BioLife Solutions, Inc. (BLFS)

BioLife Solutions, Inc. is based in Bothell, Washington, and traces its roots to 1987, when it was incorporated as Cryomedical Sciences. The company was later renamed BioLife Solutions and refocused on biopreservation, the science of keeping cells and tissues viable during storage and shipping. Its early business centered on cell preservation media, a niche but critical input for biologic therapies.

BioLife's proprietary media, including HypoThermosol FRS and CryoStor, were formulated to reduce preservation-induced, delayed-onset cell damage and death. Customers included developers and manufacturers of cell and gene therapies, which depend on carefully controlled storage and transport of living cells. The company sold directly and through distributors in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and other regions.

Starting in the late 2010s, BioLife expanded from media into a broader set of bioproduction tools through acquisitions. It added thawing devices under the ThawSTAR brand, evo cloud-connected shipping containers, cryogenic freezers and equipment, and biological and pharmaceutical storage services. Acquired businesses included Cell Preservation Services, SAVSU Technologies, Sexton Biotechnologies and Astero Bio, among others, which together widened its product line across the cell and gene therapy supply chain.

The company's stock traded on Nasdaq under the symbol BLFS. As the cell and gene therapy sector faced a funding slowdown, BioLife encountered weaker customer demand and pursued cost reductions and portfolio changes, a process commentators described as cleaning house. Management emphasized profitability and focus on its core biopreservation and cold-chain products.

In 2026 BioLife agreed to be acquired by Repligen Corporation, a Waltham, Massachusetts supplier of bioprocessing products. Under the merger agreement, each BioLife share would be exchanged for 0.1442 shares of Repligen common stock plus $11.25 in cash, with cash paid in place of fractional shares. BioLife shareholders voted on the transaction at a special meeting held on October 5, 2026, where about 84 percent of the shares present voted in favor.

The merger closed on October 6, 2026, and BioLife became a wholly owned subsidiary of Repligen. BioLife's board members and named executive officers resigned at closing, and Repligen's merger subsidiary officers and directors took their place. A Form 25 was filed to delist the common stock from Nasdaq, and BioLife prepared to terminate its Exchange Act reporting obligations. Former shareholders now hold Repligen shares, which trade on Nasdaq under RGEN.

Because the transaction paid part of the price in Repligen stock, the value received by BioLife holders depended on Repligen's share price at closing. The combination joined BioLife's biopreservation media, freezers and cold-chain products with Repligen's bioprocessing consumables used in the manufacture of biologic drugs. Both companies sold to overlapping customers in cell and gene therapy and biologics manufacturing, which was the stated rationale for combining them.