The investment is part of a UK Government strategy to invest in innovative companies with high growth potential.

This investment will support CMD’s continued commercial development of αBET, an innovative benchtop instrument designed to provide a more sustainable, efficient and user-friendly alternative to traditional methods of endotoxin and pyrogen testing, a key step in the manufacturing of injectable medicines.

CMD’s αBET platform, accompanied by proprietary consumables, offers a rapid, cost-effective, and easy-to-use alternative to traditional centralised laboratory testing systems. The gold standard reagent used in this testing, Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL), is derived from the blood of the horseshoe crab. With continued growth in the pharmaceutical sector, the demand for endotoxin testing is growing. CMD recognised the importance of also offering a more sustainable testing solution, and the BET system reduces reagent consumption by more than 90% when compared with traditional testing.  

Aligning with global regulatory trends that are looking to phase out animal-derived testing methods in favour of recombinant reagents, CMD are expanding the BET test menu to allow users to run next-generation assays on the system, supporting both sustainability and scientific progress. 

Founded in 2014, CMD technology initially focused on malaria diagnostics before discovering its broader potential in pharmaceutical safety testing. The company has since gained commercial traction and benefited from previous Innovate UK funding and early investment to accelerate technology development.

Frank Millar, CEO of CPI, commented: “CMD exemplifies the type of ambitious, high-impact business we seek to back, one that combines deep scientific innovation with a strong commercial vision. With regulatory and market shifts converging in this space, CMD is well-positioned to lead the transformation of endotoxin testing, reducing reliance on animal products while improving industry efficiency.”

Jenna Bowen, CEO of CMD, added: “We’re thrilled to receive this backing from CPI Enterprises and Innovate UK. This investment will allow us to continue scaling our αBET® platform and further integrate with recombinant testing methods that meet emerging global standards. Our mission has always been to deliver smarter, faster, and more sustainable testing solutions – and this funding is a major step forward.”

 Dave Wilkes, Director – Innovation Ecosystem at Innovate UK, said: “This investment is part of a wider scheme led by Innovate UK and the Catapult Network. The new capital deployment strategy enables Catapults to further support innovative startups with disruptive technology in the early stages of investment. By investing in high-potential, innovative businesses and connecting them with the right partners and expertise, we help ensure that companies have the greatest opportunity to turn their bright ideas into commercial growth that drives and strengthens the UK economy.”

The pharmaceutical and therapeutic manufacturing sectors are experiencing exponential growth, particularly in personalised medicine and advanced biologics, increasing the demand for reliable and scalable endotoxin testing. CMD’s αBET® platform is uniquely positioned to meet this demand while complying with evolving regulatory frameworks.

This investment aligns with UK Government’s strategic focus on accelerating innovation-led growth through impactful partnerships that bring novel technologies to global markets.

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