Infrafrontier

What Infrafrontier does

INFRAFRONTIER is the European Research Infrastructure for Modelling Human Diseases, operating as a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) since 2024 with its coordination office in Neuherberg, Germany. It functions as a distributed research infrastructure comprising 22 leading biomedical research institutes across 15 European countries, governed by six member states and one observer. The infrastructure's flagship asset is EMMA (European Mouse Mutant Archive), the world's third-largest repository of mutant mouse and rat strains, holding over 9,500 cryopreserved mouse mutants and more than 2,300 strains linked to over 1,600 rare human diseases.

The core technical stack centers on CRISPR-Cas9-based rodent model generation, validated cryopreservation protocols, systemic phenotyping platforms covering behavior, neurology, metabolism, immunology, and pathology, and specialized capabilities including germ-free (axenic) derivation and BioSafety Level 3 preclinical pipelines. Newer service lines added in 2025 include genetic validation (MiniMUGA, ddPCR, Oxford Nanopore sequencing) and derivation of mouse embryonic fibroblasts and stem cells as 3Rs-aligned alternatives. The infrastructure is deeply integrated with international reference databases including MGI, IMPC, Orphanet, Ensembl, and PubMed for phenotypic and genetic annotations.

INFRAFRONTIER operates on a hybrid non-profit model. Academic researchers access most services free of charge through open calls funded by the European Commission and national ministries, with over €14 million disbursed across nearly 400 user projects. Commercial and academic end users separately pay distribution fees for EMMA strains (€1,740 for frozen sperm, €3,880 for rederivation, plus shipping). The primary revenue streams are Horizon Europe grants (INFRAPLUS, PRIM-TECH3R, canSERV), member state contributions, and transaction fees on strain distribution. Customer base spans European academic and research institutions as the primary segment, with pharmaceutical, biotech, and rare disease research communities as secondary segments.

Name

Infrafrontier

Legal name

INFRAFRONTIER ERIC

Website

https://infrafrontier.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

INFRAFRONTIER is a European Research Infrastructure Consortium coordinating 22 biomedical institutes across 15 countries to generate, phenotype, archive, and distribute mutant mouse and rat models for human disease research, anchored by the EMMA repository of over 9,500 strains.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biomedical Research Infrastructure

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAAAIAK

In Vivo Discovery & Translational Models Platforms (humanized models, PK/PD, efficacy)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Biotechnology & Biologics/Biologic Drug Discovery Platforms (screening, antibody engineering, synthetic biology)

SECONDARYHLAGAFAA

In Vivo Pharmacology (Efficacy/PD Models)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Life Science Tools & Services (CRO/CDMO/Lab Services)/Preclinical Services (Toxicology/Pharmacology/DMPK)

SECONDARYHLAAAGAD

Organoids & Organ-on-Chip (regenerative models)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Biotechnology & Biologics/Regenerative Medicine & Tissue Engineering

Keywords

• Biomedical research infrastructure
• Mouse model repository
• Rodent phenotyping services
• Disease model generation
• Cryopreservation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Oberschleißheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. European Commission Funding: INFRAFRONTIER is primarily funded through European Union Horizon Europe projects including INFRAPLUS, PRIM-TECH3R, and canSERV, which provide transnational access to services free of charge for researchers.
2. Mouse Strain Distribution Services: EMMA provides cryopreservation free of charge for deposited strains, but charges fees for distribution including frozen sperm (€1740) and rederivation services (€3880), plus shipping costs.
3. Open Call Services: Free access to specialized services through open calls funded by the European Commission and National Ministries. Over €14 million in funding has supported nearly 400 user projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

INFRAFRONTIER is a pan-European research infrastructure that generates, archives, phenotypes, and distributes genetically modified mouse and rat models for human disease research. Its flagship EMMA repository holds over 9,500 mouse mutants plus rat strains, offering cryopreservation, distribution, and systemic phenotyping services to academic and commercial researchers through a 22-institution network across 15 countries.

