Elicityl

What Elicityl does

Elicityl S.A. is a privately held French biotechnology company headquartered in Crolles, in the French Alps biotech cluster, that designs, manufactures, and sells specialty carbohydrates and glycoconjugates, and provides related custom research, analysis, purification, and contract manufacturing services. Founded around 2002 and operating for more than 20 years with a small (1–10 employee) team, the company focuses exclusively on glycobiotechnology, combining glycochemistry, bioproduction, extraction from biomass, purification, and analytical characterization to deliver bioactive oligosaccharides and polysaccharides at scales from milligrams to kilograms.

The core product portfolio is organized around five pillars: mammalian oligosaccharides (including blood group antigens, HMOs and analogues, gangliosides, N-glycans, and tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens), oligosaccharides extracted from biomass (agar, alginate, carrageenan, chitin, chitosan, fructooligosaccharides, etc.), natural polysaccharides (alginate, chitin, chitosan, curdlan, fucoidan, xanthan, etc.), functionalized and dual-functionalized oligosaccharides with linkers such as biotin, fluorescein, DBCO, azide, alkyne, maleimide, and thiol, and glycoconjugates grafted onto carrier proteins (BSA, HSA, KLH, OVA, CRM197) or polyacrylamide. Adjacent offerings include stable isotope-labeled oligosaccharides (13C, 15N, deuterium), monosaccharides, analytical reference standards, lectin microarrays, glycan-based affinity columns, cyclodextrins, and algae extracts. Three explicit innovation areas — carbohydrate-based plant protection, animal nutrition food additives, and human health applications — extend the technology into adjacent verticals.

Elicityl operates a hybrid B2B revenue model combining catalog product sales (pay-as-you-go, tiered unit pricing starting from approximately €100 for analytical references and €495–€4,850 for research-grade oligosaccharides) with professional services revenue from custom synthesis, R&D, purification, analysis, and contract manufacturing. Distribution is primarily direct through the company's own multi-currency e-commerce storefront (EUR, GBP, USD) with worldwide FedEx shipping, supplemented by an international distributor network. Customers are segmented across pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and academic and research institutions (both marked as primary), with secondary exposure to agricultural biotechnology and food and nutrition buyers using human milk oligosaccharide analogues and bioactive carbohydrate ingredients.

Name

Elicityl

Legal name

ELICITYL S.A.

Website

https://elicityl-oligotech.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Elicityl is a French glycobiotechnology company that designs, manufactures, and sells specialty oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, and glycoconjugates, and provides custom synthesis, purification, analysis, and contract manufacturing services to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, academic, agricultural, and food-nutrition customers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Carbohydrate Reagents

NAICS

Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing (325411), Starch and Vegetable Fats and Oils Manufacturing (31122), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860), Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Functional Carbohydrates & Polyols (Oligosaccharides, Allulose, Erythritol, Xylitol) (AFAJAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Agar, Carrageenan & Alginates (Seaweed Hydrocolloids) (AFAJABAE), Bio-based Pharmaceuticals, Nutraceuticals & Specialty Bioactives (EUAAAIAK), Biochemicals & Bio-based Platform Chemicals (cellulose sugars, lignin derivatives, organic acids) (IMAMALAB)

Keywords

• Carbohydrate chemistry
• Oligosaccharide synthesis
• Glycoconjugate production
• Custom glycan synthesis
• Biotech R&D services

Headquarters

HQ city

Crolles

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Catalog product sales: Sale of standardized carbohydrate products including oligosaccharides, glycoconjugates, polysaccharides, monosaccharides, lectins, and analytical references. Products are sold in various quantities with tiered pricing based on volume.
2. Custom synthesis services: Customized synthesis of specific glycans and oligosaccharides to meet customer requirements in desired quantity and quality.
3. Contract manufacturing: Large-scale manufacturing of molecules developed with customers, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
4. Research and analysis services: R&D services for design and research of bioactive compounds, including analysis and purification services using 20 years of experience.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Elicityl designs, manufactures, and sells specialty bioactive carbohydrates (oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, glycoconjugates, monosaccharides, lectins, and analytical references) through its catalog and via custom synthesis, contract manufacturing, analysis, and purification services. The company applies glycochemistry, bioproduction, extraction from biomass, purification, and characterization capabilities to deliver mg-to-kg scale carbohydrate products to pharmaceutical, biotech, academic, agricultural, and food/nutrition customers worldwide.

