Nicoya Lifesciences Acquires Applied Photophysics to Accelerate Drug Discovery

What You Should Know:

–  Nicoya Lifesciences, Inc., a leading provider of advanced biologics characterization tools for drug discovery and development, today announced its acquisition of Applied Photophysics, a UK-based provider of biophysical characterization instrumentation. 

–  Applied Photophysics, bringing a 50-year history of delivering established analytical methods and reliable instrumentation, will now operate as part of Nicoya.

Nicoya Expands Biopharmaceutical Analytics Portfolio with Strategic Acquisition of Applied Photophysics

Nicoya has significantly broadened its capabilities in biopharmaceutical analysis by acquiring Applied Photophysics, a global leader in protein structural and kinetic technologies. The integration of Applied Photophysics’s instruments with Nicoya’s existing Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) systems enables a unified platform that delivers comprehensive characterization of complex biologics. This strategic move addresses a growing industry demand for multidimensional, high-throughput tools that accelerate early-stage decision-making and improve the success rate of therapeutic development.

The expanded Nicoya platform offers a full suite of complementary technologies, including:
• SPR systems (such as the high-throughput Alto) for label-free analysis of binding kinetics and affinity
• Circular Dichroism (Chirascan) for assessing protein secondary structure
• nanoDSF (SUPR-DSF) for evaluating thermal stability
• Stopped-flow instrumentation (SX) for rapid kinetic measurements

Together, these tools provide detailed insights into a biologic’s function, structure, and stability—all from a single provider. This integration is particularly beneficial for biopharma companies and emerging biotech firms with automation objectives and high-throughput screening needs, enabling them to better assess complex modalities such as ADCs and bispecific antibodies.

A key advantage of the platform is its ability to process crude, unpurified samples, eliminating the need for early-stage purification steps. This feature enables:
• Faster identification of viable leads
• Reduction in resource expenditure on unsuitable candidates
• Accelerated timelines in lead optimization

In line with the industry’s increasing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), Nicoya is standardizing data output across its portfolio to facilitate AI-driven drug discovery. By partnering with AI-native biotechs and academic institutions, Nicoya is contributing to more accurate predictive modeling of antibody function and drug developability. The capacity to generate integrated, multi-parameter datasets will be critical in training robust models that improve forecasting of clinical success.

The acquisition is projected to:
• Double Nicoya’s annual revenue
• Triple its existing customer base
• Establish a strong foundation for long-term profitability with 25% projected organic growth

As part of the integration, Applied Photophysics’s UK headquarters in Leatherhead, Surrey, will become Nicoya’s European operational hub. This expansion enhances Nicoya’s global footprint and strengthens its customer support capabilities across key international markets.

The transaction was supported by Nicoya’s existing investor syndicate, led by Graphite Ventures and debt partner SWK Holdings Corporation, with participation from Garage Capital, MaRS IAF, Laurier Startup Fund, ArchAngel, GTAN, and additional support from Agilent Technologies, WhiteCap Venture Partners, BDC Capital’s Growth & Transition Capital Team, and Export Development Canada (EDC).

By uniting complementary analytical technologies and enhancing data integration for AI applications, Nicoya is enabling biopharma researchers to de-risk pipelines, make earlier and more informed development decisions, and accelerate the delivery of life-changing biologics to patients.