Chromatin Bioscience
Chromatin Bioscience is an Edinburgh-based biotech that designs custom synthetic promoters via its chromatinLENS bioinformatics platform, serving pharmaceutical, gene therapy, biologics manufacturing, industrial biotech, and agricultural biotech clients with technology access fees and milestone payments.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersEdinburgh, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Chromatin Bioscience does
Chromatin Bioscience Ltd is a privately held, Edinburgh-based biotechnology company (founded 2022/2023) that designs and licenses synthetic gene promoters and custom gene expression constructs to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and synthetic biology clients. Its proprietary platform, chromatinLENS, analyzes large functional genomics and multi-omics datasets to identify cell-type-selective and conditionally active gene regulatory elements within non-coding 'genomic dark matter', then engineers these into small, patentable, custom synthetic promoters that drive strong, durable, and cell-selective gene expression in defined cell types or under defined stimuli. The platform serves four application verticals: cell and gene therapy (cell-selective promoters for therapeutic vectors), biologics manufacturing (eukaryotic promoters for CHO/yeast protein expression), industrial biotechnology (promoters for chassis organisms and metabolic engineering), and agricultural biotechnology (tissue-selective and stress-responsive plant promoters).
Chromatin generates revenue through a B2B technology-access-plus-milestone model: clients pay an initial technology access fee for designs and access to chromatinLENS, followed by development and commercial milestone payments tied to program progression. Clients retain IP and patent rights over the custom-designed promoter sequences, which become embedded into their therapeutic or industrial constructs. The go-to-market motion is sales-led, relying on direct enterprise engagement and active participation at industry events (ASGCT, BIO International Convention, Advanced Therapies, BioEurope, ESGCT). Named customers and partners include Johnson & Johnson, Astellas Pharma, EsoBiotec (ESO-T01 in vivo BCMA CAR-T now in clinical trials), Purespring Therapeutics, Mediphage Bioceuticals, and Entos Pharmaceuticals. The company has additionally joined Johnson & Johnson's JLABS EMEA incubator network (February 2025) and secured a £100,000 Scottish Enterprise SMART grant (October 2024) to expand its platform with AI/ML tooling. Headcount is small and founder-led by Dr Michael L Roberts, who previously founded Synpromics in 2010 in the same synthetic promoter space.
Chromatin Bioscience firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chromatin Bioscience
- Legal name
- Chromatin Bioscience Ltd
- Website
- https://chromatinbio.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Chromatin Bioscience is an Edinburgh-based biotech that designs custom synthetic promoters via its chromatinLENS bioinformatics platform, serving pharmaceutical, gene therapy, biologics manufacturing, industrial biotech, and agricultural biotech clients with technology access fees and milestone payments.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chromatin Bioscience industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Synthetic Promoter Design Services
- NAICS
- Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)
- SIC
- Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)
- akta.pro primary industry
- AI/ML-Enabled Biologic Discovery Platforms (computational design, in silico screening) (HLAAAIAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Synthetic Biology & Genetic Circuit Design Platforms (pathway engineering, chassis development) (HLAAAIAD), Protein Engineering & Directed Evolution Platforms (enzyme/therapeutic protein optimization) (HLAAAIAC), Biotechnology & Gene-Edited Trait Development (AFAGAIAG), Engineered Protein Therapeutics (de novo/AI-designed proteins, novel scaffolds) (HLAAAAAJ)
Keywords
Where Chromatin Bioscience is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Edinburgh
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Chromatin Bioscience business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Technology Access Fees: Clients pay initial technology access fees for designs and access to the chromatinLENS platform. This is followed by development and commercial milestones, creating a recurring revenue stream tied to client project progress.
- Milestone Payments: Development and commercial milestone payments as client projects progress through development stages, creating revenue tied to achievement of specific outcomes.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom pricing based on client requirements |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Chromatin Bioscience product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Chromatin Bioscience designs custom synthetic promoters and gene expression systems using its proprietary chromatinLENS bioinformatics platform, which analyzes multi-omics functional genomics datasets to discover cell-type-selective gene regulatory elements. The company delivers these engineered promoters to biotech and pharmaceutical clients across four sectors: cell and gene therapy, biologics manufacturing, industrial biotechnology, and agricultural biotechnology, with clients retaining ownership of the resulting IP.
