What Pixl Bio does

Pixl Bio (operating as pixlbio) is a privately held Swedish biotechnology company formed in July 2025 through the merger of DefiniGEN, a UK iPSC-derived hepatocyte spin-out from the Wellcome Sanger Institute (founded 2012), and Phenaros, an Uppsala-based AI phenomics company. The company integrates proprietary iPSC-derived cell models — including pixHep hepatocytes, pixStellate hepatic stellate cells, and pixIO intestinal organoids — with an AI-driven Cell Painting phenomics platform (pixCellPaint) and end-to-end custom research services (pixCellServices). Its core technical differentiator is the convergence of a decade-validated three-step iPSC-to-hepatocyte differentiation protocol, achieving primary-like CYP450 activity and long-term culture stability, with computer vision pipelines (DINOv3 embeddings, Cellpose-SAM segmentation) and deep learning models using conformal prediction for mechanism-of-action and DILI classification. Pixlbio serves large pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology firms requiring predictive biology for drug discovery and safety assessment, claiming trusted-partner status with 11 of the top 20 global pharmaceutical companies including named relationships with AstraZeneca, Sanofi, and Deep Genomics.

Name

Pixl Bio

Legal name

Pixl Bio AB

Website

https://pixl.bio

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pixl Bio is a Swedish biotechnology company combining iPSC-derived human cell models with AI-driven Cell Painting phenomics to deliver predictive biology, DILI assessment, and disease modeling services for pharmaceutical and biotech drug discovery programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

iPSC Cell Models and AI Phenomics Services

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

In Vitro Model Systems & Organoid Platforms (iPSC/organoids, microphysiological systems) (HLAAAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Organoids & Organ-on-Chip (regenerative models) (HLAAAGAD), AI/ML-Enabled Biologic Discovery Platforms (computational design, in silico screening) (HLAAAIAE), AI/ML Platforms for Drug Discovery & Experiment Optimization (HLAGAJAO)

Keywords

• IPSC-derived cell models
• Phenomics services
• Drug safety testing
• Hepatocyte models
• AI drug discovery

Headquarters

HQ city

Uppsala

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. iPSC-Derived Cell Products (pixCells): pixlbio supplies iPSC-derived hepatocytes (pixHep), hepatic stellate cells (pixStellate), and intestinal organoids (pixIO) as cryopreserved vials. Products are available as wild-type, custom, or CRISPR-engineered disease models. Revenue is generated from product sales of cells at defined per-vial or per-unit pricing. Customers can purchase cells only for in-house use or as part of an integrated full-service platform engagement.
2. pixCellPaint — Phenomics Services: High-content cell painting and automated imaging services where pixlbio runs experiments on customer-provided or pixlbio-supplied cells. Generates morphological fingerprint data for AI analysis. Priced as a service contract or per-study basis.
3. pixCellServices — Custom Research Studies: End-to-end research service encompassing study design, experimental execution, AI analytics, and structured data delivery. Covers target validation, toxicology screening, mechanism-of-action studies, and predictive modeling. Delivered as project-based or contract research engagements.
4. SaaS Platform Access (pixCell): Cloud-based SaaS platform providing real-time experiment tracking, in-silico phenomic predictions, dashboards, structured data packages, and consultative insights. Accessed via secure API. Revenue likely derived as part of integrated service contracts or as a platform subscription add-on.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

pixlbio supplies human iPSC-derived cell models (pixHep hepatocytes, pixStellate hepatic stellate cells, pixIO intestinal organoids) and operates an AI-driven phenomics platform (pixCellPaint) combined with end-to-end custom research services (pixCellServices) for drug discovery, mechanism-of-action studies, and safety assessment. Offerings include wild-type, CRISPR-engineered disease variant, and co-culture models sold as catalog vials or as part of integrated cell-plus-analytics service engagements with pharmaceutical and biotechnology customers.

Product overview

pixlbio operates as a platform-plus-modules architecture combining human iPSC-derived cell biology with AI-powered phenomics for drug discovery and safety assessment. The core pixCells portfolio includes pixHep (primary-like hepatocytes), pixStellate (hepatic stellates), and pixIO (intestinal organoids), available as wild-type, disease-specific, or CRISPR-engineered models. These cell models are supported by two analytical modules: pixCellPaint (high-content cell painting phenomics) and pixCellServices (end-to-end custom research studies with AI analytics). Disease-specific offerings include MASLD, A1ATD, PFIC2, and UCD models. The platform automates experimental design through execution (robotics for cell painting and imaging) and delivers structured data and predictive models via SaaS. The company was formed in July 2025 through the merger of DefiniGEN (iPSC hepatocyte technology) and Phenaros (AI phenomics platform), with the former Opti-HEP product now branded as pixHep.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• pixCells: Human iPSC-derived cell models including hepatocytes, stellates, and organoids, available as wild-type, custom, or CRISPR-edited disease models.
• pixHep
• pixStellate
• pixIO
• pixCellPaint
• pixCellServices

