
Cellabs
Cellabs is a Sydney based "boutique" diagnostics company, specialising in the design, development, and manufacture of immunodiagnostic kits for tropical and infectious diseases. Established in 1985 by immunologist Dr A. M. Smithyman, Cellabs is Australia's oldest private biotechnology company.
By 1990, Cellabs had released its first range of commercial diagnostic tests for giardia, cryptosporidium, and chlamydia; all of which found ready markets both locally and internationally. The company has steadily expanded its range of products and now markets over 20 diagnostic kits worldwide.
The company has a particular interest in the Neglected Tropical Diseases such as malaria, leishmaniasis, elephantiasis and schistosomiasis; diseases that impose a massive burden on the global population. Malaria, for example, kills one child every 30 seconds, is endemic in 87 countries with and estimated 219 million cases and 435,000 deaths worldwide (World Malaria Report 2018).