Jellagen

About Jellagen

Jellagen is a medical biotechnology company founded in 2013 by Alex Paul Muhlholzl and Andrew Mearns Spragg, a marine biotechnologist. The company manufactures next-generation, medical-grade collagen biomaterials derived from jellyfish. Operating from Cardiff, Wales, Jellagen has developed a proprietary manufacturing process to extract and purify what it has designated 'Collagen Type 0'. This marine-derived collagen serves as a safer, more versatile, and ethically sourced alternative to traditional mammalian collagens, which carry risks of disease transmission.

The company's business model is centered on developing and commercializing these sustainable biomaterials for a variety of applications. Its primary markets are in regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, and scientific research. Jellagen provides research-grade products, such as its JellaGel™ hydrogel, for 2D and 3D cell culture, enabling scientists to grow cells in an environment that mimics natural conditions. For the medical market, the company is developing clinical-grade formulations for therapeutic uses, including advanced wound care, skin reconstruction, and implantable medical devices. Revenue is generated through the sale of its research products and by establishing partnerships with pharmaceutical and medical device companies to co-develop and license its collagen technology for clinical applications.

Jellagen has secured significant funding to advance its research and development programs toward human trials and regulatory approval. The company has raised a total of $21.3 million over six rounds, with the latest being a Series A round in December 2022 that raised £8.7 million ($10.6M). Key investors include the Development Bank of Wales, Cardiff Capital Region, and Thai Union Group, a major seafood industry leader. This funding is aimed at scaling up its manufacturing, which operates under ISO 13485:2016 certification, and accelerating the development of its product pipeline.