Axol Bioscience has announced its acquisition of the ophthalmology business of Newcells Biotech (Newcells), a leading drug discovery partner specialising in the development of in vitro models and bespoke assay services.
The acquisition of Newcells' ophthalmology business includes its specialised team, facilities and intellectual property related to the supply of proprietary iPSC-derived products and ophthalmology research services for biopharmaceutical, biotechnology and contract research organisation (CRO) clients across Europe and the US.
Developed over more than a decade, these platforms feature advanced retinal organoids and two-dimensional (2D) retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) models designed to support preclinical research and drug development.
The supplier of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies announced that increasing investment in research to discover new treatments for eye diseases—such as age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma and certain rare conditions—has prompted its strategic expansion into ophthalmology.
This expansion includes the acquisition of Phenocell in October 2024.
Furthermore, the acquisition of Newcells’ ophthalmology business enhances the company's position as the leading independent provider of iPSC-derived in vitro models for ophthalmology drug discovery, gene therapy development and retinal safety and toxicity studies.
The news follows Axol's recent $2.8m financing, led by US life sciences investor BroadOak Capital Partners, which is supporting expansion of its US commercial operations, product development and manufacturing scale-up.
"Following our recent financing and continued strong revenue growth, we are executing on a clear strategy to scale Axol internationally and deepen our scientific capabilities," said Liam Taylor, CEO of Axol Bioscience.
"The addition of Newcells' retinal organoid business is our third acquisition in five years."
It significantly enhances our ophthalmology offering, combining complementary expertise and intellectual property to create the most comprehensive independent portfolio of iPSC-derived retinal models globally.
"Newcells has developed a highly sophisticated and scalable retinal organoid platform focused on predictive, human-relevant iPSC-derived retinal models that are recognised across the industry," added Florian Regent, Head of Ophthalmology, Axol Bioscience.
"Integrating this capability with Axol's existing ophthalmology portfolio enables us to offer a broader, more physiologically relevant toolkit to support research."
As drug developers increasingly seek predictive human models to de-risk programmes earlier, this acquisition further positions Axol at the forefront of ophthalmology drug discovery and safety testing.