What Explicyte does

Explicyte is a specialty contract research organization (CRO) focused on precision oncology and immuno-oncology, founded in 2015 by Dr. Alban Bessède and headquartered at the Institut Bergonié Comprehensive Cancer Center in Bordeaux, France. The company delivers research services spanning target discovery, preclinical development, and clinical biomarker analysis for solid tumor drug development, with a particular emphasis on tumor microenvironment and immunotherapy-response biomarkers. Its core technical stack is anchored on a multi-omics spatial biology platform that combines 10x Genomics Xenium single-cell spatial transcriptomics, 10x Visium HD whole-transcriptome spatial profiling, Nanostring GeoMx DSP digital spatial profiling, 10x Chromium X single-cell RNA sequencing, Olink proteomics, flow cytometry, and AI-assisted multiplex IHC/IF digital pathology. Explicyte differentiates through proprietary assays including an ISO-certified multiplex IF assay for tertiary lymphoid structure (TLS) detection and a combined immune contexture panel that integrates CD8 spatial distribution, TLS maturity, and M2 macrophage scoring to predict immunotherapy response in NSCLC. The company is a 10x Genomics Certified Service Provider (the first such provider in France for Xenium studies) and holds ISO 13485:2016 and ISO 9001:2015 certifications for clinical tissue biomarker services.

Explicyte generates revenue through project-based contract research engagements sold to biotechnology companies, pharmaceutical companies, AI/computational biology firms, and comprehensive cancer centers across Europe, North America, and Asia. Pricing is quote-based and negotiated per study with deposit requirements and 30-day payment terms; no standardized tiers are published. The go-to-market model combines direct enterprise sales through PhD-level study directors, presence at major oncology conferences (AACR, ASCO, SITC, ESMO), peer-reviewed publications (40+ in 5 years in Nature, Cell, and cancer-focused journals), co-branded webinars, and free-access therapeutic-program databases used for lead generation. Named enterprise and academic customers include Bayer, GSK, AstraZeneca, Domain Therapeutics, Bioptimus, Cure51, Institut Bergonié, and Gustave Roussy. Beyond service revenue, the company is beginning to monetize proprietary target landscaping through publicly available therapeutic-program databases on anti-STEAP1/2 and anti-Claudin programs.

The operating entity is a brand under Immusmol SAS (Bordeaux-registered private limited company with €50,000 share capital). Explicyte is founder-led with no disclosed external institutional investors or funding rounds. The operating team comprises 25 scientists spanning cell biology, digital pathology, medical oncology, and data science (5 on-site data scientists), supported by a leadership team of CEO (Alban Bessède), CTO (Jean-Philippe Guégan, PhD), CSO (Imane Nafia, PhD), and COO (Loïc Cerf, MSc). The company has processed 10,000+ samples and validated 150+ tumor and immune markers across sponsored studies; two 10x Xenium instruments are now in operation, doubling single-cell spatial transcriptomics capacity compared with 2024.

Name

Explicyte

Legal name

Immusmol SAS

Website

https://explicyte.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Explicyte is a France-based specialty contract research organization serving biotech, pharmaceutical, AI-bio, and academic cancer-center clients with spatial biology, single-cell, proteomics, and AI-assisted digital pathology services for precision oncology and immuno-oncology drug development.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Preclinical Contract Research Services

NAICS

Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (62151), Medical Laboratories (621511), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Single-Cell & Spatial Omics Services (HLAGANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bioinformatics, Multi-Omics Data Analysis & Interpretation Services (HLAGANAI), Specialty & Biomarker Laboratory Services (Immunoassays/Flow/Cytometry) (HLAGAEAB), Proteomics & Biomarker Analytical Testing (HLAGADAG), Single-Cell & Spatial Omics Discovery Platforms (target ID/validation, functional profiling) (HLAAAIAF), AI/ML-Enabled Biologic Discovery Platforms (computational design, in silico screening) (HLAAAIAE)