Product overview

INFRAFRONTIER is a distributed European research infrastructure comprising the core platform INFRAFRONTIER and its flagship archive EMMA (European Mouse Mutant Archive). The portfolio includes specialized services for rodent disease model generation using genome-editing technologies, systemic phenotyping across multiple biological systems, axenic/germ-free derivation services, and BSL-3 preclinical services. The infrastructure offers open access through funded calls, with specific cancer services via canSERV and rare disease resources through dedicated databases. Supporting services include genetic validation, embryonic cell line derivation, and professional training programs. The ecosystem spans 22 partner institutions across 15 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EMMA (European Mouse Mutant Archive) Europe's largest non-profit repository for genetically modified mouse and rat strains, archiving over 9,500 mutant mouse strains and rat mutants and distributing them to researchers worldwide through cryopreservation and distribution services.
• Rodent Disease Model Generation Custom generation of rodent mutant strains using the latest genome-editing technologies including CRISPR-Cas9, by expert laboratories within the INFRAFRONTIER partner network. Used by researchers needing precision disease models.
• Systemic Phenotyping Mouse model phenotyping platforms incorporating whole-system screens covering behavior, neurology, clinical chemistry, nociception, dysmorphology, allergy, energy metabolism, cardiovascular function, sight, immunology, and pathology.
• Axenic Service Germ-free derivation of mouse strains for gnotobiotic studies, enabling research on microbiota interactions and infection studies.
• BSL-3 Preclinical Services Access to cutting-edge BioSafety Level 3 pipelines to test therapeutics against infectious diseases. Used by pharmaceutical and academic researchers working on infectious disease therapeutics.
• INFRAFRONTIER Open Calls Free-of-charge calls for project proposals funded by European Commission and national ministries, providing researchers access to cutting-edge services from INFRAFRONTIER partners. Over 40 open calls have been offered with nearly €14 million in funding distributed.
• canSERV Cancer Services Cutting-edge cancer research services under the Horizon Europe canSERV project, including precision cancer model generation via CRISPR-Cas9, in-depth cancer phenotyping, gut microbiota interaction pipelines, systemic phenotyping, intravital microscopy, and digital pathology with ML-based image analysis.
• Genetic Validation Service INFRAPLUS service for verifying integrity of genetic alterations and genetic background in mouse lines. Includes Comprehensive Genomic Validation (MiniMUGA, ddPCR, Oxford Nanopore sequencing) and mRNA Expression Validation (RT-ddPCR). Provided by MRC Harwell and PHENOMIN-ICS.
• Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts and Stem Cells Service INFRAPLUS service for generating mutant embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) from existing mouse lines. Supports 3Rs principles by enabling alternative cellular models. Provided by Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell, University of Oulu, and PHENOMIN-ICS.
• Training & Events Educational programs including courses on mouse genetics, colony management, conditional transgenic models, LAS modules, phenogenomics conferences, and workshops on mouse pathobiology for biomedical researchers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2500 scientific publications enabled by INFRAFRONTIER resources
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium (IMPC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINFRAFRONTIER is closely linked to the largest and foremost scientific consortium for mouse phenotyping worldwide. The IMPC conducts systematic phenotyping of mouse lines for approximately 20,000 protein-coding genes. A substantial part of the INFRAFRONTIER/EMMA resource originates from IMPC.
• Mouse Genome Informatics (MGI)coreTechnology or IntegrationInternational database resource for the laboratory mouse providing integrated genetic, genomic, and biological data. INFRAFRONTIER utilizes MGI data for disease model annotations and nomenclature services.
• OrphanetcoreTechnology or IntegrationEuropean website providing information about orphan drugs and rare diseases. INFRAFRONTIER maps mouse genes to human rare diseases using Orphanet data to support rare disease research.
• EnsemblcoreTechnology or IntegrationJoint project between EMBL-EBI and Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute for automatic genome annotation. Used by INFRAFRONTIER to identify human orthologous genes matching mouse strains.
• EMMA Partner Network (22 institutions)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner22 leading European research institutions including Helmholtz Munich, EMBL-EBI, CNRS, MRC Harwell, CNR, and others contribute to resources and services. Partners include: Biomedcode Hellas, Alexander Fleming, CNR, CCP, EMBL-EBI, Helmholtz Munich, IGC, Karolinska Institutet, MRC Harwell, CSIC, PHENOMIN CIPHE, PHENOMIN ICS, PHENOMIN TAAM, TCP, NKI, UAB, UCPH, University of Oulu, Vetmeduni Vienna, INFRAFRONTIER GmbH, Tel Aviv University.
• canSERV ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-RI Horizon Europe project bringing together 17 European research infrastructures (BBMRI, EURO-BIOIMAGING, ELIXIR, EU-OPENSCREEN, INFRAFRONTIER, EMBRC, ECRIN, and others) to provide cutting-edge cancer research services across Europe.
• INFRAPLUS ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHorizon Europe project coordinated by INFRAFRONTIER ERIC to expand capacity for human disease modelling, develop alternative cellular models, and reduce animal use. Partners include Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell, University of Oulu, and PHENOMIN-ICS.
• PRIM-TECH3R ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHorizon INFRA-TECH project leveraging INFRAFRONTIER expertise to create innovative and standardised complex in vitro models using mouse cells for biomedical research and preclinical studies, focusing on replacement, reduction, and refinement of animal use.
• European Joint Programme on Rare Diseases (EJP RD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-partner initiative to create an integrated and sustainable platform for rare disease research in Europe. INFRAFRONTIER contributes mouse models, data, and services to support rare disease research within the EJP RD ecosystem.
• European Animal Research Association (EARA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINFRAFRONTIER became an official member of EARA in June 2026 to promote openness and transparency in biomedical research and support responsible animal research practices.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Peers

