BioLife Solutions entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all outstanding shares of Sexton Biotechnologies, a provider of manufacturing services for the cell and gene therapy (CGT) industry, in a transaction valued at $30 million.
 
Sexton provides end-to-end services for emerging cell and gene therapy manufacturers. The acquisition expands Sexton’s ability to meet market demands for their innovative tools such as CellSeal cryogenic storage vials, the Signata CT-5, the industry’s first flexible, semi-automated fluid handling system, along with human platelet lysate growth supplements.
 
In two years, the Sexton team has launched multiple new products and experienced significant revenue growth.
 
Sexton currently supports CGT manufacturing with two product lines; processing and handling solutions, and cell performance supplements. Initially focused on cryogenic storage, the products have expanded to provide services for cell expansion through cryopreservation. The CellSeal storage container is the first final product vial designed specifically for cell therapy to be used as a final container of an FDA approved product. The Signata CT-5 flexible fluid handling system is designed to integrate with other leading tools in the industry to improve fill and finish as well as automating the varied manual fluid movement techniques of cell culture.
 
With a range of platelet lysate growth supplements, Stemulate, nLiven, and T-Liven, Sexton’s cell performance platform allows manufacturers of both MSCs and immune-oncology products to expand cells in a non-xenogenic culture supplement with demonstrated phenotypic improvement.