On-chip Biotechnologies

On-chip Biotechnologies Co., Ltd. is a Japanese firm operating in the life sciences and biotechnology sector, specializing in the development and sale of advanced cell sorting and analysis instrumentation. Founded on April 1, 2005, by President and CEO Masayuki Kobayashi, the company's genesis dates back to October 2003, when development of a chip-based cell sorter began under a pre-venture scheme of the Japan Science and Technology Agency.

The company's core business revolves around providing high-throughput screening solutions that address the limitations of conventional methods. Its primary clients include research institutes and corporations globally, with notable users such as Harvard Medical School and the University of Tokyo. The business model centers on the manufacturing and direct sale of these specialized instruments and the associated disposable microfluidic chips, which ensures a recurring revenue stream. The company has secured significant funding through multiple rounds of third-party allotments to venture capital firms and operating companies, raising over JPY 1.8 billion since 2007 to fuel its growth and expansion, which includes the establishment of a US subsidiary in California.

On-chip Biotechnologies' flagship product is the "On-chip Sort," the first microfluidic chip-based cell sorter commercialized globally in 2012. This instrument utilizes a disposable microfluidic chip (5.5 cm x 4.0 cm) to sort cells, which prevents contamination between samples and damage to the cells themselves because it operates at low pressure and does not generate aerosols. This makes it particularly suitable for handling fragile cells, large cell clusters, and even biohazardous materials. In 2022, the company launched the "On-chip Droplet Selector," a device that dramatically increases screening throughput—up to 1,000 times greater than standard microplate methods—by using picoliter-scale droplets as miniature test tubes. This system allows for the detection, sorting, and dispensing of droplets containing specific target cells or microorganisms, earning the company prestigious awards, including the Director-General's Award at the 36th Small and Medium Enterprise Excellent New Technology and New Product Awards in April 2024.

Keywords: cell sorting, microfluidics, biotechnology, high-throughput screening, single-cell analysis, droplet-based screening, life sciences, flow cytometry, lab-on-a-chip, regenerative medicine, antibody screening, microbial screening, cell therapy, damage-free cell sorting, disposable microfluidic chips, bio-instrumentation, On-chip Sort, On-chip Droplet Selector, cell line development, cancer research