Colibri Scientific

What Colibri Scientific does

Colibri Scientific Limited is a UK-based contract research organisation headquartered at Alderley Park (Handforth, Wilmslow) that specialises in end-to-end clinical sample operations for pharmaceutical and biotech sponsors and CROs. Founded in 2017, the company manages the clinical sample lifecycle from kit design through collection, tracking, processing, storage, logistics, and bioanalysis oversight, with the explicit objective of minimising sample errors that render biosamples non-viable. Its service portfolio spans two pillars: Kitting Services (custom clinical trial visit kits, reagent kits, and cryogenic-resistant labelling) and Clinical Sample Services (sample tracking via a proprietary cloud-based LIMS at the aliquot level, centralised processing, 24/7 monitored temperature-controlled storage, UN3373-compliant logistics, and bioanalysis vendor management including risk-based laboratory qualification and consultancy).

Underlying the offering is a cloud-based Laboratory Information Management System that tracks each aliquot through its full lifecycle and exposes reporting through a client portal, supporting FDA 21 CFR Part 11 compliance. Operations are backed by ISO 9001:2015, GLCP, GCP, GDPR, and UN3373 certifications, and long-term cryogenic storage is delivered through a partnership with Cryoniss Limited in Runcorn. The company also sells UN3373 P650 compliant shipping consumables (absorbents, transport pouches, mailing boxes, complete shipping packs) through its own e-commerce storefront in GBP.

Revenue mechanics combine managed services and professional services (bioanalysis management, kitting, bespoke kit design, labelling services) priced on a quote basis with transactional hardware sales via the e-commerce channel. The go-to-market is sales-led B2B, with each client assigned a dedicated Project Manager as the single point of contact across studies. Marketing is content-driven through blog, whitepapers, LinkedIn, Twitter, and an email newsletter ('The Hummingbird'), positioning the company as a specialist thought leader in sample quality and compliance. Founder and Managing Director Sue Keeler, formerly Global Head of Clinical Samples Sciences at AstraZeneca, anchors the company's expertise narrative.

Name

Colibri Scientific

Legal name

Colibri Scientific Limited

Website

https://colibriscientific.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Colibri Scientific is a UK-based contract research organisation that provides end-to-end clinical sample management services — kitting, tracking, processing, storage, logistics, and bioanalysis oversight — to pharma and biotech trial sponsors and CROs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contract Research Organisation Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (6215)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Medical Writing & Regulatory Submission Support CROs (HLAGAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Toxicology & Safety Assessment CROs (GLP) (HLAGAAAC), Microbiology & Sterility Assurance (Bioburden/Endotoxin/Sterility) (HLAGADAE), Laboratory & Scientific Supplies Scheduled Delivery (Non-medical) (TLAAAEAI)

Keywords

• Clinical trial samples
• Bioanalysis management
• Clinical kitting services
• Sample storage
• Laboratory vendor management

Headquarters

HQ city

Nether Alderley

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Clinical Trial Supplies (E-commerce): Sale of clinical trial supplies and packaging products through online shop including shipping packs, transport pouches, mailing boxes, and absorbents.
2. Kitting Services: Bespoke clinical trial visit kits and reagent kits preparation services. Includes custom visit kits from single blood tubes to complex multi-test profiles for biomarker studies.
3. Bioanalysis Management: End-to-end bioanalysis management outsourcing, including vendor management, expert oversight, and single point of contact from lab manual creation to analysis report. Contracts directly with pre-qualified partner laboratories.
4. Sample Storage Services: Temperature-controlled storage solutions at company facilities in Cheshire, with long-term archive storage through Cryoniss partnership.
5. Labelling Services: UN3373 compliant sample labelling service with cryogenic-resistant labels for long-term cryopreservation under various conditions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Colibri Scientific is a UK-based contract research organisation that provides end-to-end clinical trial sample management services, including bespoke visit kits, reagent kits, labelling, sample tracking through a cloud-based LIMS, processing, temperature-controlled storage, logistics, and bioanalysis management with laboratory qualification and consultancy support. It also sells UN3373 P650 compliant shipping consumables (absorbents, flexible transport pouches, rigid medical mailing boxes, and complete shipping packs) directly to clinical trial sponsors and CROs.