Product overview
Chromatin Bioscience is a biotechnology company offering a unified platform centered on the chromatinLENS synthetic promoter design platform. The core platform processes multi-omics functional genomics datasets to identify gene regulatory elements and engineer customized synthetic promoters. These promoters serve four primary application areas: Cell and Gene Therapy (cell-selective promoters for improved therapeutic construct design), Biologics Manufacturing (eukaryotic promoters for protein expression in CHO cells and yeast), Industrial Biotechnology (promoters for chassis organisms in metabolic engineering), and Agricultural Biotechnology (plant tissue-specific and stress-responsive promoters). The company provides custom promoter design services where clients retain ownership of the resulting IP.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- chromatinLENS: Proprietary bioinformatics platform leveraging advanced multi-omics data analysis for synthetic promoter design, enabling cell-type-specific, strong, and durable gene expression for cell and gene therapy, bioprocessing, and biotechnology applications.
Products and services
- chromatinLENS Platform A bioinformatics platform leveraging advanced multi-omics data analysis that enables the design of synthetic promoters with cell-type-specific, strong, and durable gene expression for cell and gene therapy, bioprocessing, and industrial/agricultural biotechnology applications. Clients pay technology access fees for designs and platform access.
- Synthetic Promoters for Cell and Gene Therapy Small, powerful, cell-selective synthetic promoters designed to improve therapeutic construct design by achieving cell-selective expression at levels required to mediate therapeutic effects, addressing limitations of viral and endogenous promoters for gene and cell therapy companies.
- Eukaryotic Synthetic Promoters for Biologics Manufacturing Panels of eukaryotic synthetic promoters optimized to drive more efficient protein expression in bioreactors using production cells such as CHO cells or yeast, maximizing gene expression and achieving commercially viable yields for biologics manufacturers.
- Synthetic Promoters for Industrial Biotechnology Strong synthetic promoters customized to chassis organisms and optimized for expression in bioreactors at industrial scale, facilitating metabolic pathway engineering for industrial biotechnology companies producing fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals.
- Plant Synthetic Promoters for Agricultural Biotechnology Plant synthetic promoters active in selective tissues or responsive to environmental conditions such as drought, stress, or pathogen infection, customized to particular crops or broadly active across multiple plant species for agricultural biotechnology applications.
Quantifiable outcome
- First in vivo BCMA CAR-T candidate to reach clinical stage using company's synthetic promoter technology
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Chromatin Bioscience
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Chromatin Bioscience technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature4 records
Chromatin Bioscience partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Mediphage BioceuticalscoreTransatlantic collaboration to develop next-generation genetic medicines combining Chromatin's chromatinLENS synthetic promoter platform with Mediphage's ministring DNA (msDNA) platform. Partnership supported by UKRI Innovate UK and NRC IRAP funding. Aims to create cell-type selective, durable, and safe gene expression therapeutics for treating rare genetic diseases.
- Entos PharmaceuticalscoreTransatlantic collaboration combining three complementary technology platforms for genetic medicines development. Entos provides Fusogenix PLV fusion-based delivery technology alongside Chromatin's chromatinLENS and Mediphage's msDNA platforms. Supported by UKRI Innovate UK and NRC IRAP advisory services and funding.
- Purespring TherapeuticscoreResearch collaboration to develop cell-specific gene therapy promoters leveraging Chromatin's proprietary chromatinLENS platform. Aims to improve gene delivery safety and efficacy for Purespring's pipeline targeting kidney diseases including IgA nephropathy, enabling precise and durable gene expression in target cell types.
- Astellas PharmacoreCollaboration agreement where Chromatin uses its chromatinLENS platform to design cell-selective synthetic promoters aligned with Astellas' target profile. Designed promoters enable highly precise and durable gene expression in specific cell types. Validates the potential of synthetic promoter technology in precision-targeted biological systems.
- JLABS EMEAminorChromatin joined Johnson & Johnson's global incubator network JLABS EMEA as a virtual company. JLABS is the largest global network of open innovation ecosystems enabling and empowering emerging companies with knowledge, experience, partnerships, and venture connections across healthcare spectrum. Membership supports acceleration of Chromatin's mission to enhance cell and gene therapies.
- Johnson & JohnsoncoreResearch collaboration leveraging Chromatin's proprietary chromatinLENS platform to drive advancements in synthetic promoter design for transformative healthcare solutions. Underscores recognition of the platform's potential to deliver precise, cell-type-selective, and durable gene expression supporting innovative approaches in gene and cell therapies.
