OptiCell Solutions enters a research collaboration with Karolinska Institutet
With the goal of supporting academia, healthcare, and industry in developing the cell and gene therapies of the future, OptiCell Solutions established its operations in Flemingsberg last year. The company has now entered into a research collaboration with Karolinska Institutet, marking a significant step in the desired direction.
When Jarmo Henriksson founded OptiCell Solutions, it was with a clear ambition to address what he describes as a bottleneck in the development of cell and gene therapies: cell collection. Together with colleagues Henrik Fahlander and Ulla Axdorph Nygrell, bringing over 100 years of combined clinical experience, they made a transition from healthcare to continue making a difference for patients. Through the two-year research collaboration with Karolinska Institutet, the team can now deliver high-quality cells to research groups.
A feather in our cap, says Jarmo Henriksson, expressing pride in OptiCell Solutions being given the trust to be able to contribute to scientific progress.
OptiCell Solutions offers cell collection through apheresis technology – a method in which blood is drawn from a donor, target cells are collected, and the blood is then returned. This technique can yield more than 20 times the number of target cells compared to standard blood donation and can serve as a key resource for understanding disease mechanisms and developing new treatments.
For advanced therapies to become a reality, healthy voluntary research participants and preliminary studies are essential. That’s where we come in, by offering precisely that service: collecting high-quality cells that could ultimately help bring these advanced therapies to the patients who need them.
At their home base, Novum Labs in Flemingsberg, they welcome cell donors – just a stone’s throw from Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital. The geographical proximity has always been important, both from a strategic standpoint and because it’s since long been their home.
Having daily contact with people of different backgrounds and expertise is invaluable, says Jarmo Henriksson, emphasizing the importance of being part of the local community and ecosystem.
As the new research collaboration is entered, OptiCell Solutions is also in discussions with private partners to further advance the company’s growth. Looking ahead, they aim to become a market leading unit that, in collaboration with other stakeholders, can offer a complete concept and position themselves as a Nordic – or even European – player in cell collection. Yet, their outlook on the future remains firmly guided by the company’s core vision: to make a real difference for patients.
he most important thing here is the patient. We know how extensive the resources required to care for sick people are. If OptiCell Solutions can support future research today and in the years to come, perhaps that will help reduce the burden on hospitals so they can focus on what truly matters – taking care of the sick, says Jarmo Henriksson.
About Cell and Gene Therapy
Cell and gene therapies are two types of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs). Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMP), are based on cells, tissues, or genes. They are categorized into somatic cell therapies, gene therapies, tissue-engineered products, and combination products containing advanced therapy medicinal products. This means that diseases can be treated in entirely new ways. Treatment with ATMP can involve a single treatment with the expectation of a lasting effect, a form of repair. They can also offer significant opportunities for long-term survival for certain cancer patients where other treatment options have been exhausted. Additionally, it can provide treatment options for patients with hereditary diseases where effective treatment alternatives are currently lacking.
Learn more about ATMPs at ATMP Flemingsberg
Now Open: Flemingsberg Science Award STARTUP 2026
Do you have a business idea that can make a difference, locally or globally? Flemingsberg Science Award STARTUP is the competition for those who want to challenge their idea, gain valuable feedback from experienced experts, and take the first step toward building something real.
Campus Flemingsberg continues to grow – more students and strong collaboration in focus
Campus Flemingsberg remains one of Sweden’s most dynamic knowledge environments. Over the past year, the number of students has increased from 24,000 to approximately 27,000. The trend is clear: the campus’s broad academic profile continues to attract a growing number of students.
Limitless Potential: Winner of the Flemingsberg Science Award 2025
Young people in disadvantaged areas often face mental health challenges and a lack of support, which can lead to isolation and destructive choices. Limitless Potential, winner of the Flemingsberg Science Award IDEA 2025, has created a safe space where creativity and social entrepreneurship come together to support youth.
Alfa Laval strengthens Flemingsberg – establishes itself in a growing city of the future
In May 2025, Alfa Laval moved into its new office and innovation center, spanning approximately 20,000 square meters, together with around 700 employees. At the same time, the restaurant K-märkt opened, further expanding the range of services available in Flemingsberg. The Royal Swedish Opera and Dramaten, Alfa Laval, Restaurant Billmans, and K-märkt all represent important pieces of the puzzle in the development of Flemingsberg.
En nationell resurs för morgondagens behandlingar – nu är Karolinska ATMP Centrum invigt
Med ett tydligt budskap om framtidstro och ett kraftfullt samarbete invigdes Karolinska ATMP Centrum i Flemingsberg i slutet av augusti. Centret är ett samarbete mellan Karolinska Institutet och Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset, och kommer fungera som en nationell resurs för tillverkning av avancerade terapier (ATMP), där forskning, kliniska prövningar och behandlingar smidigt samverkar för att leverera banbrytande terapier till patienter.
