable isotope-labeled compounds and cell growth media for NMR and MS-based structural biology, competing with CIL's BioExpress, Celtone, and amino acid product lines.
- Omicron Biochemicals: Omicron Biochemicals is a US manufacturer of isotopically labeled compounds and stable isotope-labeled biochemicals for research and clinical applications, overlapping with CIL's labeled metabolite and biochemical pathway offerings.
Broad incumbents
- Urenco Stable Isotopes: UrenCO Stable Isotopes is a major global supplier of enriched stable isotopes including carbon-13, oxygen-18 and other isotopes for medical, industrial and research applications, serving as both a potential upstream supplier and competitor.
Regional players
- Rotem Industries: Rotem Industries is an Israeli producer of stable isotopes and labeled compounds that serves research and medical markets, competing with CIL primarily in the Middle East and select international tenders.
Emerging players
- Trace Sciences International: Trace Sciences International is a smaller specialty supplier of stable isotope-labeled compounds and reference standards, providing a niche alternative for customers in clinical and environmental testing markets served by CIL.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc social profiles
Digital presenceCambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc 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 Isotope Laboratories, Inc
What does Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc do?
Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc. (CIL) manufactures and globally distributes over 11,500 stable isotope-labeled compounds (carbon-13, deuterium, nitrogen-15, oxygen-18) along with environmental reference standards, cGMP-manufactured pharmaceutical APIs, deuterated reagents for OLED and semiconductor applications, and NMR solvents. Its products support pharmaceutical R&D, clinical diagnostics, life sciences research, electronics manufacturing, and environmental testing. The company operates manufacturing facilities in the US, France, and India, and serves customers through direct e-commerce sales and an international distributor network.
Is Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc a public or private company?
Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc founded?
Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc was founded in 1981. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc based?
Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc is headquartered in Tewksbury, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc make money?
One revenue line is on record: product Sales - Isotope Compounds.
Who are Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sigma-Aldrich (Merck KGaA) / Isotec, Alsachim, Toronto Research Chemicals, C/D/N Isotopes, IsoSciences, Silantes GmbH and Omicron Biochemicals. Urenco Stable Isotopes is listed as a broad incumbent. Rotem Industries is listed as a regional player. Trace Sciences International is listed as an emerging player.
Does Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc.
What industry is Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc in?
Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc's product category is Stable Isotope Chemicals and Reagents. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEABAD, Electronic & High-Purity Specialty Chemicals, with a secondary code of HLAIAJAO, Compounding Ingredient & API Distributors (Pharma Supply). Its NAICS code is 325 and its SIC code is 2890.