ENTRANCE · Project

Ready-to-Use Kit That Delivers Drugs Into Hard-to-Reach Human Cells

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Getting medicines or genetic material inside living cells is like trying to deliver a package through a locked door — most delivery methods only work on easy, lab-grown cells, not the real human cells that actually matter for curing disease. NTrans Technologies built a method called iTOP that essentially picks those locks, letting researchers push proteins, DNA, and RNA into stubborn cell types like stem cells and primary human cells. They turned this lab breakthrough into a ready-to-use kit that any research lab or drug company can order and start using. The method was validated in one of science's top journals (Cell, 2015) and is protected by international patent.

By the numbers

EUR 1,514,200

EU contribution for market-entry development

4 years

Projected payback period for kit investment

16 FTE

Planned team size by 2020

Total project deliverables completed

2015

Year of scientific validation published in Cell journal

The business problem

What needed solving

Pharmaceutical and biotech companies developing gene therapies, protein drugs, and cell-based treatments cannot reliably deliver their therapeutic molecules into the human cells that matter most — primary cells and stem cells. Standard lab methods work fine on artificial cell lines but fail on real patient-relevant cells, forcing companies to make critical drug development decisions based on potentially misleading data. This gap slows down drug discovery and increases the risk of expensive late-stage failures.

The solution

What was built

NTrans Technologies built a commercial research-use-only (RUO) kit based on their patented iTOP intracellular delivery method, including production of the first lot of sample kits. They also developed an online community platform with an interactive forum and direct support channel for kit users.

Audience

Who needs this

Pharma R&D teams developing gene therapies for genetic diseases like Duchenne muscular dystrophyBiotech companies working with stem cells for regenerative medicineContract research organizations offering cell transfection servicesAcademic medical centers running translational research on primary human cellsOphthalmology and oncology drug developers needing to test biologics in relevant cell models

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Pharmaceutical R&D

enterprise

Target: Drug development companies working on gene therapies or biologics

If you are a pharma company developing gene therapies or protein-based drugs and struggling to test them in relevant human cell types — this project developed a ready-to-use iTOP kit that delivers biologicals into primary and stem cells with high efficiency. This means you can validate drug candidates in the cells that actually matter, instead of relying on artificial cell lines that may give misleading results. The kit is patented (WO2015028969) and backed by a peer-reviewed publication in Cell.

Biotech & Cell Therapy

SME

Target: Biotech startups developing cell-based therapies for genetic diseases

If you are a biotech company working on treatments for genetic conditions like Duchenne muscular dystrophy and need to deliver corrective molecules into patient-derived cells — this project produced a kit that handles exactly that challenge. The iTOP method works on hard-to-manipulate cell types including human primary cells and stem cells. The company behind it planned to support 16 FTE by 2020, indicating active commercial operations and technical support capacity.

Contract Research Organizations

mid-size

Target: CROs offering cell biology and transfection services to pharma clients

If you are a contract research organization and your clients keep asking for results in primary human cells rather than standard cell lines — this project built a commercial kit that lets you offer that capability without developing your own delivery method. The iTOP technology was designed as a research-use-only kit with an online community and direct support from the NTrans team. The EU invested EUR 1,514,200 to bring this from validated science to a market-ready product.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What does the iTOP kit cost and how is it sold?

The project data does not specify kit pricing. However, the business plan projected that the iTOP RUO kit would earn back investments within 4 years, suggesting a commercially viable price point aimed at research labs and drug developers. Based on available project data, contact NTrans Technologies directly for current pricing.

Can the iTOP kit be used at industrial scale for drug manufacturing?

The current kit is designed as a research-use-only (RUO) product, meaning it is intended for laboratory research and drug development validation, not for manufacturing therapeutic products directly. However, the underlying technology could potentially be licensed or adapted for clinical-grade applications. NTrans Technologies indicated ambitions to expand its product pipeline beyond the RUO kit.

What is the IP situation — can we license this technology?

The iTOP technology is protected by international patent WO2015028969 and is owned by NTrans Technologies BV. The science was validated in a 2015 publication in Cell. Licensing inquiries should be directed to NTrans Technologies, as they hold full commercial rights.

What cell types does this actually work on?

The iTOP method specifically targets hard-to-manipulate cell types including human primary cells and stem cells — the cell types most relevant for studying genetic diseases and validating drug candidates. It delivers DNA, RNA, active proteins, and combinations of these molecules. This addresses a gap where standard transfection methods fail on these biologically relevant cells.

Is this technology scientifically validated?

Yes. The iTOP method was published in Cell in 2015, one of the most prestigious scientific journals. It was further validated through the ENTRANCE project which produced a first lot of sample kits and generated 8 deliverables over a 2-year EU-funded program. The project received EUR 1,514,200 through the competitive SME Instrument Phase 2.

What is the timeline from purchase to usable results?

The product was designed as a ready-to-use kit with an online community and direct access to the NTrans support team for troubleshooting. Based on available project data, the kit is intended to be usable by any researcher with standard cell biology equipment, though specific protocols and timelines depend on the cell type and application.

Is there ongoing technical support available?

The ENTRANCE project specifically built an iTOP online community as a marketing and support tool, including an interactive forum for sharing user experiences and direct access to the NTrans support team. This infrastructure was part of the core project deliverables alongside the physical kit.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a single-company project — NTrans Technologies BV from the Netherlands is both the sole partner and coordinator, and it is a private SME. The 100% industry composition with zero academic partners is unusual but makes sense for an SME Instrument Phase 2 project, which funds companies (not consortia) to bring near-market innovations to commercialization. The fact that NTrans received EUR 1,514,200 as a standalone SME signals strong confidence from EU evaluators in both the technology and the company's commercial plan. For a potential business partner, this means you would be dealing directly with the technology owner — no complex consortium negotiations or split IP.

NTRANS TECHNOLOGIES BVCoordinator · NL

How to reach the team

NTrans Technologies BV (Netherlands) — reach their commercial team via ntranstechnologies.com

Order a report on this consortium See NTRANS TECHNOLOGIES BV profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

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