Pep talk - February 2026
BioLife solutions signs multi-year supply agreement with Qkine Limited to expand its product portfolio into the rapidly growing cytokines market
We’re excited to announce our new partnership with BioLife Solutions, a leading developer and supplier of bioproduction tools and services for the cell and gene therapy (CGT) market. We have entered into a multi-year supply agreement under which BioLife will distribute certain cytokine and growth factor products manufactured by Qkine for use in cell and gene therapy manufacturing.
The agreement provides BioLife with exclusive worldwide distribution rights to specific Qkine products for the CGT market and non-exclusive rights to Qkine products in the CGT market. In addition, we intend to collaborate on a process development and validation program to enable Qkine to package certain of its products using BioLife’s proprietary CellSeal® Connect vial system, which is designed to be incorporated into closed system and/or automated CGT workflows.
Andy, Vice President of Scientific Operations
When Andy joined Qkine, the lab was small, the team even smaller and the building itself was little more than an empty shell. Fast forward a few years, and Andy now leads Scientific Operations across a rapidly growing company, helping shape not just how science is done at Qkine, but how teams work together to make it happen.
With a career that spans genetics, microbiology, antibodies, stem cells, and growth factors and a PhD earned alongside a full-time job, Andy’s journey is a testament to curiosity, adaptability, and quietly driving your own path. We caught up with Andy to talk about his career, the lessons that stuck, and why being brave enough to ask (even if the answer might be no) can make all the difference.
Buy online, contact our team or request a quote.
Did you miss?
Qkine Limited and Akron Bio announce strategic partnership
This collaboration combines Qkine’s proprietary growth factor and cytokine technologies with Akron’s established GMP manufacturing capabilities and long-standing focus on providing solutions to cell and gene therapy developers. Together, the companies will accelerate the development and delivery of innovative, high-performance recombinant proteins essential for stem cell expansion, differentiation, and maturation, addressing the need for reliable, consistent, and scalable solutions in the rapidly evolving field of regenerative medicine.
Application note: Generation of a Full Thickness Human Skin Equivalent Using Alvetex® Scaffold and Qkine Growth Factor Supplements
This application note describes a collaborative study between REPROCELL Europe, Durham University and Qkine, designed to evaluate the combined application of REPROCELL’s Alvetex® Scaffold Technology and Qkine high-purity recombinant growth factors optimal skin model generation and reproducibility.
Our range of co-developed products with StemCultures is expanding
Qkine high purity animal-origin free growth factors are now available in StemCultures hydrogel DISC technology for even more controlled growth factor release.
StemCultures technology increases protein stability, with Qkine high purity, bioactive growth factors and cytokines, these products have the potential to dramatically improve the reproducibility and scalability of 2D and 3D cell cultures.
Available now:
· Qkine FGF-2 DISCs (Standard and Mini sizes)
· Qkine BDNF DISCs
· Qkine GDNF DISCs
New application note series: Stability of Qkine growth factors
Qkine manufactures high-purity, animal origin-free growth factors, cytokines and other complex proteins for life science applications including stem cell and organoid culture. Qkine is committed to sustainability in science and as part of this commitment we ship our proteins lyophilized and at ambient temperature. With shipping around the world becoming more complex, we’ve performed a series of tests to reassure our customers of the stability of our growth factors over an extended period.
In addition, recombinant growth factors and cytokines are essential components in the successful culture of stem cells and organoids for translational research. To preserve pluripotency, stem cells require exposure to consistent levels of specific growth factors and cytokines. The instability of recombinant protein media components can increase the need for frequent media changes to preserve cell conditions and this is costly.
We have developed a series of application notes to determine the stability of Qkine growth factors both in their lyophilized forms at various temperatures and storage times and once reconstituted in buffer or media at various temperatures.
