What Upcyte Technologies does

Upcyte Technologies is a Germany-based life science company founded in 2015 that develops and commercialises expanded human primary cells for research and in vitro diagnostic applications. Its core proprietary upcyte® technology uses a viral gene-transfer system to drive primary cells back into controlled proliferation without inducing immortalisation, preserving tissue-specific phenotype and enabling expansion of up to 4,000 vials per cell type and donor from the same source. The product catalogue spans hepatocytes, liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs), keratinocytes, microvascular endothelial cells, HUVECs, and skeletal muscle cells, complemented by optimised cell-culture media, the SoftXS bioreactor platform for 3D cell culture, and a custom upcyte service to expand customer-supplied primary cells.

The company operates a B2B research-tools model, selling catalog cells directly through an e-commerce platform and via the parent CLINISCIENCES GROUP's worldwide distributor network, alongside custom services (the upcyte® service and ixcyte® lentiviral cell-line customisation). Target customers are pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies engaged in drug discovery, metabolism, toxicity, and viral infection research, academic and research institutions, and (to a lesser extent) IVD laboratories. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, and standard vial formats are 1–5 million cells.

Upcyte Technologies is a subsidiary of the CLINISCIENCES GROUP, which holds ISO 13485:2016 certification covering the group's quality management system. Upcyte® hepatocytes and endothelial cells are classified as Risk Group 1 genetically modified organisms by the German Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) and the Central Committee on Biological Safety (ZKBS), permitting handling at Security Level 1 genetic engineering facilities. The company's primary operating address is 74 Rue des Suisses, 92000 Nanterre, France, with German phone contact, indicating a France–Germany dual operating footprint.

Name

Upcyte Technologies

Legal name

Upcyte Technologies

Website

https://upcyte.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Upcyte Technologies is a Germany-based life science company that produces expanded human primary cells (hepatocytes, LSECs, keratinocytes, mvECs, HUVECs, skeletal muscle) via proprietary upcyte viral gene-transfer technology for pharma R&D, academic, and IVD laboratory customers through direct and distributor channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cell Culture Products

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

In Vitro Model Systems & Organoid Platforms (iPSC/organoids, microphysiological systems) (HLAAAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cell Therapy Enabling Technologies (gene editing, cell engineering, delivery methods) (HLAAABAL)

Keywords

• Primary cell expansion
• Human cell biology
• Cell culture products
• Life science reagents
• In vitro research tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Expanded Primary Cells: Sale of cryopreserved, assay-ready expanded primary cells including hepatocytes, liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, keratinocytes, and other cell types. Cells are available in standard formats (1-5 million cells per vial) and can be expanded to up to 4000 vials per cell type per donor.
2. Custom Cell Services: Custom upcyting services where customers provide their own primary cells, which are then expanded using the upcyte technology and shipped back as cryopreserved vials or stored at the facility.
3. Cell Culture Media and Reagents: Sale of optimized medium formulations and complementary reagents for cell culture applications.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Upcyte Technologies manufactures and sells expanded primary human cells (hepatocytes, liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, keratinocytes, microvascular endothelial cells, HUVECs, and skeletal muscle cells) using its proprietary upcyte technology based on viral gene transfer for controlled cell proliferation. The company also provides custom cell line development services, cell culture media and reagents, and the SoftXS bioreactor platform to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and academic research customers.

Product overview

Upcyte Technologies offers a portfolio of expanded primary cells and custom cell services for research and in vitro diagnostics. The core product line includes upcyte® expanded primary cells—human cells driven back into proliferation via viral gene transfer while retaining primary phenotypic characteristics. Key products include hepatocytes, liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs), keratinocytes, microvascular endothelial cells, HUVECs, and skeletal muscle cells. The company also provides SoftXS, a scalable bioreactor platform for 3D cell culture. Two complementary services support the product portfolio: upcyte® service enables custom expansion of customer-provided primary cells, while ixcyte® provides custom cell line development using lentiviral technology. Support products include optimized cell culture media and ConTaFree disinfectant products for laboratory sterility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• upcyte®: Expanded primary cells produced using proprietary technology that drives non-dividing primary cells back into proliferation via viral gene transfer without altering tissue-specific characteristics. Cells available from various human tissues with optimized medium formulations.
• ixcyte®

Products and services

• upcyte Hepatocytes

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 4000 vials per cell type per donor
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dynamic42coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDynamic42 is a biotech company specialized in human in vitro organ-on-chip models. Upcyte collaborates with Dynamic42 on webinars and liver toxicity research, combining expertise in cell culture and organ-on-chip technology. The collaboration showcases how upcyte expanded primary cells (LSECs and hepatocytes) can be used in advanced liver organ models for hepatotoxicity testing.
• OVH SASminorOthersOVH SAS is the hosting provider for upcyte.com website, providing cloud infrastructure services from their Roubaix, France data center.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• InSphero: InSphero develops 3D organoid and organ-on-chip models for drug discovery, including liver and toxicology applications that directly overlap with Upcyte's hepatocyte and LSEC use cases. It represents the next-generation in vitro model platform Upcyte could supply into.

Direct peers

• CellGenix: CellGenix manufactures cell culture reagents and primary cells for cell therapy and translational research. It is comparable in being a smaller specialty player serving pharma/biotech and academic research with cell-based products.
• STEMCELL Technologies: STEMCELL Technologies provides primary cells, cell culture media, and specialized reagents for academic and pharma research. It is a direct competitor in primary-cell catalog sales with comparable target customers.
• PromoCell: PromoCell supplies human primary cells and optimized cell culture media for research and drug discovery. It is a direct competitor in the primary-cell catalog market, serving overlapping pharma/biotech and academic customers with similar cell types (hepatocytes, endothelial, keratinocytes).

Broad incumbents

• Merck KGaA / MilliporeSigma: MilliporeSigma supplies primary cells, cell lines, and culture reagents across life sciences research and bioprocessing. It competes with Upcyte's catalog cell and media offering while also serving much larger pharma manufacturing customers.
• Corning Life Sciences: Corning supplies cell culture vessels, media, surfaces, and bioprocess products that compete with the broader Upcyte product portfolio, particularly the SoftXS bioreactor platform and culture media.
• Lonza: Lonza is a major contract manufacturer and supplier of primary cells, cell lines, and cell-culture media across pharma and biotech. It overlaps with Upcyte in primary hepatocytes and endothelial cells but operates at vastly greater scale and breadth.
• Bio-Techne: Bio-Techne (R&D Systems, Tocris) supplies primary cells, cytokines, and reagents across research and applied markets. It competes with Upcyte's primary-cell catalog and media/reagents at the high end of the research-tools spectrum.
• ATCC: ATCC supplies authenticated cell lines, primary cells, and biological materials to research and clinical labs globally. It competes with Upcyte's cell catalog but with a much broader mandate including cell line authentication services.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific (Gibco): Gibco supplies primary cells, cell culture media, and reagents to research and pharma customers globally. It competes with Upcyte across nearly all of Upcyte's product categories but from a much broader portfolio position.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/upcyte-technologies

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Upcyte Technologies