What GL Biochem does

GL Biochem (吉尔生化) is a privately held Chinese biochemical manufacturing company founded in 1998 and headquartered at 519 Zi Yue Road in Shanghai's Zizhu Science Park. The company specializes in the custom synthesis and large-scale production of peptides, protected amino acids, and antibodies, serving pharmaceutical, biotechnology, academic research, and cosmetic industry customers across more than 60 countries. Its commercial offering spans custom and catalogue research-grade peptides, GMP-compliant pharmaceutical peptides for drug development and clinical applications, cosmetic-grade peptides for skincare, a broad catalog of Fmoc-, Boc-, and Z-protected amino acids and derivatives (including unnatural and N-methyl amino acids), solid-phase synthesis resins, and custom antibody development and production services.

The technical platform is built around Fmoc (9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl) solid-phase peptide synthesis, in which the C-terminal amino acid is anchored to an insoluble resin and the chain is built sequentially toward the N-terminus, followed by trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) cleavage. Manufacturing is supported by approximately 200 analytical and preparative HPLC units, 10 mass spectrometers, multi-channel (96- and 106-channel) automated synthesizers, microwave synthesizers, and a 400 MHz NMR for structural verification. Quality control is anchored in ISO 9001-aligned processes and an SGS certification, with triple HPLC and MS testing per peptide batch.

GL Biochem operates eight wholly-owned manufacturing facilities (including the Zizhu headquarters, Jinshan, Wuxi, Binhai, Jiangsu Jitai, and Dalian sites established in 2020) and three R&D centers, employing a technical workforce of 350+ synthesis personnel and 250+ purification engineers. Revenue is generated through one-time purchase contracts and quote-based pricing tied to peptide length, sequence complexity, purity tier (crude, immunoreagent, receptor-grade, structural-grade), and order scale from milligrams to kilograms, with standard turnaround of 1 week for crude peptides and 2 weeks for purified material. The company distributes through a combination of direct field sales (with international offices in Japan, Canada, the US, Australia, and Europe), self-serve online ordering for catalogue and custom inquiries, and participation in industry events such as CPHI Japan and various biotech forums. Growth has been driven primarily through acquisitions, including an antibody company in 2008, the Australian firm MIMOTOPES in 2011, and three Chinese pharmaceutical/biotech companies (Kanghua New Drug Development, Shanghai Anhua Biotechnology, Jiangsu Hongmin Pharmaceutical) in 2016/2018.

Name

GL Biochem

Legal name

GL Biochem (Shanghai) Ltd.

Website

https://glbiochem.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

GL Biochem is a Shanghai-based, privately held peptide and antibody manufacturer founded in 1998 that operates eight production facilities globally, delivering custom and catalog peptides, GMP pharmaceutical peptides, and antibody services to pharmaceutical, biotech, academic, and cosmetic customers in over 60 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Peptide Manufacturing

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing (325411)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)

akta.pro primary industry

Therapeutic Peptides & Protein/Peptide Biologics (HLAAAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Reagents, Chemicals & Assay Kits (Buffers, Antibodies, ELISA, Enzymes) (HLAGAIAI)

Keywords

• Custom peptide synthesis
• Protected amino acids
• GMP pharmaceutical peptides
• Antibody development services
• Solid-phase peptide synthesis

Headquarters

HQ city

Shanghai

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Peptide Synthesis: B2B custom peptide synthesis services for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and research institutions. Orders range from milligrams to kilograms. Pricing based on peptide length, purity requirements, and quantity.
2. Catalogue Peptides: Pre-made peptide catalog products available for immediate purchase and delivery
3. GMP Pharmaceutical Peptides: Good Manufacturing Practice compliant peptides for drug development and clinical applications
4. Cosmetic Peptides: Peptides designed for cosmetic and skincare applications
5. Protected Amino Acids: Fmoc-amino acids, Boc-amino acids, Z-amino acids, unnatural amino acids for research and manufacturing
6. Antibody Services: Custom antibody development and production including monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

GL Biochem manufactures and supplies custom and catalogue peptides, GMP pharmaceutical peptides, cosmetic peptides, custom antibody services, and a broad portfolio of protected amino acids (Fmoc-, Boc-, Z-amino acids) and resins, primarily produced via Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis. Production scales range from milligrams to kilograms, with the company claiming over 60% global market share in research-grade peptides and monthly output exceeding 10,000 purified peptides.

Product overview

GL Biochem is a vertically integrated peptide and antibody manufacturing company offering a comprehensive portfolio of custom and catalogue products. The core offerings include Custom Peptides, Catalogue Peptides, GMP Peptides, and Cosmetic Peptides for pharmaceutical and research applications, alongside Custom Antibody Services and service packages. Supporting these are essential building blocks including Fmoc-amino acids, Boc-amino acids, Z-amino acids, unnatural amino acids, amino alcohols, N-methyl amino acids, and various solid-phase synthesis resins. The company operates manufacturing facilities in China and serves customers in over 60 countries with monthly production capacity exceeding 10,000 purified peptides.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MIMOTOPES: Acquired Australian peptide company brand retained after 2011 acquisition
• Peptech
• GL Biochem

