Molecular Cloning Laboratories

What Molecular Cloning Laboratories does

Molecular Cloning Laboratories (MCLAB) is a privately held molecular biology reagents and laboratory services company headquartered at 320 Harbor Way, South San Francisco, California. The company operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront at mclab.com and sells approximately 277 catalog products organized across 12+ categories — enzymes (110+ SKUs covering ligases, polymerases, nucleases, proteases, kinases, restriction endonucleases, helicases, chaperones, RNases), molecular cloning kits and competent cells, PCR and RT-PCR reagents, Next-Generation Sequencing library prep kits and reagents, CRISPR/Cas-based gene editing systems (Cas9, Cas12a, Cas12a2, Cas13), protein purification resins and tags, nucleic acid purification magnetic beads and kits, recombinant proteins, and biochemical reagents. It also offers 35 laboratory services including Sanger sequencing on ABI 3730XL instruments (with 8–24 hour turnaround), same-day Oxford Nanopore whole-plasmid and bacterial genome sequencing (launched 2025), antibody sequencing, NGS services, qPCR, plasmid purification, protein expression, and cell line identification.

The technology base rests on proprietary wet-lab enzyme engineering rather than software. Three patent-pending platforms anchor the portfolio: MCFusion (soluble Fc Fusion protein production in E. coli), Topomize DNA and Amplicon Library Prep Kits for NGS, and the 10X Thermal Chelator for hot-start PCR. Pricing is highly granular and competitive — DNA sequencing reactions start at $1.99 (bulk Easy Format) or $3.49 (regular), MC DNA Miniprep is $2.00 per sample in 96-well bulk, with the full pricing band running $1.00 to $4,531.00 — and is delivered via unit-based pay-as-you-go billing through the e-commerce site plus an international distributor network for enterprise buyers.

MCLAB's go-to-market targets three primary segments: academic research institutions, pharmaceutical and biotech companies, and government/regulatory agencies. Named customers include Merck, Pfizer, USDA, FDA, Stanford University, UCSF, and Caltech. Marketing is primarily digital — own-website e-commerce, Constant Contact email newsletter, technical blog content, and basic social sharing buttons — with no disclosed sales force, channel partnerships beyond distributors, or external investor backing. The company is privately held with no parent, no subsidiaries, no disclosed funding rounds, and no public revenue or headcount figures, indicating a founder-owned, asset-light operating model.

Name

Molecular Cloning Laboratories

Legal name

Molecular Cloning Laboratories

Website

https://mclab.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Molecular Cloning Laboratories (MCLAB) is a privately held South San Francisco biotech that sells ~277 molecular biology reagent SKUs and 35 lab services — including Sanger and Oxford Nanopore sequencing, CRISPR tools, and enzyme kits — directly via mclab.com to academic, pharmaceutical, and government customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Molecular Biology Reagents and Services

NAICS

Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (6215), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071)

akta.pro primary industry

Molecular Biology & Genomics Instruments (PCR/qPCR, Sequencing, Microarrays) (HLAGAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Molecular & Genetic Testing (PCR/NGS/qPCR) (HLAGADAF), Molecular Diagnostics (PCR/qPCR, NGS-based assays) (HLAAALAA), Library & Diversity Generation Platforms (display libraries, DNA-encoded libraries for biologics, variant libraries) (HLAAAIAL)

Keywords

• Molecular biology reagents
• DNA sequencing services
• CRISPR gene editing
• Protein purification products
• Next-generation sequencing kits

Headquarters

HQ city

South San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. DNA Sequencing Services: Basic and specialized DNA sequencing services using ABI 3730XL sequencers with results delivered within 8-24 hours. Services include Sanger sequencing, fragment analysis, and specialized sequencing for plasmids, cosmids, PCR products, and larger constructs
2. Enzyme Products: Sale of molecular biology enzymes including DNA/RNA ligases, polymerases, nucleases, kinases, RNases, helicases, and restriction endonucleases
3. Molecular Cloning Products: Cloning kits, competent cells, culture plates, DNA ladders, PCR reagents, and RT-PCR kits
4. Gene Editing Products: CRISPR/Cas systems including Cas9, Cas12a, Cas12a2, Cas13 systems, and pAGO systems for gene editing applications
5. Protein Purification Products: Protein purification solutions, resins, purification kits, and protein A/G products
6. NGS Products and Services: NGS library preparation kits, reagent modules, quantification kits, and enzyme technologies for next-generation sequencing

