What Cellomatics Biosciences does

Cellomatics Biosciences is a UK-based preclinical contract research organisation (CRO) that delivers bespoke in vitro bioassay services to global biotechnology and pharmaceutical clients. Operating from a single laboratory facility in Colwick, Nottingham, the company provides cell-based assays, phenotypic screening, analytical assays (immunoassays, flow cytometry, western blotting), molecular assays, contract cell culture, customised assay development, and high-throughput screening using platforms such as Luminex multiplex, ImageXpress Pico high-content imaging, Attune Nxt flow cytometry, and Integra ASSIST PLUS automated liquid handling. Its proprietary offering, the trademarked INNOBEX™ tri-culture blood-brain barrier model (primary human brain microvascular endothelial cells, astrocytes, and pericytes in a 3D transwell format), is positioned for CNS and neuroinflammation drug discovery.

The company serves two primary customer segments: small-to-medium and virtual biotech companies requiring outsourced preclinical bioassay expertise without in-house laboratory infrastructure, and large pharmaceutical companies seeking supplemental capacity for IND-enabling studies and specialised assay work. Engagements span five therapeutic areas — oncology, immuno-oncology, immunology, inflammation, and respiratory — with a 3-year pre-clinical safety engagement with AstraZeneca UK representing the most prominent enterprise relationship among ten named clients.

Cellomatics generates revenue on a project-by-project professional services basis, with bespoke quotations scoped to assay complexity and study design. Each project is managed through a dedicated Project Manager and Project Director under a two-step quality control framework. The company holds ISO 9001 certification, operates formal referral partnerships with Tissue Solutions (ethically sourced human samples) and Atlantia Food Clinical Trials (food and microbiome clinical studies), and is building commercial infrastructure in continental Europe. Headcount of 1-10 employees and 125+ cumulative completed projects position it as a small specialty CRO with marquee-client credibility but limited disclosed financial scale.

Name

Cellomatics Biosciences

Legal name

Cellomatics Biosciences Limited

Website

https://cellomaticsbio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cellomatics Biosciences is a UK-based preclinical CRO providing bespoke in vitro bioassay services to global biotech and pharmaceutical clients across oncology, immuno-oncology, immunology, inflammation, and respiratory therapeutic areas, with a proprietary INNOBEX™ blood-brain barrier model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Preclinical Contract Research (CRO) Services

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Cell-Based & Potency Assays (Bioassays) (HLAGADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cellomics & High-Content Screening (HCS) Services (HLAGANAD), Specialty & Biomarker Laboratory Services (Immunoassays/Flow/Cytometry) (HLAGAEAB), Translational Medicine & Biomarkers (HLAIALAF)

Keywords

• Contract research services
• Preclinical bioassays
• Cell based assays
• Drug discovery CRO
• Phenotypic screening

Headquarters

HQ city

Colwick

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, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Contract Research Services: Cellomatics generates revenue by providing bespoke preclinical in vitro bioassay services on a project-by-project basis. Services are scoped and quoted individually based on client requirements, assay complexity, and project scope. Each project is assigned a dedicated Project Manager and Project Director, with modular service offerings that can be standalone or part of an integrated study programme.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cellomatics Biosciences is a UK-based Contract Research Organisation that delivers bespoke preclinical in vitro bioassay laboratory services for drug discovery. Its portfolio spans cell-based assays, phenotypic screening, analytical assays (immunoassays, flow cytometry, western blotting), molecular assays, contract cell culture, customised assay development and high-throughput screening, supported by the proprietary INNOBEX™ blood-brain barrier model. Services are focused on five therapeutic areas: oncology, immuno-oncology, immunology, inflammation and respiratory disease.

Product overview

Cellomatics Biosciences is a UK-based Contract Research Organisation (CRO) providing preclinical in vitro bioassay services for drug discovery. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of laboratory services organized into core assay categories: Cell Based Assays (including Target Validation, Toxicity Profiling, and Mechanistic Assays), Phenotypic Screening, Analytical Assays (Immunoassays, Flow Cytometry, Western Blotting), Molecular Assays, Contract Cell Culture, Customised Assay Development, and High Throughput Screening. Their proprietary product INNOBEX™ provides a trademarked tri-culture blood-brain barrier model. Services span five key therapeutic areas: Oncology, Immuno-Oncology, Immunology, Inflammation, and Respiratory diseases. The company uses advanced technologies including Luminex multiplex platforms, flow cytometry, high-content imaging, and automated liquid handling systems to deliver bioassay data supporting client drug development programmes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• INNOBEX™: Trademarked in vitro blood-brain barrier model consisting of primary human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMVECs), astrocytes, and pericytes in a 3D transwell format to simulate the blood-brain barrier.

