Manchester Biotech

Manchester Biotech supports scientists by using bioprinting, liquid handling and 3D cell culture to develop new technologies that aim to improve patient lives.

Manchester Biotech’s products are used in cell culture – the process by which scientists grow cells under carefully controlled conditions to study the effects of drugs and cell behaviour.

The company’s immediately addressable market is worth c£600m, and it is currently dominated by incumbent Corning Metrigel with 70% market share. The Metrigel product is animal derived whilst MBT’s product is fully synthetic.

Current standard culture platforms are animal-  derived and can be problematic for reasons including; ethics, ease of use, and batch-to-batch variability. The company’s ready-to-use and easy-to-handle synthetic products provide a favourable alternative. Additionally, the company’s gels are 3-dimensional and so better mimic a biological environment, giving rise to improved study results.