VentriLabs secures Vinnova funding for more efficient biopharmaceutical manufacturing

PRESS RELEASE | 10 November 2026

A pump developed by Gothenburg-based VentriLabs has shown up to 25% higher antibody productivity in previous independent testing. Now company has received funding from Vinnova to further evaluate the technology together with researchers at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. The results could pave the way for more efficient manufacturing of biological medicines.

Many modern medicines, including therapeutic antibodies used to treat cancer and autoimmune diseases, are produced using living cells grown in large bioreactors. Keeping these cells healthy is essential to producing medicines efficiently.

But there is a challenge: the pumps used to circulate cells during production can expose them to mechanical stress, damaging the cells and reducing their ability to produce the desired medicine.

VentriLabs has developed the DuaFLO® BioPump, designed to circulate cells more gently through the manufacturing process. Unlike conventional pumping technologies, it provides a continuous, non-pulsatile flow that reduces the mechanical stress placed on the cells.

In previous independent testing using CHO cells, commonly used in pharmaceutical manufacturing, the technology demonstrated up to 25% higher IgG antibody productivity than a state-of-the-art reference pump.

If these results can be replicated under different industrial conditions, the technology could help manufacturers produce more medicine using existing production capacity, potentially reducing manufacturing costs and resource requirements.

Independent testing at KTH

With funding from Vinnova, VentriLabs will now collaborate with the Cell Technology Group (CETEG) at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, led by Professor Veronique Chotteau, an internationally recognised expert in high-density cell cultivation.

"The data from this project will give customers and equipment manufacturers a strong basis for assessing DuaFLO® in their own processes. Working with Professor Chotteau and her team, internationally recognised experts in high cell density perfusion, adds significant weight to those results," says Robin Öz, CEO of VentriLabs.

The researchers will evaluate DuaFLO® BioPump in high-density perfusion cultivation, a manufacturing method in which fresh nutrients are continuously supplied while cells are retained in the bioreactor.

The study will compare DuaFLO® with reference pumps, measuring cell growth, viability and productivity under representative process conditions.

"As cell densities increase, gentle cell handling becomes critical to maintaining culture performance. Testing novel equipment under industrially relevant conditions is central to our work at CETEG, and we look forward to exploring the DuaFLO® BioPump together with VentriLabs," says Professor Veronique Chotteau, KTH Royal Institute of Technology.

From Gothenburg innovation to industrial application

VentriLabs is an alumni company of CO-AX, Sahlgrenska Science Park's accelerator for life science startups, which supports companies in developing and bringing health innovations to market.

The new collaboration with KTH marks another step towards validating the technology for broader industrial use.

The project is funded through Vinnova's call Nyttja infrastrukturer för innovation inom life science, which gives companies access to advanced research environments and expertise.

About VentriLabs

VentriLabs is a Gothenburg-based technology company developing innovative pumping solutions for biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Its DuaFLO® BioPump is designed to handle living cells gently, supporting more efficient and reliable production processes.

About Sahlgrenska Science Park and CO-AX

Sahlgrenska Science Park is a non-profit organisation strengthening life science innovation and collaboration in West Sweden. Through its CO-AX accelerator, it supports startups and growth companies in healthtech, medtech and biotechnology, helping them move from innovation towards market application.

Contact

Robin Öz, CEO, Ventrilabs: robin.oz@ventrilabs.com