Oak Crest

What Oak Crest does

Oak Crest Institute of Science is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research and education organization founded in 1998 by Dr. Marc Baum and headquartered on a four-building campus in Monrovia, California. The institute operates at the intersection of chemistry and biology research, functioning simultaneously as an independent basic-research organization and as a contract research organization (CRO) that performs translational and pre-clinical work for federal and academic sponsors. Core technical platforms include the Pod-IVR (Pod Intravaginal Ring) sustained-release drug delivery system - now in Phase 1 clinical development for HIV prevention - a subdermal implant platform, the proprietary Synthetron Flow Reactor for continuous-flow chemistry, and a suite of spectroscopic and biomedical instrumentation developed in-house. Faculty and staff are drawn from Caltech, UCLA, and JPL backgrounds, and the institute runs active visiting-student and research-education programs in partnership with those institutions.

Revenue is generated through two primary channels. The dominant stream is competitive federal grant funding from agencies including NIH (notably a $20 million U19 Program grant awarded in 2014 for HIV prevention research), NSF, EPA, NASA, DOE, and DOD. The second stream is fee-for-service contract research and fee-for-service use of Oak Crest's specialized instrumentation and CLIA-certified laboratory capabilities by external academic and industry clients. The institute has also begun to monetize proprietary technology through licensing arrangements, exemplified by the 2024 transfer of Synthetron Flow Reactor technology to a South African partner.

The organization holds an FDA IND for the Pod-IVR device, maintains CLIA certification, and operates under a Federalwide Assurance (FWA), positioning it to bridge early-stage laboratory research through first-in-human studies - a capability few nonprofit research outfits of its size (11-50 employees) possess in combination. Customer concentration is structurally high because federal grants, particularly from NIH, anchor the funding base; however, diversification across six federal agencies and CRO services provides some buffer against single-agency funding volatility.

Name

Oak Crest

Legal name

Oak Crest Institute of Science

Website

https://oak-crest.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Oak Crest Institute of Science is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research institute in Monrovia, CA, founded in 1998, that conducts chemistry and biology research and offers CRO services, with core platforms including the Pod-IVR vaginal ring, subdermal implants, and the Synthetron Flow Reactor, funded primarily by NIH and other federal grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contract Research Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro primary industry

Clinical CROs (Phase I–IV) (HLAGAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Medical Writing & Regulatory Submission Support CROs (HLAGAAAG), Specialty Therapeutic-Area CROs (e.g., oncology/rare disease) (HLAGAAAL)

Keywords

• Contract research organization
• Drug delivery research
• Biomedical research services
• Analytical chemistry services
• STEM education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Monrovia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Research Grants: Primary funding source from competitive grants from federal sources (NIH, NSF, EPA, NASA, DOE, DOD) supporting core research programs in HIV prevention, drug delivery, environmental science, and other areas.
2. Contract Research Services (CRO): Fee-for-service analytical and research services provided to academic and industry partners. Services include chemical analysis, imaging, molecular biology, pathogen work, regulatory support, and peptide synthesis.
3. Donations and Philanthropy: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization accepting donations, transfers from Donor Advised Funds (DAFs), Zelle transfers, and checks. Donations support research equipment, supplies, salaries, scholarships, and stipends.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Oak Crest Institute of Science is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research and education center that operates as a Contract Research Organization (CRO), conducting multidisciplinary chemistry and biology research and providing fee-for-service laboratory services to academic and industry partners. Its offerings span controlled-release drug delivery (pod-intravaginal rings, subdermal implants), bacterial biofilm studies, infectious disease therapeutics, spectroscopic medical device development, environmental chemistry, and origin-of-life research, complemented by service cores for imaging, chemical analysis, molecular biology, pathogens, biomedical manufacturing, regulatory/trial design, and peptide drug discovery.