Keywords

• Preclinical CRO services
• Spatial transcriptomics services
• Immuno-oncology research
• Biomarker discovery services
• Digital pathology services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bordeaux

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Contract Research Services: Project-based contract research services for precision oncology and immuno-oncology drug development. Services span discovery (target identification), preclinical (cell-based assays, in vivo models), and clinical (biomarker analysis) stages. Pricing is quote-based, negotiated per study with deposit requirements and 30-day payment terms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Explicyte is a specialty contract research organization offering integrated research services in precision oncology and immuno-oncology, from target discovery through preclinical and clinical biomarker analysis. Core capabilities include spatial transcriptomics on the full 10x Genomics suite (Xenium, Visium HD, Chromium X), Nanostring GeoMx DSP digital spatial profiling, automated multiplex IHC/IF digital pathology, single-cell RNA sequencing, cell-based immuno-oncology assays, Olink proteomics, flow cytometry, and bioinformatics, delivered under ISO 13485 and ISO 9001 certifications. Services are sold as project-based studies with custom proposals, deposits, and milestone-based invoicing to biotech, pharma, AI, and academic clients worldwide.

Product overview

Explicyte is a specialty contract research organization (CRO) offering integrated research services in precision oncology and immuno-oncology. The company operates a modular service portfolio spanning target discovery, preclinical development, and clinical biomarker support. Core capabilities include spatial transcriptomics (Xenium, Visium HD, GeoMx), digital pathology (multiplex IHC/IF), cell-based assays, single-cell RNA sequencing (10x Chromium), Olink proteomics, flow cytometry, and bioinformatics. Services are delivered from discovery through clinical trial phases, with ISO 13485/9001 certification for clinical-stage biomarker assays. The company is a 10x Genomics Certified Service Provider across its full spatial and single-cell biology portfolio. Key platforms include spatial transcriptomics for spatial biomarker analysis, cell-based assays for preclinical efficacy and mechanism-of-action studies, digital pathology with AI-driven image analysis, and integrated multi-omics combining transcriptomics, proteomics, and digital pathology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Spatial Transcriptomics Services Spatially resolved transcriptomic profiling using the Nanostring GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiler (WTA, ~18k genes), the 10x Xenium single-cell spatial transcriptomics platform (up to 5K genes), and 10x Visium HD whole-transcriptome spatial biology. Includes custom tissue processing, QC, and bioinformatics analysis on FFPE tumor samples for biotech, pharma, and academic sponsors.
• Digital Pathology Services Automated multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining with high-throughput whole-slide imaging and AI- and/or pathologist-assisted standardized scoring workflows. Validated 150+ tumor and immune markers across sponsored studies for immuno-oncology sponsors.
• Cell-Based Assays for Immuno-Oncology
• Biomarker Discovery & Testing Services
• Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Services
• Olink Proteomics Services
• Flow Cytometry Services
• Target Discovery Services
• In Vivo Syngeneic Tumor Models
• TLS Detection & Scoring Service ISO-certified multiplex immunofluorescence (IF) panel for standardized detection and scoring of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) in tumor samples. Identifies patients most likely to benefit from cancer immunotherapies. Developed over 5+ years of translational research with publications in Nature Cancer and Nature Medicine.
• Bioinformatics & Data Science Services Custom data analysis for spatial transcriptomics, bulk RNA-seq, GeoMx DSP datasets, and digitized pathology slides. 10x Genomics data analysis services with 4-week turnaround delivered by 5 on-site data scientists combining computational pipelines with biological interpretation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30+ peer-reviewed publications in the past 5 years demonstrating scientific expertise in immuno-oncology
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• 10x GenomicscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Certified Service Provider partnership for the full 10x Genomics single-cell and spatial biology portfolio including Chromium X, Visium HD, and Xenium platforms. Enables Explicyte to provide validated spatial transcriptomics services on FFPE tumor samples using industry-leading technology platforms.
• Institut BergoniécoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerComprehensive partnership for translational research programs in immuno-oncology. Located at the Institut Bergonié Comprehensive Cancer Center, Explicyte collaborates on clinical trials, biomarker discovery studies, and shares access to clinical samples and expertise. Multiple joint publications in Nature Cancer, Nature Medicine, and other journals.
• Gustave RoussycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on multiple clinical trials and translational research programs including PEMBROSARC, REGOMUNE, and precision medicine studies. Joint publications on tertiary lymphoid structures, immunotherapy response biomarkers, and sarcoma research.
• Cure51coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for spatial analysis of exceptional cancer survivor samples from 40 countries using Xenium platform. Explicyte performed Xenium 5K spatial transcriptomics on 100+ FFPE samples from the Rosalind study focusing on exceptional survivors of metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
• Domain TherapeuticsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership agreement in immuno-oncology for novel GPCR-targeting therapies. Collaboration on anti-CCR8 therapeutics with joint webinar on targeting Tregs in solid tumors. Domain Therapeutics focuses on novel GPCR-targeting therapies while Explicyte provides translational insights through tumor microenvironment analysis.
• BioptimussupportingTechnology or IntegrationCollaboration on sample multiplexing with Xenium platform to improve cost efficiency and throughput for spatial transcriptomics studies. Partnership enables cohort-scale spatial transcriptomics to be performed faster and more cost-effectively.
• ImmunoConcEpT (CNRS/Université de Bordeaux)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration on immunology studies including vitiligo research. Explicyte performed multiplex immunofluorescence analysis for paired pre/post immune profiling of skin biopsies using automated multiplex IF workflows.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Nucleai: AI-powered spatial biology company offering image analysis services for tumor microenvironment and biomarker discovery in pharma clinical programs. Comparable in AI-driven spatial biomarker services for immuno-oncology drug development.
• Personalis: Genomics and spatial biology services company with immuno-oncology focus, including tumor profiling and biomarker discovery offerings. Comparable in translational oncology services leveraging next-generation sequencing and spatial approaches for pharma/biotech.
• Akoya Biosciences: Spatial biology platform company offering multiplex immunofluorescence (PhenoCycler/CODEX) and spatial biomarker services, including through service-provider partnerships. Comparable as a spatial biology player, though more of a platform/instrument vendor than a pure CRO.
• Ultivue: Spatial biology company offering multiplex immunofluorescence assays and services for tissue biomarker analysis in immuno-oncology and clinical research. Comparable in multiplex IF tissue biomarker services for translational research customers.