Product overview

ELICITYL operates as a biotech company specializing in bioactive carbohydrates and glycoconjugate products combined with glycoscience R&D services. The portfolio consists of three interconnected product lines: (1) Carbohydrate Products spanning mammalian oligosaccharides (blood group antigens, HMOs, gangliosides), biomass-derived oligosaccharides (agar, alginate, chitin, chitosan), polysaccharides, functionalized and dual-functionalized oligosaccharides with linkers (biotin, DBCO, azide, alkyne, maleimide, thiol), stable isotope-labeled glycans (13C, 15N, deuterium), lectin microarrays, and glycoconjugates grafted on carrier proteins (BSA, HSA, KLH, OVA, CRM197) or polyacrylamide; (2) R&D Services including analysis, purification, customized synthesis, contract manufacturing, and research services; and (3) Innovation applications in plant protection, animal nutrition, and human health. The company leverages expertise in glycochemistry, bioproduction, extraction from biomass, purification, and characterization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mammalian Oligosaccharides Catalog of glycans including blood group antigens (H, A, B, Lewis), human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) and analogues, ganglioside oligosaccharides, N-glycans, tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens (TACA), and other mammalian-derived structures sold to researchers in pharma, biotech, and academia for use in glycan research and diagnostic development.
• Oligosaccharides Extracted from Biomass Standardized catalog oligosaccharides derived from natural biomass sources such as agar, alginate, carrageenan, chitin, chitosan, fructooligosaccharides, galactomannan, hyaluronic acid, levan, maltooligosaccharides, ulvan, xylan, and xyloglucan, sold for research and industrial applications.
• Polysaccharides Natural polysaccharides including alginate, chitin, chitosan, curdlan, fucoidan, galactofucan, glucomannan, lentinan, pustulan, ulvan, xanthan, and xylan sold as catalog items for research and industrial applications.
• Functionalized Oligosaccharides Catalog oligosaccharides modified with functional groups including biotin, desthiobiotin, fluorescein, Alexa Fluor, stearic chain, 2-AB, and cleavable biotin for detection, immobilization, and conjugation applications.
• Oligosaccharide Building Blocks Catalog functionalized linker molecules including alkyne, amine, azide, DBCO, maleimide, thiol, and alkene groups sold for bioconjugation and glycan synthesis.
• Glycoconjugates Catalog oligosaccharides grafted on carrier proteins (BSA, HSA, KLH, OVA, CRM197) or hydroxylated polyacrylamide (PAA) for immunological studies, vaccine research, and glycan-based applications.
• Stable Isotope Labeled Oligosaccharides Catalog oligosaccharides labeled with stable isotopes including 13C, 15N, and deuterium (2H) for metabolic studies, NMR analysis, and quantitative research.
• Lectin Microarrays Catalog glycan-binding study solutions and glycoprofiling platforms using lectins classified by sugar specificity and origin (bacterial, fish, human, plant, viral).
• Glycan-Based Affinity Columns Catalog immobilized glycans on gel media for lectin purification and affinity chromatography applications.
• Monosaccharides Catalog single sugar units and derivatives sold as building blocks and reference standards in carbohydrate chemistry.
• Analytical References Catalog certified reference materials for analytical applications including human milk oligosaccharides, blood group antigens, and maltooligosaccharides with documented purity specifications.
• Cyclodextrins and Derivatives Catalog cyclic oligosaccharides and their chemical derivatives for drug delivery, food, and industrial applications.
• Algae Extracts Catalog extracts from algae containing bioactive carbohydrates sold for research applications.
• Dual-Functionalized Oligosaccharides Catalog oligosaccharides bearing two functional groups (e.g., biotin + fluorescein, biotin + stearic chain) for advanced conjugation and detection applications.
• Customized Synthesis Service Bespoke scientific design and production of specific glycans in desired quantities and quality levels, contracted by pharmaceutical, biotech, academic, and industrial customers.
• Contract Manufacturing Service Large-scale manufacturing of customer-developed molecules with regulatory-compliance guarantees, executed under partnership agreements with pharmaceutical and biotech customers.
• Analysis Service Customized analytical approaches combining preparation and analysis techniques for studying compounds of interest and associated impurities, leveraging the company's 20 years of experience in carbohydrate analysis.
• Purification Service Biomolecule separation and purification services using wide-ranging equipment to purify diverse molecules from milligram to kilogram scale.
• Sulfation of Oligosaccharides (Custom Service) On-request sulfation modification service for oligosaccharides to create sulfated glycans used in biomedical research.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• FedExminorOthersShipping and logistics partnership for worldwide delivery of products using FedEx International Priority Express service with account-based shipping options

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Dextra Laboratories: UK-based specialist in custom synthesis of oligosaccharides, glycoconjugates, and carbohydrate building blocks. Closest direct competitor to Elicityl, serving the same academic and pharma R&D customers with overlapping catalog and custom synthesis offerings.
• Carbosynth: UK-headquartered supplier of carbohydrates, nucleosides, and biochemicals with a deep catalog of mono-, di-, oligo-, and polysaccharides. Competes with Elicityl in catalog oligosaccharide sales and custom carbohydrate synthesis.
• IsoSep (Toulouse): Custom synthesis specialist in complex oligosaccharides and labeled sugar derivatives. Direct peer offering overlapping custom glycan synthesis services to pharma, biotech, and academic customers.
• Sussex Research Laboratories: Provider of custom oligosaccharide synthesis, glycoconjugates, and carbohydrate chemistry services. Direct competitor in the custom synthesis segment serving diagnostics, vaccine, and therapeutic developers.

Broad incumbents

• TCI Chemicals: Global catalog chemical supplier carrying an extensive carbohydrate chemistry portfolio alongside general reagents. Competes with Elicityl on catalog SKUs but does not specialize in bioactive carbohydrates or custom glycan services.
• Merck (Sigma-Aldrich): Largest global life science reagent supplier with broad carbohydrate, oligosaccharide, and glycobiology offerings. Overlaps with Elicityl's catalog business and offers scaled alternative supply for many of the same SKUs.
• Bio-Techne: Diversified life science reagent and diagnostics supplier with carbohydrate and glycobiology-adjacent products. Provides scaled alternative to Elicityl for many research customers.

Emerging players

• Chemveda Life Sciences: India-based custom synthesis and catalog supplier with growing carbohydrate and oligosaccharide offerings. Competes with Elicityl primarily on price in catalog and custom synthesis segments.
• GlycoFi (Merck) / GlycoProfile: Glyco-engineering and glycan analysis platforms within the Merck ecosystem providing complementary tools and standards. Adjacent peer with some product overlap for glycoanalytics customers.

Regional players

• Lectin Bio: Specialized lectin and glycan-binding reagent supplier serving similar glycobiology customers. Comparable in niche positioning to Elicityl's lectin microarray and glycoconjugate product lines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Elicityl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/elicity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Elicityl