Lyophilized TGF-β1 PLUS™ bioactivity remained stable for 14 days. Bioactivity was determined using a TGF-β1-responsive (CAGA) firefly luciferase reporter in transiently transfected HEK293T cells. Cells were treated in triplicate for 6 hours with a serial dilution of TGF-β1 PLUS™ (Qk010). (A) Stored at room temperature (RT, EC50 66.20 pg/ml) or -80 °C (control, EC50 72.59 pg/ml). (B) Stored at room temperature with freeze thaws (RT/FT, EC50 53.27 pg/ml) or -80°C (control, EC50 57.29 pg/ml). Firefly luciferase activity was measured and normalized. Data from Qk010 lot #204762.
Qkine lyophilized proteins are stable, bioactive and sterile after > 2 years storage in freezer
Qkine manufactures high-purity, animal origin-free growth factors, cytokines and other complex proteins for life science applications including stem cell and organoid culture. We’ve performed a series of tests to reassure our customers of the stability of our growth factors over an extended period at -80 °C and to show that there is no difference in quality between older and newer lots. In this application note we validate the stability and bioactivity of selected lyophilized proteins stored at -80 °C for > 2 years; activin A (Qk001), TGF-β1 PLUSTM (Qk010), Flt3L (Qk087), TGF-β3 (Qk054) and FGF-2 145 aa (Qk025). Full application note.
Qkine proteins are stable and bioactive after 14 days at room temperature and multiple freeze-thaws
Qkine is committed to sustainability in science and as part of this commitment we ship our proteins lyophilized and at ambient temperature. With shipping around the world becoming more complex, we’ve performed a series of tests to reassure our customers of the stability of our growth factors over an extended period. In this application note we validate the stability and bioactivity of selected lyophilized proteins; FGF-2 145 aa (Qk025), TGF-β1 PLUSTM (Qk010), IL-2 (Qk089) and Flt3L (Qk087), stored at room temperature or subjected to 4 freeze-thaw cycles, alternating between room temperature and -80 °C for 14 days. Full application note.
Qkine reconstituted growth factors and cytokines exhibit excellent stability under recommended storage conditions
Generally, growth factors and cytokines are most stable in their lyophilized (freeze-dried) form. All Qkine proteins are shipped lyophilized, and we guarantee their stability for at least two years when stored at -20°C or -80°C in this form. However, we are frequently asked how stable our proteins are once reconstituted and stored at different concentrations and in different buffers, including cell culture media. In this application note, we address these questions using TGF-beta family growth factors: activin A (Qk001), TGF-β1 (Qk010), GDNF (Qk051) and BMP-4 (Qk038). Full application note.
Stability of Qkine recombinant growth factors and cytokines in conditioned media
FGF-2 is a key component of stem cell media, it is known to be unstable under cell culture conditions, leading to the necessity for daily media changes to maintain culture conditions for stem cell culture. Although the thermo-instability of FGF-2 is well documented, the thermostability of other essential growth factors has not been investigated. This application note reviews the stability of Qkine growth factors (GM-CSF, IL-6, IGF-1, IGF1 LR3, GDNF, BMP-4, HGF NK1 and TGF-ß1 PLUS) under cell culture-like conditions to ensure maximum cost effectiveness and reproducibility in stem cell cultures. Full application note.
What's new?
QkPlate© human vitronectin coated 6 well plate (Qk2001)
We're happy to introduce Qkine's new product line - QkPlates!
First to launch is our unique product QkPlate© human vitronectin coated 6 well plates.
- Pre-coated with our ultra-low endotoxin human vitronectin
- Maximum convenience, store at room temperature
- Validated for iPSC maintenance
Vitronectin protein is widely used in stem cell culture. It provides a defined environment that supports the maintenance of pluripotency and is suitable for feeder-free culture, expansion, differentiation, and reprogramming of stem cells.
