ATDBio
ATDBio is a UK-based custom oligonucleotide synthesis CDMO producing complex, chemically modified DNA and RNA for molecular diagnostics, pharmaceutical, and academic research customers from ISO 9001-certified labs in Southampton and Oxford. Wholly owned by Biotage AB since 2021.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersSouthampton, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What ATDBio does
ATDBio Ltd is a UK-based custom oligonucleotide synthesis CDMO specializing in complex, chemically modified DNA and RNA for research, diagnostic, and therapeutic applications. Founded in 2005 by Prof. Tom Brown and Dr. Dorcas Brown at the University of Southampton — the same team that founded Oswel, Europe's first commercial oligo synthesis service, in 1985 — the company operates from two ISO 9001-certified UK laboratories: a headquarters at the University of Southampton and an R&D and production facility at Oxford Science Park established in 2013–2014.
Its core capability is solid-phase phosphoramidite synthesis spanning microgram to multi-gram and 1 mmol-scale batches, with a deep modification toolbox covering sugar modifications (RNA, 2'-OMe, 2'-F, 2'-MOE, LNA, cEt), backbone modifications (phosphorothioate, methylphosphonate, phosphoramidates), and terminal modifications (GalNAc, cholesterol, palmitate, vinylphosphonate). Each molecule is paired with in-house purification (RP-HPLC, IE-HPLC, PAGE) and analytical characterization (UPLC/MS, capillary electrophoresis), enabling supply for applications from qPCR and NGS-based molecular diagnostics through to antisense oligos, siRNA, and aptamers at discovery through preclinical stages.
ATDBio monetizes through quote-based custom synthesis contracts with a 30-day quotation validity, supported by a sales-led, scientist-to-scientist engagement model and demand-generation content (the free 13-chapter Nucleic Acids Book and the Oligo Calculator). Customers include molecular diagnostics firms such as YouSeq (multi-year partner), the UK Government's Test and Trace Programme, universities, hospitals, and pharma/biotech therapeutic developers. Since 2021, ATDBio has operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Swedish life sciences group Biotage AB, with 2026 commercial activity including a 50% first-order promotion and membership in the BBSRC-funded Innovation Across Nucleic Acids UK Network.
ATDBio firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ATDBio
- Legal name
- ATDBio Ltd
- Website
- https://atdbio.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- ATDBio is a UK-based custom oligonucleotide synthesis CDMO producing complex, chemically modified DNA and RNA for molecular diagnostics, pharmaceutical, and academic research customers from ISO 9001-certified labs in Southampton and Oxford. Wholly owned by Biotage AB since 2021.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ATDBio industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Custom Oligonucleotide Synthesis Services
- NAICS
- Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- RNA Manufacturing & CMC (oligo synthesis, IVT, purification, formulation, QC) (HLAAADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Molecular Biology & Genomics Instruments (PCR/qPCR, Sequencing, Microarrays) (HLAGAIAF), RNA Therapeutics Platforms & Design (sequence design, target ID/validation, AI/bioinformatics) (HLAAADAG)
Keywords
Where ATDBio is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Southampton
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
ATDBio business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Custom Oligonucleotide Synthesis: Synthesis of custom oligonucleotides tailored to customer specifications, ranging from microgram to millimole scale. Primary revenue stream covering research, diagnostic, and therapeutic applications.
- Analytical Services: Purification and analytical services accompanying oligonucleotide synthesis, including HPLC, PAGE, UPLC/MS, and capillary electrophoresis for quality control.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Custom quotation-based pricing |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | First order promotional discount |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
ATDBio product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ATDBio provides custom synthesis of highly complex, chemically modified DNA and RNA oligonucleotides for research, molecular diagnostic, and therapeutic applications. Offerings span Research Oligonucleotides (general molecular biology use), Diagnostic Oligonucleotides (primers and probes for qPCR, NGS, LAMP, RPA, molecular beacons, single-cell sequencing), and Therapeutic Oligonucleotides (antisense, siRNA, aptamers with extensive sugar, backbone, and terminal modifications). Production scales range from microgram to multi-gram quantities, supported by in-house purification (HPLC, PAGE) and analytical quality control (UPLC/MS, capillary electrophoresis).
Product overview
ATDBio is a specialist custom oligonucleotide synthesis company offering three core product lines: Research Oligonucleotides for general molecular biology use, Diagnostic Oligonucleotides (including primers, probes, and specialized formats for qPCR, NGS, LAMP, and other molecular testing platforms), and Therapeutic Oligonucleotides spanning antisense oligos, siRNA, and aptamers from discovery through preclinical stages. The company also operates the YouSeq Partnership for co-developed molecular diagnostic kits, and supports COVID-19 testing at scale. Supplementary offerings include the free Nucleic Acids Book (a 13-chapter educational reference) and the Oligo Calculator tool for sequence property analysis. All offerings are backed by the company's ISO 9001-certified laboratory in the UK.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Nucleic Acids Book: A free online book on the chemistry and biology of nucleic acids for anyone working with or interested in nucleic acids.
- Oligo Calculator
Products and services
- Research Oligonucleotides Custom-synthesized oligonucleotides for academic and industrial research applications, supporting general molecular biology workflows and experiments at scales from microgram to millimole.
- Diagnostic Oligonucleotides High-purity primers, probes, and specialized oligonucleotides for demanding molecular diagnostic applications including qPCR, NGS, LAMP, RPA, molecular beacons, and single cell sequencing, delivered with batch-to-batch consistency for diagnostic manufacturers and government testing programmes.