Products and services

• pixCells Human iPSC-derived cell model portfolio including hepatocytes, hepatic stellate cells, and intestinal organoids engineered for physiological relevance, scalability, and stability. Available as wild-type, custom, or CRISPR-edited disease models for in-house use or as part of pixlbio's full-service platform to generate predictive biological insights.
• pixHep Primary-like iPSC-derived hepatocytes engineered for accurate liver function and toxicity studies. Highly characterized cells demonstrating functional CYP450 activity, albumin secretion, urea synthesis, and ASGR1 membrane localization comparable to primary human hepatocytes; supports drug metabolism, CYP450 studies, and chronic toxicity assessments.
• pixStellate iPSC-derived hepatic stellate cells for modeling fibrogenesis and liver inflammation. Enables co-culture systems with hepatocytes for disease modeling from steatosis to fibrosis.
• pixIO Intestinal organoids combining epithelial complexity with absorption and metabolism profiling. iPSC-derived organoids harboring goblet cells, Paneth cells, enterocytes, stem cells, and enteroendocrine cells for drug absorption, metabolism, and efflux transporter studies.
• pixCellPaint High-content phenomics platform combining cell painting workflows optimized for throughput and contrast with automated microscopy to capture morphological fingerprints. Pipeline standardizes staining, imaging, and pre-processing to produce high-quality inputs for AI analysis.
• pixCellServices End-to-end research services including study design, execution, AI analytics, and delivery of structured data and interpretation. Covers target validation, toxicology screening, and mechanism-of-action studies with actionable recommendations delivered via dashboards and structured data packages.
• Co-Culture Models Integrated hepatocyte-stellate systems modeling disease progression from steatosis to fibrosis. Combines pixHep and pixStellate for MASH modeling including lipid accumulation, inflammatory signaling, and fibrogenesis.
• Wild-type Cells Diverse panel of wild-type iPSC-derived hepatocytes from multiple validated donor backgrounds with documented genetic diversity, supporting multi-donor experimental design for population-level variability studies.
• MASLD Disease Model iPSC-derived hepatocyte models recapitulating steatosis, insulin resistance, and inflammatory signatures for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease drug discovery. Available with PNPLA3 I148M and TM6SF2 E167K CRISPR-engineered risk variants alongside multiple wild-type donor backgrounds.
• A1ATD Disease Model Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency iPSC-derived hepatocytes modeled from disease-matched genotypes. CRISPR-edited models for studying A1ATD pathology.
• PFIC2 Disease Model iPSC-derived hepatocyte cholestatic models capturing bile transport and hepatocyte polarity defects. CRISPR-engineered ABCB11 D482G mutation modeling Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis type 2.
• UCD Disease Model Hyperammonemia modeled in iPSC-derived hepatocytes to study urea cycle enzyme dysfunction. CRISPR-engineered OTC D175V and ASS1 G390R mutant lines reproducing reduced ammonia detoxification and impaired enzyme expression.
• pixHep Familial Hypercholesterolemia Model CRISPR-derived LDLR iPSC hepatocytes modeling Familial Hypercholesterolemia. Recapitulates human FH phenotype in-a-dish for large-scale screening of FH-related therapies.
• Custom Models Fully tailored iPSC-derived models from donor selection to CRISPR engineering. Services include tailored genotypes (SNPs to complex polygenic backgrounds), any iPSC source integration, CRISPR precision editing for isogenic pairs, proprietary differentiation protocols, co-culture options, functional validation, scalable cryopreserved supply, and data/AI analytics.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to ~69% balanced accuracy in leave-one-out compound identification for DILI prediction using Cell Painting phenomics on pixHep cultures
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• NavinciflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2026Cross-institutional collaboration with Navinci, Uppsala University, SciLifeLab, and Chemical Biology Consortium Sweden (CBCS) to develop the SIXP platform for high-throughput spatial interactomics. The project combines Navinci's multiplex in situ proximity ligation assay technology with cell painting and AI-driven image analysis to profile cellular signaling pathways at subcellular resolution for drug discovery applications. The established technology will be implemented within CBCS infrastructure at SciLifeLab to provide national access for researchers across Sweden.
• AstraZenecaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with AstraZeneca on automated Cell Painting combined with AI to provide comprehensive assessment of genotoxicities. This innovative method offers a new way to mechanistically understand on- and off-target toxicities, reducing resources and time required for pharmaceutical development, minimizing animal use, and supporting safer medicine creation. AstraZeneca cited pixlbio's large-scale automated Cell Painting capability, high data quality, and AI/predictive modeling expertise as making them an obvious choice.
• SanofiflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject supported by the Sanofi iDEA-Tech award, combining Sanofi's therapeutic interest in immune-inflammation with pixlbio's expertise in high-content morphological profiling and AI-driven analytics. A domain-specific framework was developed for mechanism-of-action (MoA) and safety prediction of immuno-inflammatory compounds using Phenomics. Deep learning combined with conformal prediction enabled uncertainty-aware MoA and safety classification. pixlbio was selected for this award due to demonstrated ability to develop high-quality predictive models from exceptional data.
• FDA-CDERcoreStrategic or Co-development Partnerpixlbio (operating as DefiniGEN) was selected as one of eight commercial liver MPS developers in a landmark public-private consortium co-led by FDA-CDER and the 3Rs Collaborative, with independent data governance by NIH-NIEHS/NICEATM. pixlbio contributed iPSC-derived liver MPS data (ALT, AST, CYP3A4, albumin, ATP endpoints) against a blinded DILI compound panel. The consortium's LOI was accepted into the FDA's ISTAND qualification program in January 2026, marking a first-of-its-kind milestone for cross-platform liver MPS qualification.
• NIH-NIEHS/NICEATMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIH-NIEHS/NICEATM served as the independent data steward in the FDA-3Rs Collaborative cross-platform DILI study, responsible for compound selection, blinding, and all statistical analysis — insulating the outcome from commercial influence. NICEATM's role was structurally critical to the study's regulatory credibility, as no platform saw another's data during the blinded phase.
• Critical Path InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCritical Path Institute contributed context of use and qualification expertise to the FDA-3Rs Collaborative cross-platform DILI study, supporting the formal ISTAND qualification pathway for liver MPS technologies in regulatory drug development submissions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics: FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics is a large, established supplier of iPSC-derived cells (including hepatocytes) and a broader portfolio of differentiated cell types, providing both a competitive alternative and a benchmark for Pixl Bio's pixCells line.