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

MCLAB manufactures and sells a catalog of more than 277 molecular biology products, including enzymes (DNA/RNA ligases, polymerases, nucleases, proteases, kinases, restriction endonucleases), cloning and competent cells, PCR/qPCR/RT-PCR kits, NGS library preparation kits, CRISPR/Cas gene-editing reagents, protein purification resins, and nucleic acid purification tools. The company additionally provides 35 laboratory services, most prominently Basic and Specialized DNA Sequencing on ABI 3730XL instruments (8-24 hour turnaround) and same-day Oxford Nanopore whole plasmid sequencing, plus antibody sequencing, NGS services, PCR cloning, plasmid purification, qPCR, protein expression, and cell line identification.

Product overview

Molecular Cloning Laboratories (MCLAB) is a biotech reagents and services company based in South San Francisco, California, offering a comprehensive portfolio of over 277 molecular biology products and 35 laboratory services. The product portfolio is organized into major categories: Enzymes (110 products including DNA/RNA ligases, polymerases, nucleases, proteases, kinases, restriction endonucleases), Molecular Cloning products (40 products including competent cells, culture plates, DNA ladders, PCR reagents), PCR products (12 products including real-time PCR kits, primer sets), Next-Generation Sequencing products (33 products including library preparation kits like the patent-pending Topomize DNA Library Prep Kit, reagent modules), Gene Editing products (13 CRISPR-based products including Cas9, Cas12a, Cas12a2, Cas13 systems), Sanger Sequencing & Fragment Analysis (23 products), Protein Purification (38 products including Protein A/G, FastSep IMAC resins, SDS-PAGE products), Nucleic Acid Purification (27 products including magnetic beads and extraction kits), Recombinant Proteins (13 products), Biochemical Reagents (38 products), and Growth Factors & Cytokines. The services portfolio includes DNA Sequencing Services (Basic and Specialized including whole plasmid sequencing via Oxford Nanopore), Antibody Services, NGS Services, PCR Cloning, Plasmid Purification, qPCR Services, Protein Services, and Cell Line Identification. The company also offers proprietary technologies including MCFusion Technology for Fc Fusion protein production and the patent-pending Topomize DNA Library Prep Kit for NGS.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Basic DNA Sequencing Services DNA sequencing service using ABI 3730XL sequencers delivering up to 800 base sequence results within 8-24 hours. Includes Easy Format Reaction, Regular Format Reaction, Yeast Plasmid Sequencing, Rolling Circle Amplification, and PCR clean-up options.
• Specialized DNA Sequencing Services Advanced DNA sequencing services including colony direct sequencing, whole plasmid sequencing using Oxford Nanopore technology, and specialized sample analysis.
• Whole Plasmid Sequencing (Oxford Nanopore) Same-day Oxford Nanopore sequencing service for whole plasmid, amplicon, and bacterial genome analysis.
• Antibody Sequencing Service High-quality antibody sequencing service for determining amino acid sequences of antibodies.
• NGS Services Next-generation sequencing services including library preparation and sequencing support.
• Antibody Services Services including antigen affinity purification and polyclonal antibody production.
• PCR Cloning and Subcloning Services Professional PCR cloning and subcloning services for molecular biology research.
• Plasmid Purification Services High-quality plasmid DNA preparation services including miniprep and larger scale purification.
• qPCR Services Quantitative PCR services including copy number variation assay and gene expression analysis.
• Protein Services Protein expression and purification services for recombinant protein production.
• Cell Line Identification Cell line authentication and identification services.
• Enzymes Catalog Over 110 enzyme products including DNA/RNA ligases, polymerases, nucleases, kinases, proteases, restriction endonucleases, helicases, RNases, chaperones, and other molecular biology enzymes.
• Molecular Cloning Products 40 products including cloning vectors, competent cells (BL21, DH5α, DH10B, HB101, JM109, MC1061), culture plates (LB, Super Broth, Terrific Broth, YT), DNA ladders, and PCR reagents.
• PCR Products 12 PCR products including Real-Time PCR Kits, PCR Primer Sets, PCR Reagents, and PCR Kits.
• Next-Generation Sequencing Products 33 NGS products including library preparation kits, enzyme amplification technologies, reagent modules, and quantification kits.
• Gene Editing Products (CRISPR) 13 CRISPR-based gene editing products including Cas9, Cas12a, Cas12a2, Cas13 systems, pAGO systems, and on-target detection tools.
• Protein Purification Products 38 protein purification products including resins, solutions, instruments, and affinity matrices.
• Nucleic Acid Purification Products 27 nucleic acid purification products including magnetic beads, extraction kits, and cleanup systems.
• Recombinant Proteins 13 recombinant proteins including ApoA1, Human Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase, Recombinant BTX Protein, NGF, and Biotin-binding Proteins.
• Biochemical Reagents 38 biochemical reagents including buffers, detergents (Triton X-100, Tween-20, CHAPS), salts, and specialized solutions for laboratory use.
• Sanger Sequencing & Fragment Analysis Products 23 products including Sanger sequencing reagents, fragment analysis tools, and dye sequencing clean-up kits.
• Growth Factors & Cytokines 5 growth factor products including Angiopoietins, EGF, FGF, GDF, GH, IGF, IL, INFs, NGF, PDGF, TGF-beta, VEGF, and Wnts.
• Topomize DNA Library Prep Kit Patent-pending innovative and fast DNA library construction kit for next-generation sequencing with high quality and efficiency.
• Tn5 Transposase Enzyme vital for facilitating construction of random libraries for second and third-generation sequencing applications.
• Pfu DNA Ligase Heat-stable enzyme for high-efficiency DNA ligations with unmatched thermal stability and precision.
• MCFusion Technology Patent-pending technology for revolutionizing large-scale Fc Fusion protein production in soluble and active forms in E. coli.