• Helmholtz Munich - Institute of Experimental Genetics:

Direct peers

• MRC Harwell (Mary Lyon Centre): MRC Harwell is the UK National Mouse Genetics Network centre and an INFRAFRONTIER partner, but operates as an independent phenotyping and mouse model generation facility serving European researchers with overlapping service offerings.
• Taconic Biosciences: Taconic Biosciences is a commercial supplier of genetically engineered mouse and rat models with cryopreservation, rederivation, and colony management services, directly comparable to EMMA's commercial-facing distribution and archiving offerings.
• The Jackson Laboratory: The Jackson Laboratory is the world's largest mouse mutant repository and research center, operating the Mouse Genome Informatics (MGI) database. It is the most direct global competitor to INFRAFRONTIER/EMMA in mouse model archiving, distribution, and phenotyping services.
• PHENOMIN (Institut Clinique de la Souris): PHENOMIN is the French national infrastructure for mouse phenomics, an INFRAFRONTIER partner that independently offers CRISPR-based mouse model generation, systemic phenotyping, and cryopreservation services across CIPHE, ICS, and TAAM nodes.
• Janvier Labs: Janvier Labs is a European rodent supplier specializing in genetically modified mouse and rat models, with services overlapping INFRAFRONTIER's custom rodent model generation and distribution capabilities.

Broad incumbents

• Charles River Laboratories: Charles River is a large commercial CRO providing research models (including genetically engineered mice), preclinical phenotyping, and BSL-3 services. It competes with INFRAFRONTIER for industry pharma/biotech preclinical work and operates at much larger global scale.

Others

• International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium (IMPC): IMPC is the global consortium that systematically phenotypes knockouts for ~20,000 protein-coding genes. INFRAFRONTIER is closely linked to IMPC and deposits IMPC-generated strains into EMMA, making them a strategic ecosystem partner with partially overlapping scope.

Emerging players

• Cyagen Biosciences: Cyagen is a global CRO offering custom mouse/rat model generation using CRISPR and embryonic stem cell technologies, including TurboKnockout gene targeting services that compete with INFRAFRONTIER's rodent disease model generation offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/infrafrontiereu
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/infrafrontier-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Infrafrontier