Trailhead Biosystems Secures $20 Million to Drive Innovation and Accelerate Growth
BEACHWOOD, Ohio, May 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ --Trailhead Biosystems Inc. (www.trailbio.com), a biotechnology company advancing human cell innovation, has secured $20 million in financing. Trailhead specializes in precisely differentiating induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into functional human cell types—unlocking new possibilities for research and cell therapy. Through its proprietary High-Dimensional Design of Experiments (HD-DoE®) platform, Trailhead optimizes differentiation with exceptional accuracy, enabling scalable solutions for both drug discovery and regenerative medicine. The investment, led by MAK Capital with participation from additional investors, comes at a critical phase of Trailhead's growth, enabling expansion in personnel, manufacturing and strategic partnerships.
Trailhead Biosystems, Inc. is pioneering the informatics-based approach in regenerative medicine and drug discovery. Founded in 2015 as a spinout from the Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University, Trailhead emerged from the research of CEO/CSO Dr. Jan Jensen during his tenure as an endowed professor at the Cleveland Clinic. Trailhead creates optimized human cells at scale with its proprietary High-Dimensional Design of Experiments (HD-DoE®) platform. HD-DoE® integrates advanced math (PRNewsfoto/Trailhead Biosystems Inc)
Accelerating Growth in Research Markets
The funding will enhance Trailhead's rapidly expanding portfolio of iPSC-derived cells for research applications, advancing preclinical drug discovery and disease modeling. The company recently introduced TrailBio® Vascular Leptomeningeal Cells (VLMCs) for blood-brain barrier research, addressing a critical need in neuroscience and drug delivery. Upcoming product introductions include iPSC-derived pancreatic islets, hepatocytes, dopaminergic neurons and hematopoietic progenitors, providing researchers with highly specialized human cell models to drive breakthroughs.
Beyond its off-the-shelf offerings, Trailhead remains dedicated to custom cell differentiation services, enabling scientists to refine existing models or develop novel cell types with precise biological fidelity.
As the FDA shifts toward human-based lab models as alternatives to animal testing, Trailhead's human-relevant cell products provide a scalable and predictive solution for modern drug development and safety testing. These new approaches enhance high-throughput screening, disease modeling and the development of organoid and organ-on-a-chip research platforms.
Strengthening Therapeutic Partnerships
This funding also strengthens Trailhead's ability to support therapeutic partners, driving innovation and scalability in cell-based therapies. Investments in infrastructure and personnel will enhance manufacturing capabilities, streamline production workflows and deepen collaborations with leading industry partners in regenerative medicine.
"This investment allows us to further advance how iPSCs are differentiated into precise human cell types for both drug discovery and therapeutic development," said Jan Jensen, Ph.D., CEO/CSO and founder of Trailhead Biosystems. "By optimizing scalable differentiation processes, we are enabling researchers to accelerate discovery and develop more predictive models, while also supporting the next generation of cell-based therapies."
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