HPTLC Association

What HPTLC Association does

The HPTLC Association (International Association for the Advancement of High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography) is a non-profit organization founded in 2012 and headquartered in Rheinfelden, Switzerland. It promotes High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) as a method for botanical authentication, adulteration detection, and quality control of herbal drugs, dietary supplements, and related plant-based materials. Its core assets are a Method Collection of more than 300 standardized methods following SOP 001, the International HPTLC Atlas for Identification of Herbal Drugs (a collaborative database of illustrated chromatographic fingerprints from global plant sources and known adulterants), and a Substance Database covering amino acids, iridoids, carbohydrates, coumarins, and flavonoids. A Universal HPTLC Mixture Collaborative Trial enables cross-laboratory method validation aligned with USP and Ph. Eur. guidelines.

The Association operates with 6 staff and a member base of more than 100 professionals across 18 countries, organized through chapters in North America, the Francophone world, and the German Section. Revenue is generated primarily through membership fees, fee-based training courses (for example, 400 EUR per day or 600 EUR for a two-day course at Hochschule Offenburg), and sponsorship from CAMAG and Merck KGaA, which also supply core equipment and consumables. Distribution is largely digital and self-serve: methods are available for free download to registered guests and members, with enhanced member access to validation data and tools. The organization is supported by strategic MOUs with the American Botanical Council (ABC), American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP), and BAPP, and runs an active calendar of symposia, regional workshops, webinars, and short courses at industry conferences.

Name

HPTLC Association

Legal name

The International Association for the Advancement of High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC Association)

Website

https://hptlc-association.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The HPTLC Association is an international Swiss non-profit that develops and disseminates over 300 standardized HPTLC methods, the International HPTLC Atlas of botanical fingerprints, and substance databases for quality control of herbal drugs and dietary supplements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Analytical Chromatography Standards

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Analytical Instruments & Chromatography Systems (HLAGAIAA)

Keywords

• Analytical chromatography methods
• Botanical authentication standards
• Herbal drug identification
• Plant quality control
• Chromatographic fingerprint database

Headquarters

HQ city

Rheinfelden

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees providing access to methods, validation data, training, and information about latest HPTLC equipment and software. Members gain prestige and global recognition for contributions.
2. Educational Courses: Fee-based training courses such as the 2. HPTLC-Anwenderkurs priced at 400 EUR per day or 600 EUR for both days. Includes course materials, coffee breaks, and lunch.
3. Method Collection Access: Free download of 300+ methods for registered guests; enhanced access for paying members with additional tools and resources.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The HPTLC Association is an international non-profit that curates and disseminates standardized High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) methods, reference chromatographic fingerprint databases, and educational programs for the identification, authentication, and quality control of herbal drugs, botanical ingredients, and dietary supplements. Its core deliverables are the HPTLC Method Collection (300+ methods aligned to its SOP 001), the International HPTLC Atlas for Identification of Herbal Drugs, and the Substance Database covering multiple compound classes.

Product overview

The HPTLC Association operates as an international nonprofit organization promoting High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography in plant analysis and analytical fields. The core offerings consist of the Method Collection (300+ standardized methods for herbal drug identification), the HPTLC Atlas (comprehensive database of chromatographic fingerprints for herbal authentication), and the Substance Database (covering iridoids, carbohydrates, coumarins, and flavonoids). Supporting infrastructure includes visionCATS AI-powered software for chromatographic data analysis, the Universal HPTLC Mixture Collaborative Trial for laboratory validation, and regional chapters providing localized education and community engagement. The organization also facilitates access through partnerships with ABC, AHP, and BAPP for botanical quality information exchange.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HPTLC Method Collection A collection of over 300 standardized HPTLC methods for identification of herbal drugs, substance classes, and complex mixtures. All methods follow the Association's HPTLC Standard Operating Procedure (SOP 001). Many methods are adopted in European, US, and other international pharmacopoeial monographs for herbal drugs and dietary supplements.
• International HPTLC Atlas for Identification of Herbal Drugs A collaborative reference database providing illustrated HPTLC fingerprints from plant species collected worldwide under varied growing conditions. Includes chemical fingerprints from known confounding materials and adulterants to support botanical ingredient authentication and quality control.
• HPTLC Substance Database A developing database containing HPTLC information for different substance classes including Iridoids, Carbohydrates, Coumarins, Flavonoids (amino acids database completed in 2023; terpenes under development). Developed through collaborative projects with association members.
• Universal HPTLC Mixture (UHM) Collaborative Trial An international collaborative research initiative evaluating HPTLC method performance across laboratories using the Universal HPTLC Mixture (a defined mixture of eight reference substances) as a System Suitability Test, developed following USP and Ph. Eur. guidelines.
• HPTLC Training Courses and Workshops Educational programs including the self-education platform, regional workshops (West Coast, Flora Research Laboratories), international symposia (Budapest 2024, ICSB Oxford 2026), and short courses at industry conferences (EAS) covering HPTLC fundamentals, advanced applications, automation, and method validation.
• HPTLC Association Membership Annual membership providing prestige, global recognition, access to new methods, validation data, continued training, and information about latest HPTLC equipment and software. Available via the membership page of the Association.