Product overview

Colibri Scientific is a UK-based contract research organisation offering an integrated portfolio of clinical trial sample management services and compliant shipping products. The service offering is structured around two main pillars: Kitting Services (Clinical Trial Visit Kits, Reagent Kits, and Labelling Service) and Clinical Sample Services (Sample Tracking, Sample Processing, Sample Storage, Logistics, Bioanalysis Management, Laboratory Qualification, and Bioanalysis Consultancy). Products include UN3373 P650 compliant shipping consumables (Absorbents, Flexible Transport Pouch P650, Medical Mailing Box UN3373 P650, and the complete UN3373 P650 Compliant Shipping Pack). The company leverages cloud-based LIMS technology for sample tracking and partners with pre-qualified laboratories for bioanalysis services, all supported by ISO 9001:2015 quality certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Clinical Trial Visit Kits Bespoke, custom-designed clinical visit kits ranging from single blood tubes to multi-test profiles for complex biomarker studies. Kits are pre-labelled with tubes, vials and documentation to minimise handling errors for research nurses at clinical trial sites.
• Reagent Kits Specialist reagent preparation services for clinical sites, including aliquoting into usable volumes for each patient visit with sterile preparation available for bioassays.
• Labelling Service UN3373 compliant sample labelling service using high-quality cryogenic-resistant labels tested for conditions down to -269°C, suitable for long-term cryopreservation of clinical samples.
• Sample Tracking Cloud-based LIMS-enabled sample tracking at the aliquot level throughout the entire sample lifecycle, with a client portal for real-time sample visibility and report generation.
• Sample Processing Centralised sample processing by expert analysts using temperature-controlled logistics in the company's custom-built laboratory, designed to reduce biomarker data variability across studies.
• Sample Storage 24/7 alarmed temperature-controlled storage at 4°C, -20°C and -80°C at Colibri's Cheshire facilities, with long-term sample archiving through a partnership with Cryoniss Limited in Runcorn, Cheshire.
• Logistics Clinical trial supply logistics with UN3373 compliant packing, temperature monitoring throughout shipping, and shipment tracking to protect sample integrity in transit.
• Bioanalysis Management End-to-end bioanalysis management for pharmacokinetic and biomarker samples, including expert vendor oversight, method development and trial sample analysis through pre-qualified partner laboratories.
• Laboratory Qualification Risk-based laboratory qualification ensuring compliance with FDA and EMA regulation guidelines, including method validations, staff training, and instrument maintenance.
• Bioanalysis Consultancy Expert bioanalysis consultancy covering validated method reviews and full due diligence on potential asset purchases for sponsors and investors.
• Absorbents Absorbent materials for UN3373 P650 compliant packaging, available in small sheet, large sheet, and single tube holder variants with fluid-tight base to contain liquid in case of primary packaging damage.
• Flexible Transport Pouch, P650 UN3373 P650 compliant flexible pressure transport pouch, 95kPa certified, leak-proof and tamper-evident, dimensions 150 x 235 mm, suitable for blood collection tubes, cryovials and tissue pots.
• Medical Mailing Box – UN3373 P650 Rigid outer box compliant with UN3373 regulations and P650 packaging instructions for Category B samples, supplied flat packed with security seals in pack sizes of 25 units.
• UN3373 P650 Compliant Shipping Pack Complete UN3373 compliant shipping system combining a rigid medical mailing box, flexible transport pouch, and absorbent pads (45 mL) or single absorbent tube holder (50 mL), supplied in pack size 25.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Cryoniss LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCryoniss Limited provides long-term sample storage services for Colibri Scientific's clinical trial operations. Samples are archived at Cryoniss's facility in Runcorn, Cheshire for extended storage periods. This partnership extends Colibri's storage capabilities beyond their in-house facilities.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• LabConnect: LabConnect provides clinical trial sample management, kitting, logistics, and biorepository services to pharma and biotech sponsors. Closely comparable to Colibri Scientific because both offer end-to-end clinical sample lifecycle services with custom visit kits and central lab oversight.
• Q² Solutions: Q² Solutions, a IQVIA/Quest Diagnostics joint venture, provides bioanalytical and central laboratory services for clinical trials globally. Comparable as a competing central lab offering bioanalysis and sample management, though at significantly larger scale.
• ACM Global Central Laboratory: ACM Global is a specialty central lab providing bioanalytical, biomarker, and sample management services to clinical trial sponsors. Comparable in service scope (end-to-end sample lifecycle, bioanalysis) and target customers (mid-cap pharma and biotech).
• BioAgilytix Labs: BioAgilytix is a bioanalytical CRO focused on biomarker and PK/PD immunoassays for clinical trials. Comparable on the bioanalysis and laboratory qualification services that Colibri manages for sponsors.
• Inotiv: Inotiv is a contract research organisation providing bioanalytical and laboratory services supporting preclinical and clinical studies. Comparable on bioanalysis capabilities and CRO service model.

Broad incumbents

• Eurofins Central Laboratory: Eurofins Central Laboratory is a large multinational provider of central lab and bioanalytical services for clinical trials. Comparable as a broader incumbent offering overlapping bioanalysis and sample lifecycle services, but at global scale.
• ICON plc Central Labs: ICON is a global CRO with a central laboratory and bioanalytical services division serving large sponsor trials. Comparable as a full-service incumbent whose bioanalysis and sample logistics offerings directly overlap Colibri's managed services.
• Labcorp Drug Development (Covance): Labcorp Drug Development includes the former Covance central lab, offering global bioanalytical and clinical sample management at scale. Comparable as a leading incumbent whose central lab and bioanalytical services compete with Colibri's niche offering.

Regional players

• Cryoport Systems: Cryoport provides temperature-controlled logistics and cryogenic storage for life sciences, including clinical trial samples. Comparable on temperature-controlled storage and logistics capabilities, though geographically US-focused.
• Clinipace Worldwide: Clinipace is a mid-sized clinical research organisation providing clinical trial management and related services. Comparable as a CRO serving small-to-mid biotech with clinical operations and laboratory support, though US-focused.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/colibri-scientific

Compliance5 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 Colibri Scientific