Products and services

• Custom Peptides (客户肽定制) Custom synthesis of peptides tailored to specific research or commercial requirements, produced using Fmoc solid-phase synthesis methodology with delivery in scales from milligrams to kilograms. Targeted at pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and research customers.
• Catalogue Peptides (目录肽) Ready-made peptide reagents available from inventory for immediate purchase, covering research-grade peptides for various scientific applications.
• GMP Pharmaceutical Peptides (药物肽) Pharmaceutical-grade peptides manufactured under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) conditions for drug development, clinical applications, and active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) production.
• Cosmetic Peptides (化妆品肽) Peptides specifically formulated and manufactured for cosmetic and skincare product applications, supplied to cosmetics and personal care manufacturers.
• Custom Antibody Services (抗体定制服务) Custom development and production of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies for research, diagnostic, and commercial applications, made possible through the 2008 antibody company acquisition.
• Individual Antibody Services (单项服务) Individual antibody-related services including antibody purification, modification, and characterization offered as standalone tasks.
• Antibody Service Packages (套餐服务) Bundled antibody service packages combining multiple development and production steps into comprehensive end-to-end solutions.
• Fmoc-Amino Acids (Fmoc-氨基酸) Fmoc-protected amino acids used as building blocks in solid-phase peptide synthesis, supplied to peptide manufacturers and researchers.
• Boc-Amino Acids (Boc-氨基酸) Boc-protected amino acids for traditional Boc-based peptide synthesis chemistry.
• Z-Amino Acids (Z-氨基酸) Z-protected (carbobenzoxy) amino acids for specialized peptide synthesis applications.
• Amino Acids and Derivatives (氨基酸及其衍生物) Standard and modified amino acids along with their chemical derivatives for peptide synthesis and research.
• Unnatural Amino Acids (非天然氨基酸) Non-naturally occurring amino acids with modified side chains or structures for specialized peptide applications.
• Amino Alcohols (氨基醇) Amino alcohol compounds used as building blocks in peptide synthesis and pharmaceutical research.
• N-Methyl Amino Acids (N-甲基氨基酸) N-methylated amino acids that introduce structural constraints in peptides for enhanced metabolic stability and binding affinity.
• Solid-Phase Synthesis Resins (树脂) Solid-phase synthesis resins including Chlotrityl, Wang, Rink Amide MBHA, and HMBA-AM resin variants for peptide attachment, synthesis, and downstream processing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Global market share exceeds 60% in peptide products
• +2 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Kanghua (New Drug Development) Co., Ltd.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Acquired Kanghua New Drug Development Co., Ltd., Shanghai Anhua Biotechnology Co., Ltd., and Jiangsu Hongmin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. in 2018.
• MIMOTOPES (Australia)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Successfully acquired Australian peptide company MIMOTOPES in 2011, which substantiated their position as top ranking peptide company globally and enlarged technical and sales superiority. Acquisition also expanded sales service network to major global markets.
• Antibody Company (acquired 2008)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Successfully acquired an antibody company in 2008, becoming one of the few Chinese companies with actual antibody production capability. This acquisition added fast-growing antibody products to business portfolio.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CSBio: US-based peptide synthesis CDMO offering custom peptides and peptide synthesis instruments. Directly comparable on custom synthesis services and instruments, though at smaller scale than GL Biochem.
• GenScript Biotech: China/Hong Kong-listed life sciences company offering custom peptide synthesis, gene synthesis, and antibody services with comparable scale and global reach. Most direct head-to-head competitor in custom research-grade peptides.
• CPC Scientific: China/US custom peptide manufacturer serving research and pharma customers with research-grade and GMP peptides. Closely comparable business model and customer mix to GL Biochem's custom peptide line.
• Bachem Holding: Swiss-listed global leader in peptide and oligonucleotide CDMO, focused on GMP and commercial-scale peptide APIs. Comparable on core technology (solid-phase peptide synthesis) and customer base (global pharma), but operating at a higher GMP and clinical commercial mix.
• PolyPeptide Group: SIX-listed peptide CDMO serving pharma with custom and GMP peptide manufacturing. Comparable on end markets, technology platform, and regulatory positioning; differs in being Europe-anchored and more concentrated on commercial/clinical-grade peptides.
• AAPPTec: US-based peptide synthesis reagents and custom services provider. Directly comparable on custom peptide and amino acid offerings, though at materially smaller scale than GL Biochem.
• Hybio Pharmaceutical: Shenzhen-listed Chinese peptide API manufacturer focused on therapeutic peptide APIs. Comparable on peptide chemistry capability but more concentrated on commercial peptide drug APIs than custom research services.

Broad incumbents

• AnaSpec (Eurofins): US-based peptide and life science reagents manufacturer now part of Eurofins. Overlaps with GL Biochem on custom peptides and amino acid reagents, but operates as part of a much broader analytical testing and reagents portfolio.
• Wuxi AppTec: China/HK-listed global CRO/CDMO with peptide-related services within its broader pharmaceutical services platform. Comparable through its peptide synthesis capabilities, but peptides are a sub-segment of a much larger CRO/CDMO franchise.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/glbiochem
• Facebookfacebook.com/GLBiochemGroup

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries13 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 GL Biochem