In Portrait: biotechrabbit

biotechrabbit GmbH, an ISO 13485 certified biotech company in Berlin, manufactures enzymes and antibodies for molecular applications. Business thrived during the COVID-19 pandemic, as biotechrabbit was a head of curve providing large scale enzymes, reagents and antibodies in the format to support containing the virus. The company continues to experience growth even after the COVID-19 peak.

Whether it’s a COVID-19 self-test, a PCR test, or a blood test: when diagnostics rely on proteins, a product from the Berlin-based company biotechrabbit is often involved. “We produce 40 different proteins, which we sell either as individual enzymes or self-made formulations,” says Dr. Bernd Haase, who founded biotechrabbit in 2011 and continues to lead the company as CEO.

International Presence

biotechrabbit's enzymes and formulations are in demand worldwide. Demand was particularly high during the COVID-19 pandemic because biotechrabbit also offers a highly sensitive and specific enzyme mixture for polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which was needed globally. Consequently, the company extended its capacities, resources and internal processes to meet global needs.

Now that the peak of the pandemic has passed, biotechrabbit continues manufacturing large scale for wide vast of diagnostic, NGS and life science companies and focusing on new development and portfolio extension. Despite the decline in demand for the Covid PCR mix, business remains strong. “To make a realistic comparison, we must look at the current numbers against those from 2019, and we are having a nice growth– this year I expect growth of 80 percent. The market is highly receptive to our products.”

Diverse Products and Services

When Haase refers to “our products,” he means not only enzymes, but also monoclonal antibodies and other molecular reagents needed for diagnostics and life-science research. “Our products can also be used outside the molecular and pharmaceutical industry, for example in the food and environmental sectors for testing.” Additionally, Haase and his team assist customers with diagnostic developments and support research projects, such as the international synthetic biology competition iGEM at TU Braunschweig, where tests for checking lithium concentrations in saliva were developed using biotechrabbit’s enzymes and reagents.

Additionally, biotechrabbit’s portfolio includes in-house lyophilization (Freeze drying of molecular enzymes, antibodies and complex formulations). “We have offered this since 2012 and seeing ourselves as one of the global leaders in quality and performance,” says Haase. “Our freeze-drying process eliminates the need for a cold chain, saving costs and effort in shipping and storing sensitive enzymes and reagents.” Beyond expanding lyophilization, Haase plans to further develop the molecular diagnostics sector in the coming years.

Based in Adlershof

biotechrabbit's production, development, and research are conducted at their Berlin-Adlershof location. “With over 30 laboratories, we are currently the largest tenant of the Center for Biotechnology and Environment – ZBU,” says Haase, who currently employs 43 staff members. In November 2023, biotechrabbit opened a branch in Shanghai due to high demand of its products in China to locally supports the customers, extension and setting up an office in the USA already in the planning stages.

Haase values Berlin not only for its excellent networking opportunities within the biotech and life-science industries but also for the generally good cooperation between politics and business. “Moreover, Berlin is an internationally known and popular city that attracts young and motivated researchers,” says the CEO. “But representatives from other cities and countries also enjoy coming here – we see this, for example, during our audits.”

The company’s somewhat interesting name is a result of its founder’s surname which means Rabbit in German. “The idea was: I’m the only ‘Ha(a)se’,” Haase smiles. “And we wanted a name far removed from industry to have a distinctive and recognizable identity.” This approach seems to have paid off, especially with the logo – many in the industry now recognize the fast moving forward orange rabbit.

Source: Cluster HealthCapital Berlin-Brandenburg, March 3, 2024; Biorabbit GmbH 

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