What Q1 Scientific does

Q1 Scientific is a specialist outsourced stability storage and GDP-certified pharmaceutical storage provider that operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cambrex, the global CDMO that acquired the company on 1 June 2022. Founded in Waterford, Ireland in 2012 by Louise Grubb, the company was the first Irish business dedicated to stability storage and sample management, and has since built a three-site cGMP network across Waterford, Liège (Belgium, opened 2023, expanding again in 2026), and Durham, North Carolina (opened 2025). Services target pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies that require ICH-compliant long-term, intermediate, and accelerated stability testing as well as regulated storage for clinical and commercial drug substance and drug product, including biologics, vaccines, and combination products with combination-drug/device risk.

The core technical offering centres on validated, continuously monitored walk-in chambers and reach-in cabinets spanning the full ICH climate range from -80°C to +50°C, with full humidity control and ultra-low freezer capacity for biologics. The proprietary Electronic Sample Tracking System (ESTS) and a 21 CFR Part 11 / EU Annex 11 compliant eQMS provide continuous monitoring, alarm, backup-power systems, and full chain-of-custody, supplemented by a secure 24/7 client portal. Add-on services — photostability testing, thermal cycling, ultra-low freezer storage, and disaster recovery — round out the regulated storage workflow. The company cites 100% on-time sample pulls, 3.5 million+ samples stored, 35,000+ stability storage spaces, 9.3/10 customer satisfaction, and a 71 NPS in 2025.

Commercially, Q1 runs a direct, sales-led enterprise model with site tours, Stability Strategy Sessions, and consultative selling into pharma/biotech/medtech buyers; service revenue is predominantly recurring and usage-based under a "Pay for Use" pricing approach with no minimum contract. The company has earned GMP, GDP, ISO 9001, ISO 13485, ISO 14791, and ISO 27001 certifications across sites and has been audited by HPRA, FDA, AFMPS, Saudi FDA, and NSAI, providing the regulatory substrate that monetises the storage asset. Top-of-funnel demand is generated via an owned annual Stability Studies Conference (now expanding to the US), a webinar series, white papers, and case-study content.

Name

Q1 Scientific

Legal name

Q1 Scientific SRL

Website

https://q1scientific.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Q1 Scientific, a Cambrex subsidiary, provides outsourced ICH-compliant stability storage and GDP-certified pharmaceutical storage from cGMP facilities in Ireland, Belgium, and the US, serving pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Waterford

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Stability Storage Services: Outsourced ICH-compliant stability storage services for pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device companies. Provides shared or exclusive walk-in rooms and reach-in cabinets under controlled ICH or custom conditions. Revenue generated through storage space rental and management fees.
2. GDP Storage Services: GDP-certified pharmaceutical storage for clinical and commercial products. Temperature-controlled storage across validated conditions from ambient to ultra-low temperatures (-60 to -90°C).
3. Specialized Testing Services: Photostability testing, thermal cycling studies, and disaster recovery services as add-on storage solutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Q1 Scientific provides outsourced ICH-compliant stability storage and GDP-certified pharmaceutical storage for drug substances, drug products, biologics, and vaccines. It operates validated temperature- and humidity-controlled chambers (-80°C to +50°C) across cGMP facilities in Ireland, Belgium, and the US, supported by 24/7 environmental monitoring, its proprietary Electronic Sample Tracking System (ESTS), and a 100% on-time pull rate. Complementary services include photostability testing, thermal cycling, ultra-low freezer storage, disaster recovery, and sample management.

