Cellevate is the expert in nanofiber-based cell culture systems for upstream bioprocessing.
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Cellevate AB is a Swedish biotech company founded in 2014 as a spin-out from NanoLund, the nanomaterials centre at Lund University, and based at Medicon Village in Lund. The company develops next-generation cell culture systems for cell and gene therapy and vaccine manufacturing, backed by Industrifonden, the European Innovation Council Fund and Onsight Ventures.
Cellevat3d® nanofiber microcarriers replace bead-based carriers with cellulose monofibers that give adherent cells up to 60 times more surface area. Cells form homogeneous 3D spheroids in conventional stirred-tank bioreactors – which means higher viable cell densities and substantially higher virus titers, without changing your hardware. Two product lines are available: Cellevat3d® nanofiber microcarriers for AAV and lentiviral vector production, and Cellevat3d® VAX for viral vaccine production. Both are animal origin-free and made from sustainable cellulose.
Cellevat3d® – a new category of microcarrier
Conventional microcarriers are beads: cells grow as a monolayer on a curved 2D surface, and surface area limits how much you can produce per litre. Cellevate, a spin-out from NanoLund at Lund University, took a different route. Its patented process produces cellulose nanofiber monofibers, on average 500 nm in diameter, with a cationic surface that supports cell attachment. The result is roughly 53,000 cm² of surface per gram and a true three-dimensional culture environment.
Up to 60× the surface area
More growth surface per litre of bioreactor volume – with typical HEK293 densities of 2–3 × 10⁶ cells/mL.
Homogeneous 3D spheroids
Cells form dense, viable spheroids instead of a monolayer, which is what drives the gains in transfection efficiency and virus yield.
Drops into your existing process
Compatible with stainless steel and single-use stirred-tank bioreactors; carriers are removed by depth filtration, so USP and DSP steps stay as they are.
Enzyme-free passaging
Spheroid cultures can be transferred directly from spinner flask to bioreactor – a faster, gentler seed train with less batch-to-batch variability.
Animal origin-free and sustainable
No animal-derived material in the raw materials or in manufacturing. Cellulose is biodegradable and renewable. Manufactured under a quality system according to ISO 9001 and 21 CFR 820; Cellevate is ISO 9001:2015 certified and produces in a clean room under GMP processes.
Technical specification
| Material | Cellulose-based nanofiber (monofibers) |
|---|---|
| Approx. surface area (dry) | 53,000 cm²/g |
| Average nanofiber diameter | 500 nm |
| Surface charge | Cationic |
| Typical cell density (HEK293) | 2–3 × 10⁶ cells/mL |
| Bioreactor | Stirred-tank bioreactors (stainless steel and single-use) |
| Sterilization | Autoclave before use |
| Animal origin-free | Yes |
| Scalability | Spinner flask to large-scale production |
| Applications | Viral vectors (AAV, LV), viral vaccines, iPSCs, recombinant proteins, organoids |
Two product lines, both available now
Cellevat3d® nanofiber microcarriers – AAV and lentiviral vector production
Designed for HEK293/HEK293T-based vector manufacturing. In Cellevate's benchmarking against industry-standard microcarriers: a 3.1-fold higher AAV9 titer, and for lentivirus a 5-fold higher infectious titer (5 × 10⁷ vs. 1 × 10⁷ TU/mL) with transfection efficiency of 98.6% vs. 82.4%. Scale-up was demonstrated from 1 L spinner flask to a 10 L single-use stirred-tank bioreactor using enzyme-free passaging, at 94% average viability and 2.5 × 10⁶ cells/mL. Available as a 0.2 g starter pack and in production quantities.
Cellevat3d® VAX – viral vaccine production
Optimized for adherent lines such as Vero. Vero cultures reached 2.3 × 10⁶ cells/mL at 99% average viability, with consistent growth from spinner flask to bioreactor. In benchmarking against industry-standard bead microcarriers, enterovirus A71 titers were 13.5-fold higher, with a 26-fold higher cell-specific virus yield; in an independent study at Intravacc, HEK293T cultures gave 11.4-fold higher infectious enterovirus titers and a 17-fold higher cell-specific yield. Available in 0.1 g, 0.5 g and 500 g pack sizes.
In development: Cellevat3d® iPSC nanofiber microcarriers (expected 2027) and Cellevat3d® nanofiber macrocarriers for stem cell expansion.
Better process economy, not just better numbers.
Higher titers per batch mean fewer batches for the same output – Cellevate reports up to 85% lower viral production costs, alongside reduced water use, less waste and shorter processing times. For cell and gene therapy developers and vaccine manufacturers under cost pressure, the upstream step is where that leverage sits.
Complete your bioprocessing workflow
Combine Cellevat3d® with PELOBiotech 3D technologies, iPS cells, cell culture media and GMP proteins. For animal-free upstream processes end to end, see our animal component-free (ACF) solutions and industrial application GMP.
