Dundee life sciences company targets international growth

STAFF: Cellexus aims to more than double employee levels at city base

Dundee biotech company Cellexus International is extending its international reach by scaling up its distributor network.

The move comes as the company takes its CelllMaker bioreactor range to a global market.

The firm’s products provide a growing environment for cell lines and bacteria, with a range of applications including food use and the life sciences sector such as microbial research and animal health.

Crucially, the growing environments used in the equipment are disposable.

Gavin Hands, chief executive officer of Cellexus International, said: “We have been very picky over the past 18 months in selecting distributors who won’t just put our bioreactors in a catalogue but will actively engage with customers.

“We have had the first batch of distributors at our facility in Dundee and we will have trained 10 by the end of the year.

“Our distribution network now covers Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Spain, Austria and Israel.

“We are also in discussions with another distributor to cover Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg.

“There have also been a number of inquiries from as far afield as Sri Lanka and Colombia.

Mr Hands said the firm, which was founded in 2017, currently has a team of six at their Riverside Court facility, but is aiming to more than double that figure next year.

The firm’s hardware is constructed in the UK but the disposable growing environments are manufactured in the USA.

Mr Hands added the units, which sell at between £35,000 to £50,000, are ideal for small life sciences firms that are looking to scale up their operations.