- EsoBioteccoreCollaboration providing synthetic promoter for ESO-T01 in vivo CAR-T therapy. ESO-T01 is the first in vivo BCMA CAR-T candidate to reach clinical stage, utilizing a T cell-specific synthetic promoter designed using chromatinLENS exclusively for EsoBiotec. Demonstrated highly effective in vivo transduction with long-term durability and efficacy.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Chromatin Bioscience competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Promega: Major life sciences reagent and tools provider including gene expression and protein production systems. Comparable as a supplier of upstream expression technology to biopharma, but as a broad incumbent rather than a custom synthetic promoter specialist.
- Addgene: Non-profit plasmid repository and distribution platform serving the gene therapy and synthetic biology research community. Comparable as an enabling ecosystem participant distributing genetic parts and expression tools, though operating on a non-profit model.
Broad incumbents
- Sangamo Therapeutics: Clinical-stage gene therapy and genome editing company developing engineered zinc finger and other regulatory proteins. Relevant as a buyer/user of cell-selective expression technologies and as a potential strategic acquirer or competitor in the gene therapy promoter space.
- Twist Bioscience: Large, publicly traded synthetic biology platform providing DNA synthesis, antibody libraries, and genetic engineering tools. Overlaps with Chromatin in synthetic DNA and engineered genetic parts but operates across a much broader portfolio of products and services.
- GenScript: Global life sciences services company offering gene synthesis, protein engineering, and cell therapy services. Comparable as a one-stop provider of genetic tools and synthetic biology services to biopharma, including custom promoter/gene expression work.
- Precigen (formerly Intrexon): Synthetic biology company developing gene and cell therapies with proprietary expression control systems. Adjacent as a vertically integrated synthetic biology player with internal expression technology that competes for the same gene therapy promoter demand.
Direct peers
- Codexis: Protein engineering and directed evolution platform company that designs optimized enzymes and other protein components for therapeutics and industrial applications. Highly comparable as an engineering-biology platform monetized through licensing and milestone payments to pharma.
- ATUM: Synthetic biology company offering gene synthesis, protein expression, and engineered biological parts to biopharma and industrial biotech clients. Comparable as a service-oriented synthetic biology platform selling custom genetic parts and expression tools to enterprise customers.
- Synpromics: Synthetic promoter design company founded by Chromatin's CEO in 2010 and now part of AskBio (Bayer). Operates in the identical product category — synthetic, cell-selective promoters for gene therapy and biologics — making it the single most direct peer and likely principal competitor.
Emerging players
- Bota Bio: Synthetic biology company building engineered microbes and bioprocesses for sustainable manufacturing of chemicals and biologics. Comparable on the industrial biotech vertical where Chromatin also sells custom chassis-optimized promoters.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Chromatin Bioscience social profiles
Digital presenceChromatin Bioscience financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chromatin Bioscience leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Chromatin Bioscience funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chromatin Bioscience M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Chromatin Bioscience
What does Chromatin Bioscience do?
Chromatin Bioscience designs custom synthetic promoters and gene expression systems using its proprietary chromatinLENS bioinformatics platform, which analyzes multi-omics functional genomics datasets to discover cell-type-selective gene regulatory elements. The company delivers these engineered promoters to biotech and pharmaceutical clients across four sectors: cell and gene therapy, biologics manufacturing, industrial biotechnology, and agricultural biotechnology, with clients retaining ownership of the resulting IP.
Is Chromatin Bioscience a public or private company?
Chromatin Bioscience is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Chromatin Bioscience founded?
Chromatin Bioscience was founded in 2023. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Chromatin Bioscience based?
Chromatin Bioscience is headquartered in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Chromatin Bioscience make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Technology Access Fees are the primary driver. The others are milestone Payments.
Who are Chromatin Bioscience's main competitors?
Others on record are Promega and Addgene. Broad incumbents are Sangamo Therapeutics, Twist Bioscience, GenScript and Precigen (formerly Intrexon). Direct peers are Codexis, ATUM and Synpromics. Bota Bio is listed as an emerging player.
Does Chromatin Bioscience have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chromatin Bioscience.
What industry is Chromatin Bioscience in?
Chromatin Bioscience's product category is Synthetic Promoter Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAAIAE, AI/ML-Enabled Biologic Discovery Platforms (computational design, in silico screening), with a secondary code of HLAAAIAD, Synthetic Biology & Genetic Circuit Design Platforms (pathway engineering, chassis development). Its NAICS code is 541714 and its SIC code is 2836.