Product overview

Q1 Scientific, a Cambrex company, provides outsourced ICH-compliant stability storage and GDP-certified pharmaceutical storage services across Belgium, Ireland, and the US. The core offering consists of Stability Storage and GDP Storage services, supplemented by specialized testing services including Photostability Testing, Thermal Cycling (freeze-thaw studies), Ultra Low Freezer Storage (down to -80°C), and Disaster Recovery services. The company also offers Sample Management through its proprietary Electronic Sample Tracking System (ESTS) and hosts the annual Stability Studies Conference. Services are delivered from three cGMP-certified facilities serving pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device companies worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stability Storage ICH-compliant and custom temperature- and humidity-controlled stability storage for pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device samples, covering all ICH climatic zones from -80°C to +50°C with full humidity control. Delivered from cGMP facilities in Belgium, Ireland, and the US.
• GDP Storage GDP-certified pharmaceutical storage for clinical and commercial products, providing secure, validated, temperature-controlled storage (15-25°C, 2-8°C, -20°C, -60 to -90°C) designed for regulated supply chains.
• Photostability Testing ICH Q1B compliant photostability testing services to evaluate pharmaceutical products' stability under light exposure, including forced degradation and confirmatory studies with calibrated radiometers and lux meters.
• Thermal Cycling Freeze-thaw thermal cycling studies designed to meet ICH Q1A (R2) guidelines, simulating real-world temperature fluctuations during shipment and handling to validate product resilience.
• Ultra Low Freezer Storage Ultra-low temperature storage down to -80°C for life-saving vaccines, pharmaceuticals, and biological samples, offering 5°C ± 3°C, -20°C ± 5°C, -70°C ± 10°C, and -80°C ± 10°C conditions.
• Disaster Recovery Emergency sample transfer and backup storage services for stability studies, enabling swift transfer of samples from individual batches to entire chambers within 24 hours of chamber failure.
• Sample Management Expert sample management solutions including electronic tracking, client portal access, sample transport coordination, and chain-of-custody documentation for stability studies.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% on-time sample pull rate with zero missed timepoints
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• FlogasmoderateOthers · 7 July 2026Q1 Scientific partnered with Flogas to source approximately 50% of its electricity from a wind farm in Ireland. This sustainability partnership supports Q1 Scientific's environmental objectives and commitment to renewable energy usage in its operations.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Marken (UPS Healthcare): UPS-owned clinical trials logistics and cold chain specialist providing GDP-compliant storage and temperature-controlled distribution for investigational medicinal products. Comparable in pharma cold chain storage focus, though stronger in transport-forwarding than static stability storage.
• Almac Group: Privately-held global CDMO and pharmaceutical services provider with dedicated stability storage services across multiple ICH conditions. Direct competitor in stability storage outsourcing and serves overlapping pharma/biotech customers with bundled CDMO offerings.
• World Courier (Cencora): Cencora (formerly AmerisourceBergen)-owned specialty logistics provider offering GDP-compliant pharmaceutical storage and global cold chain distribution. Comparable in serving pharma/biotech with regulated cold storage needs and overlapping customer base in clinical trial supply.
• Azenta Life Sciences: Azenta (formerly Brooks Life Sciences) operates a global biorepository and sample management business offering ICH-compliant stability storage, cold chain sample management, and genomic services to pharma and biotech. Highly comparable to Q1 Scientific in core sample-storage-as-a-service model and customer base, though significantly larger and broader.
• PCI Pharma Services: Global CDMO with pharmaceutical storage, packaging, and distribution capabilities including temperature-controlled and cold chain storage. Directly competes with Q1 Scientific in outsourced pharma storage services, particularly for clinical and commercial supply chains.

Broad incumbents

• Charles River Laboratories: Global CRO/CDMO providing drug discovery, development, and manufacturing services with adjacent pharma storage and biostorage capabilities. Broader incumbent with overlapping pharma/biotech customer base but not a stability storage specialist.
• DHL Supply Chain (Life Sciences): DHL's life sciences and healthcare division provides GDP-certified temperature-controlled warehousing and distribution across global sites. Comparable in pharmaceutical cold chain storage/forwarding though primarily distribution-led rather than ICH stability-focused.
• Patheon (Thermo Fisher Scientific): Thermo Fisher's pharma services division operates one of the largest CDMO networks globally, with stability storage and analytical services integrated into drug development offerings. Represents the bundled incumbent threat to standalone specialists.
• Eurofins Scientific: Global testing services conglomerate with pharmaceutical stability testing, storage, and release testing capabilities. Comparable in pharma stability/testing services though Eurofins is far larger and broader in scope across multiple testing verticals.
• Catalent: Large global CDMO acquired by Novo Holdings in 2024 with drug substance, drug product, and clinical supply services including temperature-controlled storage capabilities. Indirectly comparable as a CDMO offering storage within a much broader service portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/q1-scientific-ltd-

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

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 Q1 Scientific