Recombinant human nodal protein (Qk029)
Nodal is a transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) family member which has an essential role in embryonic development. Nodal signaling controls endoderm and mesoderm germ layer specification whilst preventing neuroectoderm formation. It has also been implicated in cancer metastasis. Recombinant nodal has been found to maintain pluripotency in embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
Qkine recombinant human nodal has been manufactured to be completely animal origin-free with reliable and consistent bioactivity for the reproducible maintenance of pluripotency in stem cells. Recombinant nodal is a 25.9 kDa homodimer, tag and carrier free.
Recombinant nodal activity was determined using a P19 cell CAGA luciferase reporter assay. Transfected P19 cells were treated in triplicate with a serial dilution of Nodal for 6 hours. Firefly activity was measured and normalized to the control Renilla luciferase activity. Data from Qk029 lot 204811. EC50 = 147 ng/ml (5.68 nM).
Technotes
At Qkine data transparency is our promise. We test all new products against others on the market to ensure each is as bioactive or more, only then will they be approved for sale.
Each new lot is tested to ensure the bioactivity is consistent lot-to-lot, to ensure the most consistent cell cultures and assays. All data is available for all lots, and many are available as technotes.
Why not see if data on your protein of interest is available (if not ask!)
Technote | M-CSF (Qk075)
Get 70% off our high bioactivity M-CSF until 31st March 2026 in our flash sale!
Qkine M-CSF bioactivity was equivalent to M-CSF from an alternative supplier. Bioactivity was determined using the proliferation of NFS-60 mouse myeloid leukemia cells. Cells were treated in triplicate with a serial dilution of Qkine M-CSF (Qk075, green) or Peprotech (300-25, Supplier B, black) for 48 hours. Protein concentrations were measured before use (Peprotech vial recovery 101%, Qkine 101%). Cell viability was measured using the CellTiter-Glo (Promega) luminescence assay and normalized. Data from Qk075 lot #204507.
Technote | IL-3 (Qk090)
Get 60% off our high bioactivity IL-3 until 31st March 2026 in our flash sale!
Qkine IL-3 has equivalent bioactivity to IL-3 from an alternative major supplier. Bioactivity was determined by stimulation of proliferation of TF-1 cells. Cells were treated in triplicate with a serial dilution of Qkine IL-3 (Qk090, green) or alternative supplier IL-3 (Supplier B black) for 72 hours and proliferation measured using the CellTiter-Glo (Promega) luminescence assay.
Recent publications
ATP11A and ATP11C are plasma membrane phosphatidylserine flippases in in vitro human megakaryocytes
Baxter, R et al. BioRXiv, February 2026
The CDC50A-regulated P4-ATPases ATP11A and ATP11C act together at the megakaryocyte plasma membrane and are responsible for PS flippase activity and therefore likely responsible in human platelets.
Used Qkine human BMP-4 (Qk038)
Age-Driven Lipid Remodeling Activates Lysosome-Mediated Plasma Membrane Repair
All our growth factors are manufactured within a stringent quality framework, ensuring high-quality proteins that maintain robust, reproducible, and physiologically relevant stem cell and organoid cultures that adhere to our Nine-point Quality Commitment.
Upcoming Events
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- Bioreactors and Growth Environments for Tissue Engineering Workshop 2026 | 5-6 March 2026 | Keele, UK
- Cell & Gene Therapy Conference 2026 | 9-10 March 2026 | Hinxton, UK
- Bonn Organoid Symposium 2026 | 12 March 2026 | Bonn, Germany
- Advanced Therapies 2026 | 17-18 March 2026 | London, UK
We'd always love to meet you at any event, contact support@qkine.com to make an appointment.
What’s next?
Qkine are committed to producing the most high quality and bioactive growth factors and cytokines, coming soon to our extensive portfolio:
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Recombinant human BMP-7 protein (Qk028) - Expected April 2026
- Recombinant human activin A/B protein (Qk127) - Expected April 2026
- Recombinant human activin A/C protein (Qk128) - Expected May 2026
If you wish to be notified when proteins are released, contact us customerservice@qkine.com