Avant View

Why AVANT BIO Invested:  PL BioScience

PL BioScience, an Innovator in Cell Culture

PL BioScience GmbH (“PL BioScience”) specializes in the production and development of human platelet lysate (HPL), a cell culture supplement derived from healthy donor human platelets used to support cell expansion, offering a complete portfolio of HPL products for applications ranging from standard laboratory research to GMP cell therapy development and production. PL BioScience’s proprietary ELAREMTM Technology comprises several different HPL production technologies including a unique fibrinogen depletion technique that provides for clot-free, anticoagulant-free HPL, enabling a truly ready-to-use and off-the-shelf product profile and simplified workflows. The company has a comprehensive portfolio of HPL products to cover a broad range of applications, from low-cost standard options for basic research applications to high quality, full GMP-grade options.

Strategic Support and Global Synergy: AVANT BIO’s Unique Investment in PL Bioscience

AVANT BIO took a lead role bringing together a strong syndicate of both new and existing investors and commercial partners with a European and Asian presence. The insider support signals confidence in the company’s execution to date, and the geographic breadth of the syndicate validates what is a key part of our thesis for the investment, that PL Bio has the opportunity to become the go-to supplier of HPL products for the global market. 

The investment aligns particularly well with the AVANT BIO mandate as bioprocessing is one of the core focus areas for the firm, and the AVANT team’s collective experience in the cell culture media space positions us well to be productive partners to the company and to serve on their board of directors.

It’s Time to Rethink Cell Culture

The life sciences industry faces a persistent challenge in the availability of scalable and consistent tools for cell culture and therapeutic development, one area in particular is cell culture media and supplements. Cell culture media and supplements provide essential nutrients, growth factors, and environmental conditions to support the growth and maintenance of cells outside of a living organism. Traditional methods, including the use of fetal bovine serum (FBS) for cell culture, are highly variable and carry ethical concerns; including animal welfare and the reliance on animal products, along with sourcing transparency. FBS can also present contamination risks, impacting reproducibility and quality in downstream applications. This inconsistency is a significant barrier in the path to developing safe, effective, and scalable cell and gene therapies.

In recent years, the cell and gene therapy sector has seen rapid advancements and increased demand for scalable, high-quality cell culture solutions. The success of these therapies relies heavily on the quality of cell culture media, which directly influences the viability and consistency of cells used in therapeutic development. With heightened regulatory scrutiny and the rising need for alternatives to animal-derived products, there’s an urgent demand for innovative solutions that can support robust, reproducible, and ethically responsible cell culture practices. This gap has created an opportunity for companies like PL BioScience to introduce novel solutions that align with industry needs and regulatory expectations.

PL BioScience’s HPL Technology Sets a New Standard

PL BioScience has developed a unique and innovative solution that addresses these industry challenges with human platelet lysate (HPL). This advanced product serves as an alternative to traditional cell culture supplements, offering a consistent, animal-free, and ethically sourced option. Their HPL technology enables more reliable and standardized cell culture, which is critical for research and therapeutic applications, especially within the cell and gene therapy markets. PL BioScience’s approach is positioned to disrupt the industry by providing a more sustainable and reliable product that also aligns with regulatory requirements.

The HPL technology from PL BioScience is derived from human platelets, providing a growth factor-rich environment that promotes cell proliferation and viability. Unlike FBS, HPL offers reduced variability due to its standardized production process. This approach enhances cell growth consistency and reduces the risk of contamination, making it a safer, more reliable solution for researchers and biotech companies. By focusing on ethically sourced and high-quality materials, PL BioScience has developed a product that meets the evolving demands of modern cell culture practices, particularly for sensitive applications in regenerative medicine and cell therapies.

The primary advantages of PL BioScience’s HPL technology are consistency, scalability, and ethical sourcing. Researchers and developers benefit from reduced batch-to-batch variability, ensuring more predictable results in experiments and clinical applications. Cell culture conditions must also meet requirements for physiological relevance, next to efficiency and consistency. HPL is a key solution, since it better mimics the physiological environment resulting in more reliable responses to drugs, when it comes to drug testing. Additionally, by eliminating animal-derived components, the HPL solution aligns with regulatory and ethical standards, making it an attractive choice for companies aiming to meet stringent requirements. This innovative approach has the potential to streamline workflows, reduce contamination risks, and ultimately accelerate the development of safe and effective therapies.

In recent validation studies, PL BioScience’s HPL demonstrated superior performance in maintaining cell viability and growth consistency compared to traditional FBS-based media. This has been particularly significant in applications involving mesenchymal stem cells, where high proliferation rates and stable cell quality are crucial for successful therapeutic outcomes. For example, in collaborative studies with research institutions, PL BioScience’s HPL has enabled reliable cell culture results, underscoring its potential as a transformative tool in cell therapy production pipelines.

Pioneering the Future: PL BioScience Poised to Lead in a Fragmented Market with Next-Generation Cell Culture Solutions

Our investment in PL BioScience is not just about supporting a promising company; it’s about addressing a critical gap in the cell culture market with the potential for transformative impact on the global stage. The life sciences industry is in urgent need of scalable, reliable, and ethically sourced alternatives to traditional cell culture supplements, particularly in high-growth areas like regenerative medicine and cell and gene therapy. As these fields continue to advance, the demand for consistent, high-quality human platelet lysate (HPL) products is expected to grow exponentially.

The fragmented nature of the cell culture media market, particularly in Europe and Asia-Pacific (APAC), presents an opportunity for a market leader to emerge. Currently, researchers and biotech companies face challenges in sourcing reliable HPL products, often contending with quality variability and limited availability. PL BioScience is uniquely positioned to fill this need, leveraging their innovative, standardized approach to meet the stringent quality requirements of these regions and beyond.

With the supply-demand imbalance for HPL products in Europe and APAC, PL BioScience has a prime opportunity to establish itself as the go-to provider in these markets. As they continue to expand, the company is well-positioned to capture significant market share, potentially leading to consolidation in a fragmented market. This growth trajectory aligns seamlessly with our investment thesis, as PL BioScience’s success will not only drive its own expansion but could also catalyze broader adoption of ethical, animal-free alternatives across the industry.

Looking ahead, the broader implications of PL BioScience’s growth extend beyond market share; by setting a new standard in cell culture supplementation, they are paving the way for higher quality and more ethically responsible research and therapeutic development practices worldwide. We believe their impact will be felt across the life sciences, positioning them—and our partnership—as key players in shaping the future of cell culture solutions.

Empowering Innovation: AVANT BIO and PL BioScience Partner to Drive the Future of Sustainable Cell Culture

Our partnership with PL BioScience exemplifies the type of investment we seek at AVANT BIO, early growth-stage companies with validated products and strong early market traction that are poised for their next phase of expansion. Capital alone is not sufficient to fuel this kind of growth; these companies benefit from a well-aligned syndicate of investor-partners who bring strategic guidance, resources, and industry connections essential for scaling successfully.

PL BioScience’s HPL technology aligns perfectly with AVANT BIO’s focus on investing in groundbreaking, high-impact solutions that foster better research and therapeutic outcomes. By prioritizing ethical sourcing, regulatory alignment, and scientific rigor, PL BioScience is well-positioned to lead the transition away from traditional animal-derived products, paving the way for a more sustainable future in cell and gene therapy development. As we look forward, we are excited to support PL BioScience on their journey to make these innovative solutions more accessible across the industry. Through our hands-on approach and network, we aim to provide the strategic and operational necessity to help PL BioScience achieve lasting impact and fulfill their mission to drive forward the boundaries of life sciences innovation.