Countdown to SLAS Europe: Phabioc GmbH

Phabioc GmbH, a spin-off from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, has developed two fully automatable products that significantly improve preclinical research and drug development. “With products such as PermeaPad – a biomimetic barrier for passive drug permeability studies that enables investigations into the gastrointestinal, oral and mucosal transport of drugs – and SpecPlate – a novel UV/Vis spectroscopy plate for high-precision concentration measurements – we are helping researchers to achieve faster and more reliable breakthroughs in drug research,” says Jannik Jungmann, co-founder and CEO of Phabioc.

In Hamburg, the SLAS Ignite Award finalist will present its SpecPlate for the dilution-free measurement of absorption spectra in highly concentrated samples, which has been in series production since the end of 2024. Thanks to its special measuring chambers, the microtiter plate for UV-Vis spectroscopy enables four measurements of one sample (36 µl each) and thus helps to save 75% of material costs and two thirds of measuring time. Dilution steps are no longer necessary and pipetting and reading errors are eliminated thanks to the design of the closed measuring chambers.

Jungmann sees the field of application primarily in the optimization of the process and formulation development for complex molecules, such as antibodies or vaccines, which is considered the most cost- and time-intensive step due to high investment and material costs. “Our goal is to establish the SpecPlate in as many process steps as possible, providing our customers with a cost and time advantage. This novel UV plate will set the better standard in UV/Vis spectroscopy. By applying this innovative technology, we can enhance the efficiency and quality of our processes, ultimately delivering added value to our customers.”

The company, which was founded in Germany, intends to expand primarily in Europe and North America and establish the SpecPlate as the new laboratory standard for UV/Vis-based concentration measurements. The next challenge is the development of a skin barrier to simulate transdermal absorption. Phabioc is seeking strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical companies and contract research organizations