California award win fuels Semarion growth in US
The award was presented at the SLAS 2025 Conference in San Diego, the world’s largest life sciences tools and technologies event, which this year hosted over 7,000 delegates from across the pharma, biotech, and research sectors.
The SemaCyte® Microcarrier Platform stood out for its ability to transform adherent cell assays by turning adherent cells into barcoded, mobile reagents that can be frozen, multiplexed, and seamlessly integrated into standard drug discovery workflows.
The platform enables miniaturised assays, higher throughput and better data generation, addressing key bottlenecks in the area of in vitro drug discovery and advancing research efficiency.
Jeroen Verheyen, Co-Founder and CEO of Semarion, said: “Winning the SLAS 2025 New Product Award is a major validation of our vision to redefine how adherent cell assays are performed.
“This recognition highlights the transformative potential of our technology to deliver drastic data throughput gains, a critical need in today’s fast-paced drug discovery efforts.”
The past 12 months have been transformational for Semarion, as the company has collaborated with major international pharma companies as well as local CRO o2h Discovery, to demonstrate the platform’s real-world impact.
For example, o2h Discovery developed DNA damage repair assays using SemaCytes, while pharma players deployed the technology to accelerate antibody drug discovery programs.
Semarion is gearing up for significant growth in 2025. The company has an investment round currently open, with over half already committed. Backers are mainly UK based but the company is also speaking to investors in Europe and the EU.
The round, expected to close in Q2, will fuel expansion in several key areas. The company plans to upscale product manufacturing capabilities and bolster its sales and marketing efforts to meet growing global demand.
“This investment will enable us to scale up and bring on additional talent,” Verheyen explained, “ensuring we can maintain the momentum of our partnerships with leading pharma and biotech companies while driving commercial traction across the US and Europe.”
The SLAS 2025 New Product Award serves as a springboard into the US market, where Semarion received substantial interest from pharma and biotech companies during the event. The award, combined with the company’s recent traction, reinforces Semarion’s potential to become a global leader in advanced cell assay technologies.
With a clear path toward scaling production, expanding the team, and delivering further innovation, Semarion is well-positioned to continue reshaping the future of in vitro drug discovery and driving forward the next generation of cell-based assays.