Quantifiable outcome

• 300+ standardized methods available for free download, with many adopted in pharmacopoeial monographs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 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 capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ABC (American Botanical Council)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 July 2021Nonprofit organization receiving MOU with HPTLC Association. ABC members gain free access to HPTLC method collection (285 entries). ABC lists HPTLC Association as a partner and promotes association resources to its members.
• AHP (American Herbal Pharmacopoeia)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 July 2021Nonprofit organization receiving MOU with HPTLC Association. AHP members gain free access to HPTLC method collection. Roy Upton (AHP) co-authored partnership announcement.
• BAPP (ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 July 2021Registered users of BAPP website gain free access to HPTLC analytical methods. Partnership enables distribution of HPTLC quality control resources to botanical industry quality control personnel.
• CAMAGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary sponsor of the HPTLC Association. CAMAG is a leading manufacturer of HPTLC equipment and software. Dr. Tiên Do, Secretary General of the association, is also affiliated with CAMAG. CAMAG supports workshops and collaborative development of methods.
• Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, GermanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of the HPTLC Association. Provides HPTLC Si 60 F254 glass plates for Atlas methods. Partnership ensures consistent quality of reference materials used in method development.
• Hochschule Offenburg / Offenburg University - GermanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner hosting German Section courses and educational events. Collaborates on method development and validation activities.
• Shanghai R&D Center for Standardization of Chinese Medicine - ChinacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partner contributing to the HPTLC Atlas development with Chinese medicinal plant expertise. Logo displayed on Atlas partner page.
• University of Barcelona, Pharmacy and Food Science - SpaincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner collaborating on HPTLC methods for botanical analysis and substance database development.
• AAMPS (Association for African Medicinal Plant Standards) - MauritiusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization focused on African medicinal plant standards. Listed as partner on association website.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AOAC International: Global standards organization that develops analytical methods and reference standards, with active programs in botanical authentication. Comparable in mission (voluntary consensus standards), nonprofit membership structure, and method-validation orientation.
• ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program (BAPP): Joint program of ABC, AHP, and the National Center for Natural Products Research focused on adulteration education. Formal HPTLC Association partner; directly comparable in scope (botanical authentication, adulteration detection) and nonprofit distribution model.
• American Botanical Council (ABC): Nonprofit scientific organization that educates the public and promotes the responsible use of herbal medicine. ABC is a formal partner of the HPTLC Association and offers mutual access to each other's resources; comparable in mission, nonprofit status, and botanical QC focus.
• Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research (GA): International scientific society advancing research on medicinal plants and natural products. Comparable in structure (international nonprofit membership org, conferences, scientific networking) and overlapping membership base in pharmacognosy and phytochemistry.
• American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP): Nonprofit that develops qualitative and therapeutic monographs on botanical medicines. AHP is a MOU partner of the HPTLC Association with closely aligned mission in herbal authentication and quality standards; both serve the same QC and industry stakeholders.

Broad incumbents

• United States Pharmacopeia (USP): Major compendial standards body whose monographs reference HPTLC Association methods. Operates across all pharmaceutical categories with much larger scope; a key downstream consumer and amplifier of the Association's methods.
• CAMAG: Leading manufacturer of HPTLC instruments, plates, and the visionCATS software used with Association Atlas data. CAMAG is the Association's primary sponsor and Secretary General affiliation; a commercial counterpart that supplies the equipment the Association's methods run on.
• European Pharmacopoeia (EDQM): Council of Europe body setting binding pharmaceutical quality standards across Europe, many of which cite HPTLC Association methods. Larger and more authoritative, but operates on the same method-validation content chain as the Association.
• NSF International: Global standards and certification organization operating across dietary supplements, food safety, and pharma. NSF supplements certification draws on similar analytical methods as the Association; broader scope but adjacent standards-developing role.

Emerging players

• Alkemist Labs: Commercial botanical identity-testing laboratory that uses HPTLC methods developed in conjunction with the Association. Serves as a workshop host and active North America Chapter partner; comparable in applied HPTLC work but commercial versus nonprofit model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hptlc-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about HPTLC Association