Sphere Bio goes bust six months after rebrand but launches rescue talks

Sphere specialises in developing and manufacturing single-cell analysis and isolation systems for application in biopharmaceutical discovery and development, cell therapy engineering, bioproduction and synthetic biology workflows - based on its picodroplet microfluidic technology.

It rebranded from Sphere Fluidics to Sphere Bio in February of this year, to mark its transition from a droplet-based microfluidics innovator to an established commercial provider of integrated life sciences tools and solutions.

At the time the company said it had been focused on the development of novel single-cell analysis products and R & D services for a growing portfolio of markets, including biologics discovery, cell therapy and synthetic biology. It launched a next-generation platform, Chroma, in January and delivered first units to customers in Q2.

Cyto-Mine® Chroma's Early Access Program was launched to provide an opportunity to be among the first to demo the technology for faster project timeline completion and improved outcomes across broad applications, including antibody discovery, cell line development and emerging areas such as cell therapy.

Through the programme, the company has collaborated closely with a range of customers to drive innovation and inform the development of future applications and assays on the platform. It reports positive feedback from potential clients.

Sphere Bio was designed to build on what the company called a proven track record of over 400 international customers, including collaborations with seven of the world’s Top 10 pharma companies, over £40 million in investment, and a portfolio of 135 international patents.

At the time of the rebrand, CEO Dale Levitzke said: “Relaunching as Sphere Bio sets the stage for a transformative 2025. It better represents us as a provider of integrated life sciences tools and solutions, while maintaining a strong basis in engineering. The new name maintains our strong brand recognition, reflecting the growth of the company and its forward-looking approach, paving the way for an exciting future for our team and stakeholders.”

The company is said to have internationalised its business via a global network of distributors.