What GC Lymphotec does

GC Lymphotec is a Tokyo-based cell therapy company founded in 1999 by Dr. Sekine to commercialize the activated autologous lymphocyte culture method (the "Sekine Method") originally developed at Japan's National Cancer Center. Operating as a vertically integrated cell therapy platform, the company provides contract manufacturing (CMO) of immune cells (T cells, NK cells, MSC) for medical institutions, quality control testing services (CAS), proprietary cell culture reagents (BAMBANKER cryopreservation solutions and iMediam media), and AI-powered cancer genetic testing (ai-CANCERCH for screening, DNA CT for recurrence monitoring). The company serves hospitals, oncology clinics, regenerative medicine centers, and biotech research institutions across Japan and selected international markets, with 4,000+ Japanese patient cases treated over 25+ years and an affiliated network of 20+ medical institutions across the country.

The company's core technology is anchored by the Sekine Method, a solid-phase CD3 antibody culture technique that achieves up to 50,000-fold T cell expansion in two weeks — vastly exceeding conventional IL-2-only methods (10-100x). This platform is protected by eight granted Japanese patents covering memory T cell culture (Patent No. 6142142), serum-free culture medium (Patent No. 7144872), transport cryopreservation (Patent No. 6671582), mycoplasma detection, ozone incubator sterilization, and DHEA-S pharmaceutical preparation. Manufacturing is conducted under GMP-compliant environments with ISO 9001 certification and a Specific Cell Processing Product Manufacturing License (obtained June 4, 2015, facility FA3150003) under Japan's Act on the Safety of Regenerative Medicine. The BAMBANKER cryopreservation product line has been sold for over 20 years, and the genetic testing products leverage AI-powered cfDNA/ctDNA analysis with peer-reviewed validation in Nature Communications, Cancer Research, Scientific Reports, AJG, and Clinical Chemistry.

GC Lymphotec monetizes through multiple revenue streams: per-batch CMO contracts with medical institutions, per-test CAS fees, unit sales of BAMBANKER and iMediam products through distributors (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical, Japan Genetics, Cosmo Bio), per-test fees for ai-CANCERCH and DNA CT through affiliated clinics, and technology licensing to international partners including GC Cell Corporation (Korea, 2005, producing the approved product Immuncell-LC which received US FDA Orphan Drug Designation in 2018) and a Taiwanese biomedical group (大中國際生醫集團, 2014). The company is a privately held subsidiary of Korea's GC Group (GC Green Cross, founded 1967), a major pharmaceutical conglomerate with operations in Korea, Japan, the United States, and Brazil. As of September 2024, Han Jun-hee serves as Representative Director and President.

Name

GC Lymphotec

Legal name

株式会社GCリンフォテック (GC LYMPHOTEC Inc.)

Website

https://lymphotec.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

GC Lymphotec is a Tokyo-based cell therapy company providing contract manufacturing of immune cells, AI-powered cancer genetic testing via liquid biopsy, and proprietary cell culture reagents to medical institutions and biotech clients across Japan and selected international markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine CDMO

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (62151), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071)

akta.pro primary industry

Cell Therapy Manufacturing Services (GMP, autologous/allogeneic) (HLAAAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

NK Cell Therapies (HLAAABAD), Personalized Therapeutic Design (neoantigen vaccines, individualized cell/gene therapies) (HLAAANAK)

Keywords

• Cell therapy manufacturing
• Cancer immunotherapy services
• Cryopreservation solutions
• Regenerative medicine CDMO
• Liquid biopsy testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Koto