Direct peers

• Bit Bio: Bit Bio (now part of Bota Bio) provides iPSC-derived human cell products for research and drug discovery with an emphasis on consistency and scalability, competing head-to-head with Pixl Bio's iPSC hepatocyte and stellate offerings.
• Newcells Biotech: Newcells Biotech provides iPSC-derived liver and other organ models for drug discovery and safety testing, with a comparable product portfolio to Pixl Bio's pixHep and pixIO lines and overlap in pharma customer targeting.
• Cyprotex (Evotec): Cyprotex, part of Evotec, provides predictive ADME and DILI toxicology services using in vitro and in silico models, making it a direct peer for Pixl Bio's pixCellServices toxicology and mechanism-of-action offerings.
• CN Bio: CN Bio develops liver and other organ microphysiological systems (MPS / organ-on-chip) for drug safety and efficacy, with a comparable target customer base in top-20 pharma and direct overlap in liver DILI applications where Pixl Bio also competes.
• Ncardia: Ncardia develops iPSC-derived cell models and services for drug discovery and safety assessment, directly competing with Pixl Bio's pixHep and pixCellServices offerings across pharma and biotech customers in the same European footprint.

Emerging players

• Axol Bioscience: Axol Bioscience supplies iPSC-derived cell products and custom disease models for drug discovery, overlapping with Pixl Bio's pixCells catalog in hepatocytes and other differentiated cell types, though with a smaller disease-model catalog.
• Emulate: Emulate provides organ-on-chip platforms including liver chips for ADME and toxicology applications, an emerging alternative to Pixl Bio's iPSC-MPS approach that overlaps on use cases and enterprise pharma customers.
• InSphero: InSphero offers 3D microtissue liver models and related services for drug safety and metabolic disease, competing with Pixl Bio's hepatocyte and stellate co-culture disease models in the same pharma DILI and MASH use cases.
• Recursion: Recursion combines high-content imaging, phenomics, and AI/ML for drug discovery, making it a relevant emerging player that overlaps with Pixl Bio's AI-driven phenomics and predictive modeling layer, though focused on its own pipeline rather than CRO services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pixl Bio