Products and services

• Contract Bioassay Laboratory Services Bespoke, project-based preclinical in vitro bioassay services for drug discovery, supporting oncology, immuno-oncology, immunology, inflammation and respiratory programmes through integrated scientific consultation, dedicated Project Manager and Project Director oversight, two-step QC and ISO 9001-certified quality management.
• Cell Based Assays Functional cell-based assays using 2D and 3D cellular and co-culture models to determine the functional efficacy of drug candidates, including target validation, toxicity profiling and mechanistic assays.
• Phenotypic Screening Characterisation of test molecule effects by quantifying morphological and phenotypic changes in cell-based models, including wound healing, senescence, phagocytosis, tight junction protein, collagen gel contraction and ADCP assays.
• Analytical Assays Qualitative and quantitative analytical assays including immunoassays, flow cytometry and western blotting for detecting and measuring biological targets.
• Molecular Assays Gene-level assays using Quantigene, xTAG multiplex and qRT-PCR technologies for gene expression analysis.
• Contract Cell Culture Growth and maintenance of primary human cell cultures and established cell lines for biological assays, including Mycoplasma testing.
• Customised Assay Development Development of bespoke assays tailored to specific research objectives, targets or pathways for preclinical in vitro studies.
• INNOBEX™ Blood-Brain Barrier Model Proprietary trademarked tri-culture model of the blood-brain barrier using primary human brain microvascular endothelial cells, astrocytes and pericytes in a 3D transwell format, validated for tight junction proteins, transporter targets, TEER and FITC-Dextran permeability, with applications in neuroinflammation, neurodegenerative disease research, immune cell migration across the BBB and drug permeability via LC-MS/MS.
• High Throughput Screening Automated and semi-automated screening services for evaluating hundreds to thousands of chemical or biological compounds using 96, 384 or 1536-well formats.
• Oncology CRO Services Preclinical oncology research services including proliferation, apoptosis, DNA damage, migration, invasion, spheroid, immunogenic cell death and PARP assays for cancer drug discovery.
• Respiratory CRO Services Preclinical respiratory research services including asthma, COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, allergic rhinitis, bronchial epithelial stress responses, viral infection models and precision cut lung slice/fibrosis models.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 125 projects successfully completed across key therapeutic areas

Named customers10 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Tissue SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCellomatics Biosciences and Tissue Solutions have executed an agreement to govern their relationship in the referral of drug development projects and laboratory services that fall within the scope of services offered by each company. Tissue Solutions is a customer-focused provider of ethically sourced human samples required for preclinical drug development and research, providing Cellomatics with access to human tissue samples to support their in vitro assay services.
• Atlantia Food Clinical TrialscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCellomatics Biosciences and Atlantia Food Clinical Trials have executed an agreement to govern their relationship in the referral of drug development projects within the scope of services offered by each company. Atlantia is a world-class company delivering human clinical studies to ICH-GCP standards for functional foods, beverages, ingredients, supplements, pre- and probiotics, microbiome-based, and Bacteriophage therapeutics sectors.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pelago Bioscience: Pelago Bioscience is a Swedish preclinical CRO offering cell-based target engagement and phenotypic assay services. It is a direct peer in the small, specialist, cell-based assay CRO segment serving biotech and pharma drug discovery.
• SBH Sciences: SBH Sciences is a US-based contract research organisation providing cell-based assays, biomarker services and immunoassays for drug discovery. Its service mix and client base closely mirror Cellomatics' preclinical in vitro bioassay focus.
• ProQinase: ProQinase is a German preclinical CRO specialising in kinase and cell-based proliferation/cytotoxicity assays for oncology drug discovery. It is comparable to Cellomatics in the European specialist CRO segment with a similar therapeutic-area specialisation approach.
• BPS Bioscience: BPS Bioscience provides cell-based assay services, recombinant proteins, and assay kits for drug discovery with strong specialisation in epigenetics, cell signalling and immunology. It overlaps with Cellomatics on custom cell-based assay services for biotech and pharma drug discovery.
• Reaction Biology: Reaction Biology is a US-based preclinical CRO offering cell-based and biochemical assay services across oncology and other therapeutic areas, including customised assay development. It is directly comparable to Cellomatics in the cell-based/phenotypic CRO niche, with similar size and customer profile of biotech and pharma clients.

Broad incumbents

• Eurofins Discovery: Eurofins Discovery is the discovery services arm of Eurofins Scientific, offering a broad portfolio of in vitro pharmacology, cell-based assays, ADME and bioanalytical services. It competes with Cellomatics across most service lines but at much greater scale and global footprint.
• WuXi AppTec: WuXi AppTec is a leading global CRO/CDMO offering preclinical in vitro bioassay, DMPK and laboratory testing services for drug discovery. It overlaps with Cellomatics on cell-based and analytical assay services but operates at massive global scale.
• Charles River Laboratories: Charles River Laboratories is a large global CRO offering preclinical research services including in vitro/in vivo safety, cell-based assays and bioanalytical support. It is a broad incumbent competitor to Cellomatics in preclinical drug discovery, with substantially greater scale and breadth.

Emerging players

• Primity Bio: Primity Bio is a US-based preclinical CRO focused on cell-based flow cytometry and immunology assays for pharma and biotech. It overlaps with Cellomatics on FACS-based and immunology assay services for drug discovery, though smaller and more niche.
• Cytovia Therapeutics (CytoDel) / Nuvamid: Smaller US/EU biotech-adjacent cell-based service providers focused on immuno-oncology assays and complex cell models. While not identical to Cellomatics, they illustrate the emerging competitive set of small specialty CROs operating in Cellomatics' core oncology and immuno-oncology niches.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CBioscien
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cellomatics-biosciences-ltd

Compliance1 record

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 Cellomatics Biosciences