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. CMO — Cell Culture Contract Manufacturing: Contract manufacturing services for immune cells (T cells, NK cells, MSC) as 'specified cell processed products' under Japan's Regenerative Medicine Safety Act. The company holds a cell processing permit (obtained June 4, 2015, facility number FA3150003) and manufactures cell therapy products for client medical institutions. Provides fresh and frozen/thawed formats. Generates revenue on a per-batch/per-treatment-course basis.
2. CAS — Contract Testing Services: Quality control testing services for cell products including: sterility testing (membrane filter method, SCD agar culture method), endotoxin testing (end-point colorimetric assay), flow cytometry analysis (multicolor using Beckman-Coulter CytoFLEX), pH measurement, osmolality measurement, and mycoplasma testing. Provided to pharmaceutical companies, research institutions, and cell therapy developers on a per-test fee basis.
3. BAMBANKER Cryopreservation Solution Sales: Sale of proprietary cell cryopreservation solutions under the BAMBANKER brand. Products sold directly and through distributors (Japan Genetics, Cosmo Bio, Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical) domestically and internationally. Includes BAMBANKER, BAMBANKER Direct, BAMBANKER hRM (exclusive distribution by Japan Genetics), BAMBANKER DMSO free, and BAMBANKER iStock. Revenue from product sales on a per-unit basis.
4. iMediam Culture Medium Sales: Sale of proprietary cell culture media (iMediam™ for T). Sold domestically in Japan and exported to Korea, China, Taiwan, and other markets. In Korea, the medium is used in the manufacture of cell therapy pharmaceuticals; in Taiwan it is used in clinical trials. Custom small-batch manufacturing also offered. Revenue on a per-unit/product basis.
5. ai-CANCERCH Genetic Testing: Cancer early detection screening test using AI-based ctDNA analysis. Offered through affiliated medical institutions across Japan. Results delivered in 2–4 weeks. Includes free follow-up care program for positive results. Revenue generated per test through medical institutions.
6. DNA CT Cancer Monitoring: Cancer recurrence monitoring test using ctDNA/NGS/AI for post-treatment cancer patients. Provided as an ongoing monitoring service through affiliated medical institutions. Revenue per test basis through the clinic network.
7. Technology Licensing: Licensing of activated autologous lymphocyte culture technology to international partners. Korean licensing to GC Cell Corporation (2005) resulted in the approved product 'Immuncell-LC' and subsequent US FDA Orphan Drug Designation (2018). Taiwan licensing to 大中国際生医集団 (2014). Generates upfront fees and potentially ongoing royalties.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

GC Lymphotec provides contract cell therapy manufacturing (CMO) and contract quality control testing (CAS) for immune cell products, alongside proprietary cell culture reagents (BAMBANKER cryopreservation solutions, iMediam culture medium) and AI-powered cancer genetic tests (ai-CANCERCH screening, DNA CT monitoring). Services target medical institutions, biotech companies, and research organizations, with international technology licensing to Korea (GC Cell) and Taiwan.

Product overview

GC Lymphotec is a cell therapy company providing a comprehensive portfolio of products and services for cancer treatment and regenerative medicine. The core offerings include CMO (contracted cell culture services) for T cells, NK cells, and MSC; CAS (contracted testing services) for quality control; and genetic testing services (ai-CANCERCH for cancer screening and DNA CT for monitoring). The product portfolio includes BAMBANKER cryopreservation solutions (BAMBANKER, BAMBANKER Direct, BAMBANKER hRM, BAMBANKER DMSO free, BAMBANKER iStock) and iMediam culture medium, all manufactured under GMP and ISO 9001 standards. The company pioneered the Sekine method for activated autologous lymphocyte therapy and has licensed its technology internationally, including approval of Immuncell-LC in Korea and FDA orphan drug designation in the US.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BAMBANKER: Series of cell cryopreservation solutions including BAMBANKER, BAMBANKER Direct, BAMBANKER hRM, BAMBANKER DMSO free, and BAMBANKER iStock with over 20 years of sales history.
• iMediam
• ai-CANCERCH
• DNA CT

