On Northern Europe’s digital frontier, Icosagen stands out in the biotechnology landscape. Based in Tartu, Estonia’s second‑largest city, it is not only the country’s largest biotech company but also one of the most agile Contract Research, Development and Manufacturing Organizations (CRDMOs) operating globally.
What truly sets Icosagen apart is its identity — privately held, family‑led, and independent for more than 26 years. In an industry often driven by short‑term gains and shareholder returns, Icosagen has chosen a different path: scientific integrity, trust, and long‑term partnerships.
FROM DIAGNOSING DISEASE TO ENABLING CURES
Icosagen’s story began in the late 1990s as Quattromed, founded by four Estonian scientists to advance molecular diagnostics — helping physicians detect disease earlier and more accurately. After the successful spin‑out of that diagnostics business in 2008, the remaining founder, Professor Ustav, redirected the company’s scientific engine toward biologics. Drawing on his expertise in virology and protein expression, he transformed Icosagen from diagnosing disease to enabling cures — building a world‑class platform for discovering and developing antibodies, engineering cell lines, and moving promising molecules toward the clinic.
Today, Icosagen serves biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies worldwide, offering end‑to‑end services from early‑stage research to clinical‑grade GMP manufacturing. Capabilities covering everything from target discovery and protein engineering to cell line and process development.
“We’ve always believed that scientific excellence and business ethics go hand‑in‑hand. Our family values have shaped not just how we work, but who we work with.”
– Mart Ustav, Professor, Icosagen’s Co‑founder and CEO –
CRDMO CAPABILITIES UNDER ONE ROOF
Icosagen’s signature advantage is its One Site, One Team, One Project approach — an integrated service model that enables seamless knowledge transfer, rapid decision‑making, and full traceability across the drug development lifecycle. Clients benefit from a unified team of 200+scientists and engineers, each bringing deep domain expertise in everything from transient expression platforms to advanced bioprocessing.
At the core of its production ecosystem is a suite of technologies that pairs well‑established commercial platforms with proprietary innovations, developed in‑house to overcome common bottlenecks and raise performance. Among them:
- HybriFree®B‑cellcloning — a proprietary antibody discovery platform with a proven edge for hard‑to‑target membrane proteins such as GPCRs and ion channels.
- QMCFTechnology — a robust transient expression system for fast, scalable protein production.
- IcoCell® — one of the world’s most productive CHO cell line platforms.
These capabilities are reinforced by a fully digital QA documentation system and a state‑of‑the‑art GMP facility, enabling Icosagen to meet the growing global demand for high‑quality, scalable clinical protein manufacturing.
RECOGNITION & VALUES THAT ENDURE
In recognition of its achievements, Icosagen was recently nominated for both Company of the Year and Innovator of the Year at Estonia’s Annual Enterprise Awards — a testament to its dual focus on scientific excellence and business sustainability.
Behind the accolades is a company committed to people — its own and its clients’. Whether partnering with a start‑up seeking a development ally or a global biopharma company scaling a therapeutic program, Icosagen brings the same attention to detail and collaborative mindset to every project.
We see ourselves as enablers. We help our clients move science forward — faster, smarter, and with confidence.”
– Mart Ustav, Professor, Icosagen’s Co‑founder and CEO –
LOOKING AHEAD
As biologics continue to shape the future of medicine, Icosagen is expanding its role as a strategic development and manufacturing partner. The company is investing in AI‑driven process development, smarter cell line optimization, and global alliances to stay ahead of scientific and regulatory trends.
In an increasingly crowded CRDMO landscape, Icosagen’s independence, scientific legacy, and family‑driven ethos offer a rare combination of agility, credibility, and care.