Product overview

Oak Crest Institute of Science is a nonprofit research and education organization (501(c)(3)) offering a portfolio of chemistry and biology research services rather than a unified commercial product. The core offerings include: research programs in controlled drug delivery (pod-intravaginal rings, subcutaneous implants), bacterial biofilm studies, drug discovery for infectious diseases, medical instrumentation development (spectroscopic breath analysis devices), environmental chemistry (air/water quality), and origin of life research. Supporting these research programs are fee-for-service laboratory facilities including: Imaging Core (electron microscopy, AFM), Chemical Analysis (NMR, XRD, particle sizing), Micro & Molecular Biology Services, Pathogens Core, Biomedical Manufacturing, Regulatory & Trial Design Core, and Peptide Drug Discovery Core. The organization conducts contracted research for academic and commercial clients using its state-of-the-art facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Controlled Release Drug Delivery Research Research program focused on sustained-release drug delivery systems including pod-intravaginal rings (pod-IVRs) and subcutaneous implants for HIV prevention and treatment of infectious diseases; targeted at academic collaborators, NIH-funded programs, and pharmaceutical partners.
• Bacterial Biofilms Research Investigation of microbial biofilm communities associated with chronic infections including middle ear infections, bacterial vaginosis, and chronic sinusitis using advanced imaging and multi-omics approaches; offered to academic and clinical collaborators.
• Drug Discovery and Infectious Diseases Research Discovery of new antimicrobial strategies including probiotics, plant metabolites from Euphorbia species, and phage therapy for treating drug-resistant infections; aimed at academic researchers and pharma/biotech partners.
• Medical Instrumentation Development Development of spectroscopic medical devices including breath analysis systems for measuring cardiac output, pulmonary function, and other diagnostic markers using miniaturized laser-based platforms.
• Air and Water Quality Research Atmospheric science research on vehicle emissions, spectroscopic instrument development, and novel water quality sensor platforms for chemical and biological monitoring; services provided to environmental and government research partners.
• Imaging Core Services Contract research service providing microscopy applications including immunolabeling, electron microscopy (TEM/SEM), atomic force microscopy, and correlative light and electron microscopy for academic and industry clients.
• Chemical Analysis Services Fee-for-service chemical analysis including Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and particle sizing via laser diffraction and dynamic light scattering for external clients.
• Micro and Molecular Biology Services CRO services in molecular biology, microbiology, and cell/tissue cultures including SDS-PAGE, Western Blotting, PCR, qPCR, bacterial cultures, and animal/human cell tissue cultures up to BSL-2.
• Pathogens Core Services Pathogen-based research services including cultivation, isolation, quantification, fermentation, bio-burden testing, high-throughput ELISA, cytokine-chemokine assays, pharmacokinetics evaluation, and multiplexed RT-qPCR.
• Biomedical Manufacturing Services Assembly and manufacturing of biomedical devices and products including field spectrometers, breathalyzers, pharmaceutical formulations, and polymer-based drug delivery systems.
• Regulatory and Trial Design Core Services Clinical trial design support including pre-clinical and clinical study design, IRB submissions, FDA submissions, pre-IND and IND packages, and patent preparation for clients.
• Peptide Drug Discovery Core Services Automated peptide synthesis workflow including Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis, flash chromatography purification, and scale-up for therapeutic applications.
• Pod-Intravaginal Ring (Pod-IVR) Platform Female-controlled drug delivery platform capable of simultaneously releasing multiple antiretroviral drugs and contraceptives at independently controlled rates for HIV prevention and multipurpose prevention technologies (MPT).
• Spectroscopic Breath Analysis Devices Patented spectroscopic medical devices for non-invasive breath analysis measuring cardiac output, pulmonary diffusive capacity, and isotope selective breath CO2 determination using miniaturized laser-based platforms with sub-50ms response times.
• Subdermal Implant for HIV Prevention Novel implantable device with linear release kinetics for systemic administration of antiretroviral agents, designed to provide HIV protection for up to one year.
• Student Research and Workforce Training Programs Hands-on laboratory research experiences, internships, fellowships, and workforce development programs for high school, community college, and graduate students (Pathways to STEM, YES Internship, Laboratory Internships, Bio-Flex Pre-Apprenticeship, Rose Hills Fellowships).

Quantifiable outcome

• Pod-IVR delivered 5 different drugs simultaneously in vivo
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Pasadena Small Business Development CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 September 2021Joint proposal to support entrepreneurship in the innovation ecosystem, winning SBA Growth Accelerator Fund Competition prize. Goal is to help young entrepreneurs develop ideas, launch technology startups, and apply for non-dilutive funding through SBIR/STTR grants by pooling experiences with existing programs including PCC Venture Launch and MOST-IP incubator.
• California Institute of Technology (Caltech)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term local partner with whom Oak Crest co-founded the Summer Research Connection (SRC). Conducting collaborative research in environmental science and microbiology, including work with Prof. Michael Hoffmann on atmospheric photochemistry.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-time collaborator in HIV prevention research, including NIH Integrated Preclinical/Clinical Program (IPCP) grant. Pod-IVR technology evaluated in collaboration with CDC where novel devices were tested in pig-tailed macaques.
• UCLAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor collaborator on NIH IPCP grant for HIV prevention. Researchers from UCLA involved in mucosal immunity and HIV transmission research.
• Johns Hopkins UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in NIH IPCP grant for HIV prevention research. Collaborates on preclinical and clinical development of prevention technologies.
• Scripps Research InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthern California partner organization in HIV prevention research, participating in multi-institutional IPCP program.
• Vanderbilt UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in HIV prevention research through NIH IPCP collaborative grant.
• University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating on fundamental and applied research aimed at HIV prevention and understanding the role of vaginal microbiome in women's health and sexually transmitted infections.
• Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal collaborating institution and lead organization on joint NASA Icy Worlds grant. Co-founded Origins and Habitability Laboratory studying how life can emerge and be detected in planetary environments. Dr. Laurie Barge is Senior Research Scientist at JPL.
• Pasadena City CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal community college and Oak Crest partner for over 20 years. Key resource for community college programs providing deep student pool of high diversity, especially underrepresented groups in sciences.
• Citrus CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey resource for pregraduate programs, providing deep student pool of high diversity, especially underrepresented groups in sciences.
• Cedars-SinaisecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit academic healthcare organization collaborating with Oak Crest clinicians to investigate how bacterial biofilms are implicated in chronic sinusitis.
• Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating with clinicians to investigate the role of bacterial biofilms in middle ear infections.
• The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical GardenssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearchers use the 120-acre gardens as outdoor laboratory to explore presence of antimicrobial compounds in plants and soil to discover new therapeutic agents for disease treatment.
• University of Southern California (USC)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborator on multiple service projects including NIH grant with Dickman Lab on synaptic research in fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster with the Imaging Core at Oak Crest.
• Pasadena Bio Collaborative Incubator (PBC)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal nonprofit biotech incubator supporting growing number of life science start-ups in Los Angeles area.
• Auritec PharmaceuticalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of stellar team of investigators in NIH U19 Program for HIV prevention research.
• Miriam HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of NIH U19 IPCP collaborative team for HIV prevention research.
• University of Colorado, BouldercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of NIH U19 IPCP collaborative team for HIV prevention research.
• Kinetichem, Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of Synthetron Flow Reactor technology. Jeffrey C. Raber installed the reactor at Oak Crest and trained visiting scientists from South Africa on maintenance and operation. Technology enables pharmaceutical synthesis including anti-HIV drug production.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/oakcrestis
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCieZjM2wyo6AmCldC8p3rlA
• Facebookfacebook.com/OakCrestIS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oakcrestis
• Instagraminstagram.com/oakcrestis

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Oak Crest