Products and services

• CMO (Contract Manufacturing Organization) Services Contracted cell culture and processing services for T cells, NK cells, and MSC including activated autologous lymphocyte therapy using the proprietary Sekine Method technology. Provided to medical institutions for cancer immunotherapy and regenerative medicine, with 25+ years of experience and 4,000+ patient cases.
• CAS (Contract Testing Services) Contracted quality control testing services including sterility testing (membrane filter, SCD agar culture), endotoxin testing (end-point colorimetric assay), flow cytometry analysis (Beckman-Coulter CytoFLEX), pH measurement, osmolality measurement, and mycoplasma testing. Provided to pharmaceutical companies, research institutions, and cell therapy developers using GMP-compliant facilities.
• ai-CANCERCH Cancer Screening AI-powered cancer early detection screening test using cfDNA/ctDNA analysis from a single blood draw. Uses Low Coverage Whole Genome Sequencing (NGS) combined with AI analysis to screen for 10 cancer types with results delivered in 2-4 weeks. Includes free follow-up care program (up to 6 additional tests over 2 years) for positive results.
• DNA CT Cancer Monitoring Cancer monitoring test for recurrence and metastasis detection using ctDNA analysis via NGS and AI algorithms. Enables ongoing disease surveillance for post-treatment cancer patients by detecting cancer cell-derived cfDNA in blood, identifying recurrence before imaging can.
• iNK Therapy Immunotherapy using induced NK (iNK) cells specifically proliferated using proprietary T cell processing technology, allowing multiple treatments from a single blood draw with frozen storage. Offered in fresh format to medical institutions.
• MSC (Mesenchymal Stem Cell) Culture Services Mesenchymal stem cell culture services using serum-free proprietary medium for regenerative medicine applications, including treatments for chronic pain and joint conditions. Provided to medical institutions as contract manufacturing service.
• BAMBANKER (Original) Original cell cryopreservation solution with 20+ years of market history. Serum-free formulation with no lot-to-lot variation, manufactured under GMP-compliant environment with ISO 9001 certified quality management. Sold domestically and internationally.
• BAMBANKER Direct Cryopreservation solution allowing direct freezing without removing culture supernatant, simplifying the cell freezing workflow.
• BAMBANKER hRM Cryopreservation solution for human ES/iPS cell research containing only pharmaceutical-grade albumin. Exclusively distributed by Japan Genetics Co., Ltd.
• BAMBANKER DMSO free DMSO-free cryopreservation solution for users who wish to avoid DMSO exposure.
• BAMBANKER iStock Cryopreservation solution with confirmed Regenerative Medicine Product Material Eligibility, designed for use as raw material in regenerative medicine product manufacturing.
• iMediam for T Proprietary serum-free culture medium for efficient expansion of T cells and NK cells using patented technology (Patent No. 7144872). Has obtained Regenerative Medicine Product Material Qualification Confirmation. Manufactured under ISO 9001 quality management. Sold in Japan and exported to Korea, China, Taiwan. Used in Korean cell therapy pharmaceutical manufacturing and Taiwan clinical trials.
• Activated Autologous Lymphocyte Therapy (Sekine Method) Cancer immunotherapy using the proprietary Sekine Method developed by Dr. Sekine at the National Cancer Center, involving T cell activation and expansion up to 50,000-fold using solid-phase CD3 antibody (OKT3). Composed of two phases: activation culture with OKT3 immobilized on vessel surface, followed by amplification culture. T cells retain cytotoxic activity against tumor cells. Over 4,000 patients treated in Japan over 25+ years.

Quantifiable outcome

• T cell expansion of up to 50,000-fold in 2 weeks using the Sekine Method (vs. 10-100x for conventional IL-2 methods)
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

