About US

The company was founded by Prof. dr. Joost de Bruijn and was awarded funding by the Dutch government (SenterNovem, ministry of Economic Affairs) to develop an automated, closed bioreactor. As a result, a first prototype was built in 2009 that lay the groundwork for automation of the cell culture process. This prototype contained important functional aspects of the hardware cabinet; temperature control, monitoring and control units and a first version of the Single-use bioreactor Bag. Further development was done with the help of funding by the European Union under its seventh framework programme (REACH, project no. 601869).
Collaborating with different end-users (e.g. Leiden University Medical Center), a fully functional third-generation prototype was finalized in 2016. This prototype was able to support high-fold cell expansion through its (patented) unique expansion mechanism, combined with (patented) control mechanisms for the cell culture environment.

Concurrent with the technical development, biological process development was initiated for large-scale culture of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), a major cell type used in multiple cell therapy applications. Partly funded through the European Union’s sixth and seventh framework programme (Stem Expand, project no. 222989; Stellar, project no. 305436), we worked on growing MSCs on microcarriers to high cell numbers to support the requirements for cell therapies.

Growth of MSCs on microcarriers enabled the cultivation of up to 2 billion cells. After the success with MSC cultivation, the process development activities have shifted to other cell types, including adipose-derived stem cells, muscle precursor cells (MUSIC, EU project no. 731377) and induced pluripotent stem cells. The third-generation hardware was redesigned according to good manufacturing processes (GMP) requirements. In 2018 DEMCON invested in Scinus Cell Expansion Netherlands B.V. to support further market expansion, intensifying the relationship with different KOLs in the field and expand the distribution network.

In 2019 the first GMP compliant SCINUS systems, as well as the Single use Adherent bioreactor Bags, were realized. In 2020 the first R&D Single use Suspension bioreactor Bags were manufactured and functionally tested. Process development activities have taken place on different types of Suspension cells (e.g. NS-1 cells, Jurkat Cells, T-cells).