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• MCLAB DistributorsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational distributor network for MCLAB products and services. The company maintains a distributor program and invites inquiries for becoming a distributor through email ([email protected]).

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Promega Corporation: Direct peer — Promega offers molecular biology reagents, nucleic acid purification, protein analysis, and Sanger-based services, competing with MCLAB across enzymes, protein purification, and sequencing services.
• Lucigen (LGC Biosearch Technologies): Direct peer — LGC Biosearch supplies molecular biology enzymes, NGS library prep kits, and cloning reagents, directly comparable to MCLAB's enzyme catalog and NGS library preparation products.
• GenScript: Direct peer — GenScript supplies gene synthesis, protein production, CRISPR reagents, and molecular biology services, overlapping with MCLAB's plasmid prep, protein services, and gene editing product lines.
• Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT): Direct peer — Danaher-owned IDT provides oligonucleotides, NGS library prep, CRISPR reagents, and gene editing tools, directly overlapping MCLAB's NGS, Cas9/Cas12a/Cas13, and PCR product lines.
• Eurofins Genomics: Direct peer — Eurofins Genomics provides DNA sequencing, oligonucleotide synthesis, and gene synthesis services globally, directly competing with MCLAB's Sanger, Oxford Nanopore, and NGS service offerings.
• New England Biolabs: Direct peer — NEB is the leading independent molecular biology enzymes and reagents supplier, with the deepest catalog of ligases, polymerases, nucleases, and restriction endonucleases that directly overlap MCLAB's 110-enzyme portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Bio-Rad Laboratories: Broad incumbent — Bio-Rad offers a broad life science research portfolio including PCR reagents, protein purification, and nucleic acid workflows, competing with multiple MCLAB product categories without specializing in the molecular biology reagent niche.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Broad incumbent — Through brands like Invitrogen, Applied Biosystems, and Thermo Scientific, Thermo Fisher dominates molecular biology reagents, Sanger sequencing services, and CRISPR tools, dwarfing MCLAB's scale and catalog breadth.
• Qiagen: Broad incumbent — Qiagen provides nucleic acid extraction, PCR/qPCR, and NGS sample prep solutions, overlapping with MCLAB's nucleic acid purification, PCR kits, and gene editing detection product lines.

Emerging players

• Twist Bioscience: Emerging player — Twist focuses on DNA synthesis and NGS library prep (e.g., Twist Library Prep EF), with overlap to MCLAB's NGS library preparation and Oxford Nanopore-adjacent workflows.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://mclab.com/mc/dna-sequencing-services
• Xx.com/mclabdotcom

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Molecular Cloning Laboratories