- Therapeutic Oligonucleotides Antisense oligos, siRNA oligos, aptamers, and other therapeutic-grade oligonucleotides with extensive sugar, backbone, and terminal modifications, produced under ISO 9001 quality management and supported from discovery through preclinical stages at scales from microgram to multi-gram.
Quantifiable outcome
- Supplied oligos for 10+ million COVID-19 tests from a single customer delivery
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use ATDBio
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
ATDBio technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
ATDBio partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Innovation Across Nucleic Acids UK NetworkcoreUK-wide network connecting DNA and RNA expertise across research, industry and innovation. Led by University of Portsmouth with BBSRC funding. ATDBio contributes expertise in custom oligonucleotide synthesis, purification and analysis to foster innovation across nucleic acid disciplines.
- YouSeqcoreLong-standing partnership enabling rapid development of cutting-edge molecular diagnostic solutions. ATDBio provides high-quality oligonucleotides for YouSeq's qPCR and NGS-based tests with exceptional sensitivity and specificity. Recently collaborated on mpox tests. YouSeq recognized as Britain's fastest-growing private tech company in Sunday Times Tech 100.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
ATDBio competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT): IDT is the largest global custom oligonucleotide synthesis CDMO, serving research, diagnostics, and therapeutics — directly overlapping ATDBio's core product lines (primers, probes, modified oligos for qPCR/NGS/therapeutics).
- Eurogentec (Kaneka): Acquired Oswel — ATDBio's predecessor company — in 1999, making it both the original acquirer of the Brown-founded business and a direct competitor in custom oligonucleotide and modified nucleic-acid production for diagnostics and therapeutics.
- LGC Biosearch Technologies: Custom oligonucleotide and fluorescent probe manufacturer serving molecular diagnostics and genomics — overlapping closely with ATDBio's diagnostic oligo business, including the BHQ/CAL Fluor dyes that ATDBio acknowledges.
- TriLink BioTechnologies (Maravai LifeSciences): Specialized CDMO for nucleic acid products including modified oligos, mRNA, and qPCR reagents — directly comparable to ATDBio's therapeutic and diagnostic oligonucleotide offerings.
- Metabion International: German custom oligonucleotide synthesis CDMO serving research, diagnostics, and therapeutic markets across Europe and globally — a closely matched peer given ATDBio's similar geographic and product positioning.
- Biomers.net: European custom oligonucleotide and nucleic acid CDMO specializing in primer and probe synthesis — comparable specialty-scale competitor in the modified-oligo niche.
- Bio-Synthesis Inc. US-based custom oligonucleotide synthesis and modification CDMO serving research and diagnostics with chemically modified oligos — directly comparable in scale and product mix.
Broad incumbents
- Sigma-Aldrich (Merck KGaA): Larger life-science reagent supplier with custom oligonucleotide services as one of many catalog offerings — competes broadly on catalog oligos and standard synthesis, less differentiated than ATDBio on complex modifications.
- QIAGEN: Major molecular diagnostics and life-science reagent vendor whose primers/probes and Scorpions-related IP shape the diagnostic oligo market in which ATDBio competes; relevant as a downstream licensor and broad incumbent.
Emerging players
- Twist Bioscience: Silicon-based DNA synthesis company expanding into therapeutic oligonucleotides and synthetic biology; an emerging competitor whose scale economics could pressure traditional solid-phase oligonucleotide CDMOs like ATDBio.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ATDBio social profiles
Digital presenceATDBio compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
ATDBio financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ATDBio leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
ATDBio funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ATDBio 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 ATDBio
What does ATDBio do?
ATDBio provides custom synthesis of highly complex, chemically modified DNA and RNA oligonucleotides for research, molecular diagnostic, and therapeutic applications. Offerings span Research Oligonucleotides (general molecular biology use), Diagnostic Oligonucleotides (primers and probes for qPCR, NGS, LAMP, RPA, molecular beacons, single-cell sequencing), and Therapeutic Oligonucleotides (antisense, siRNA, aptamers with extensive sugar, backbone, and terminal modifications). Production scales range from microgram to multi-gram quantities, supported by in-house purification (HPLC, PAGE) and analytical quality control (UPLC/MS, capillary electrophoresis).
Is ATDBio a public or private company?
ATDBio is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was ATDBio founded?
ATDBio was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is ATDBio based?
ATDBio is headquartered in Southampton, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does ATDBio make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Custom Oligonucleotide Synthesis are the primary driver. The others are analytical Services.
Who are ATDBio's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT), Eurogentec (Kaneka), LGC Biosearch Technologies, TriLink BioTechnologies (Maravai LifeSciences), Metabion International, Biomers.net and Bio-Synthesis Inc.. Broad incumbents are Sigma-Aldrich (Merck KGaA) and QIAGEN. Twist Bioscience is listed as an emerging player.
Does ATDBio have an API?
No public API is recorded for ATDBio.
What industry is ATDBio in?
ATDBio's product category is Custom Oligonucleotide Synthesis Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAADAF, RNA Manufacturing & CMC (oligo synthesis, IVT, purification, formulation, QC), with a secondary code of HLAGAIAF, Molecular Biology & Genomics Instruments (PCR/qPCR, Sequencing, Microarrays). Its NAICS code is 325414 and its SIC code is 2835.