Others

• Indica Labs: Provider of digital pathology image analysis software (HALO) widely used in pharma translational and clinical research. Comparable as an enabling technology ecosystem participant for digital pathology and spatial biomarker workflows Explicyte operates in.

Direct peers

• CellCarta: Specialty precision medicine CRO offering flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, multiplex immunofluorescence, and biomarker services across immuno-oncology and inflammation. Directly comparable as a histology/immuno-oncology biomarker CRO with similar target customers (biotech, pharma, academic centers).
• Flagship Biosciences: Tissue-based CRO specializing in quantitative digital pathology and AI-driven image analysis for clinical trials, with strong focus on immuno-oncology biomarker scoring. Directly comparable as an AI/digital pathology CRO serving pharma clinical biomarker needs.
• Canopy Biosciences (a Bruker company): Provides spatial biology services (ChipCytometry, multiplex imaging) and biomarker CRO offerings for immuno-oncology research. Comparable as a specialty spatial biology services provider serving pharma/biotech translational programs.

Broad incumbents

• NeoGenomics Laboratories: Large oncology-focused clinical laboratory and CRO offering spatial biology, IHC, multiplex immunofluorescence, and clinical trial biomarker services. Comparable in oncology biomarker services but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Precision for Medicine: Larger specialty CRO with biomarker, immuno-oncology, and translational services across pharma and biotech. Comparable in scope of biomarker/translational CRO services but operates at much greater scale across multiple modalities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ExpliCyte
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/explicyte

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Explicyte