Logical Biological, biospecimen and critical material experts, has announced the launch of a new sister company, Logical Antigen, focused on rapid and customised delivery of high-quality antigens and biologicals, for research and manufacturing of diagnostic products.
Logical Biological
Antigens are a key component in the manufacture of in vitro diagnostic (IVD) test reagents, often used in controls to confirm test performance. However, unmet needs currently exist in relation to protein derived material availability, suitability and consistent performance. Helping to solve these challenges, Logical Antigen offers both native and recombinant antigen customisation, as well as serum and plasma customisation and engineering, unlocking clinical innovation and addressing supply sustainability. The company will focus on antigen and raw material development tailored to complex biological requirements, with stringent quality standards and large-scale usage.
Led by managing director Hannah McIntosh, the Logical Antigen founding team of three scientists each have over 20 years of protein purification experience. Their streamlined workflows enable customised antigen delivery within weeks, accelerating the industry-standard timelines which traditionally have taken years. This significantly reduces timelines across discovery, design review, validation, and product development pipelines.
Stephane Argivier, chief executive of Logical Biological, said: “The launch of our sister company addresses today’s and tomorrow’s global challenges in the supply of critical raw materials. Hannah and the team at Logical Antigen are amongst the very best in the world at what they do, providing deep expertise in protein purification, as well as serum and plasma engineering. This launch strengthens our ‘One Logical’ offering and demonstrates our ambition to be the partner of choice, delivering at scale for diagnostics leaders.”
Based alongside Logical Biological at Discovery Park in Kent, UK, Logical Antigen is now operating out of a new, purpose built laboratory space. Structured as ‘One Logical’ family of companies, Logical Antigen’s commercial and business support functions will be delivered by the existing team at Logical Biological.
Hannah McIntosh, managing director of Logical Antigen, said: “Logical Antigen was born from the urgent need for faster and more flexible development of antigens and biologicals. We've assembled a brilliant team with complementary expertise, working from state-of-the-art facilities at Discovery Park. By combining our specialist protein purification knowledge with Logical Biological's industry-leading expertise, we are entering a new era of protein engineering, supporting faster and more accurate detection of diseases.”
Logical Antigen’s customisation capabilities are based on refined extraction, isolation, and purification techniques, from native biological sources, to preserve structural conformation, post-translational modifications, and biological activity.
Alongside their antigen focus, Logical Antigen will also support Logical Biological by increasing customisation options, including delivering processed biospecimen, bulk serum and plasma. Logical Antigen’s scientific expertise, combined with Logical Biological’s in-depth knowledge of IVD applications, will enable the development of products precisely aligned to customer needs.
The launch marks the latest phase in Logical Biological's strategic expansion, supported by strong financial performance with EBITDA figures up nearly 30% on FY24. Building on initial capabilities in biospecimens and bulk disease state plasma, the company continues to invest into customisation capabilities to deliver critical components for IVD controls and calibrators, with further capability expansion planned for the future.