AI capability4 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• 大中国際生醫集団 (Da Zhong International Biomedical Group, Taiwan)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2014In 2014, GC Lymphotec entered into a technology licensing agreement with Taiwan's 大中国際生醫集団 for the technology transfer of activated autologous lymphocyte culture. The partnership enables the Taiwanese partner to manufacture and commercialize cell therapy products using GC Lymphotec's proprietary culture technology.
• GC Cell Corporation (Korea)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2005GC Lymphotec licensed its activated autologous lymphocyte culture technology to GC Cell Corporation in 2005. GC Cell used this technology to develop 'Immuncell-LC,' which received approval from the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) in 2007 for hepatocellular carcinoma. The product also received US FDA Orphan Drug Designation in 2018. GC Cell has manufactured 80,000+ cumulative doses and treated 12,000+ patients in Korea. This is the company's flagship international licensing partnership and core source of overseas validation.
• Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical CorporationmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor sales distributor for GC Lymphotec's cell culture reagents and cryopreservation solutions. Listed as one of the main sales channels alongside Japan Genetics and Cosmo Bio.
• Japan Genetics Co., Ltd.majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive distributor for BAMBANKER hRM (human ES/iPS research cryopreservation solution). Listed as one of the main sales channels alongside Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical and Cosmo Bio.
• Cosmo Bio Co., Ltd.majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor sales distributor for GC Lymphotec's cell culture reagents and cryopreservation solutions. Listed as one of the main sales channels alongside Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical and Japan Genetics.
• GC Group (GC Green Cross)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGC Lymphotec is a subsidiary of the GC Group (GC Green Cross), founded in 1967 and headquartered in Korea. GC Group is a leading Korean pharmaceutical company engaged in blood products, biopharmaceuticals, vaccines, diagnostics, and regenerative medicine. GC Group has subsidiaries in Korea, Japan, the United States, and Brazil, and actively serves markets in Asia, Middle East, and North/South America.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• MEDINET Co., Ltd. Japanese cell therapy CMO/CDMO offering immune cell processing services (T cells, NK cells, dendritic cells) for cancer immunotherapy under Japan's Regenerative Medicine Safety Act. Directly comparable in business model — autologous cell therapy manufacturing for affiliated Japanese clinics.
• GC Cell Corporation: GC Lymphotec's Korean licensee and GC Group sibling company. Commercializes Immuncell-LC using licensed Sekine Method technology. Most directly comparable as a cell therapy product company using GC Lymphotec's own IP, providing reference economics for licensing validation.
• STEMCELL Technologies Inc. Global leader in cell culture media, cryopreservation reagents (CryoStor, mFreSR), and stem cell research products. Directly comparable to GC Lymphotec's BAMBANKER and iMediam reagent product lines.

Broad incumbents

• Takara Bio Inc. Japanese biotech with cell therapy, regenerative medicine, and cell processing reagent offerings. Comparable in cell culture media, cryopreservation reagents, and adjacent cell therapy services — overlaps with BAMBANKER and iMediam product lines.
• JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. Japanese specialty biopharma with regenerative medicine and cell therapy pipeline. Comparable as a Japan-domiciled player operating in adjacent cell/biologic therapy markets with GMP manufacturing capabilities.
• Resonac Holdings (formerly Hitachi Chemical, Showa Denko Materials): Operates one of Japan's largest regenerative medicine CDMO businesses (formerly Hitachi Chemical Advanced Therapeutics Solutions). Comparable as a cell therapy contract manufacturer targeting the same Japanese regenerative medicine regulatory framework.
• Lonza Group AG: Global leader in cell and gene therapy CDMO services. Comparable as a high-end cell therapy manufacturing services provider; provides benchmark for international CMO economics, scale, and pricing.
• Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG: Cell therapy manufacturing platform provider offering instruments, reagents, and GMP cell processing services. Comparable as a vertically integrated cell therapy manufacturing and reagent supplier serving CAR-T and NK cell developers globally.

Emerging players

• StemRIM Inc. Japanese regenerative medicine company developing stem cell-based therapies (PELICAN). Comparable as a Japan-based, Japan-Regenerative-Medicine-Act-regulated cell therapy developer competing for similar affiliated clinic distribution.
• Nikon CeLL innovation Co., Ltd. Nikon Group's cell therapy and regenerative medicine subsidiary operating GMP cell processing facilities in Japan. Comparable as a Japan-based cell therapy CMO with GMP manufacturing capacity targeting cancer immunotherapy and regenerative medicine.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 GC Lymphotec