Who is Intavis Peptide Services?

Intavis Peptide Services (INTAVIS) operates as an independent Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) and Contract Research Organization (CRO) specializing in the synthesis of customized peptides for laboratory research and clinical applications. Headquartered in the scientific hub of Tuebingen, Germany, the company leverages nearly three decades of experience in peptide chemistry to deliver solutions spanning early-stage discovery and fundamental research through to patient-centric clinical trials. Unlike a traditional hardware manufacturer, INTAVIS focuses on the chemical output, the physical peptide molecule, and the associated quality assurance required for therapeutic use.

The company’s portfolio extends far beyond standard customized peptides. INTAVIS is a leading provider of Custom Synthetic Peptides, Peptide Nucleic Acids (PNAs), peptide arrays, and complex synthetic libraries designed for high-throughput screening. These products are not limited to therapeutic applications; they serve as critical tools in clinical diagnostics, retroviral research, and fundamental molecular biology studies.

The core mission of Intavis Peptide Services is rooted in the belief that peptides can revolutionize personalized medicine, particularly in immunotherapy and neoantigen-based cancer vaccines. To this extent, INTAVIS offers three primary service tiers: laboratory research peptides, clinical-grade peptides produced under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards, and specialized aseptic fill-and-finish services. This comprehensive approach gives INTAVIS the broad capability to support long-standing partnerships, from research labs to global pharmaceutical companies, guiding sequences from the initial design phase through to the finished medicinal product.

 

Steffen Huettner, biography

Academic Foundations and Early Business Experience

Dr. Steffen Huettner’s academic journey began at the University of Tuebingen, where he focused on molecular and protein biotechnology and completed his PhD in 1994. The rigorous, often manual nature of this research, which involved time-consuming lab experiments that frequently required repeated cycles of testing, led Dr. Huettner to the necessity for better automation and the integration of information technology into life sciences.  

As a student, he took up sports outside the classroom, and while playing table tennis in Tuebingen with the automation engineer Bernd Hoelle, a partnership was formed: from a sportsman's handshake to a founding partnership. From sportsmen to spectators, the event brought many together. From the first rough sketch to the post-event debrief, Steffen oversaw every detail from beginning to end, demonstrating a versatile range of skills, including, but not limited to, advertising, operational safety, and bookkeeping. These experiences were, and remain, imperative to the entrepreneurial journey, forming the first footsteps on the path ahead.

The First Steps Toward Intavis Peptide Services

In 1992, before completing his doctorate, Huettner and Hoelle founded Hoelle & Huettner GmbH, which later became HB Technologies AG. The company was established as a service provider of technical software and hardware solutions, specifically aimed at bridging the gap between life sciences and information technology. Under Huettner’s leadership, the firm pioneered custom MedTech development and BioTech software, implementing customer-specific applications. He simplified and automated the process.  

Dr. Huettner’s business strategy has aimed to accelerate progress in the life sciences by consolidating key capabilities across the healthcare ecosystem through targeted mergers and acquisitions. Over 12 years, he executed four major M&A deals to expand HB Technologies' core competencies in the biotechnology space. One of the most significant of these occurred in 2008, when he acquired Intavis Bioanalytical Instruments AG, a Cologne-based market leader in innovative laboratory equipment for peptide synthesis and in situ hybridization. This acquisition brought the Intavis brand under the HB Technologies umbrella, setting the stage for the growth of both the instrumentation and service divisions.  

 

Leadership Philosophy and the "Marathon" Mindset

A defining characteristic of Dr. Huettner is his passion for long-distance running. A former marathon runner, he frequently applies the principles of endurance, preparation, and steady progress to his business ventures, describing entrepreneurship as a "marathon rather than a sprint". As the world came to a grinding halt, Dr. Huettner moved forward, for the marathon had just begun. And with each hurdle, there was a solution. The first solutions came from HB Technologies, which developed software controls for automated PCR testing and workflow solutions for industrial research labs, mainly in the oligonucleotide and peptide world.
Huettner’s entrepreneurial portfolio is diverse. In addition to serving as the CEO of HB Technologies AG and Intavis Peptide Services GmbH, he founded SensoRun GmbH & Co. KG. SensoRun utilizes AI-powered wearable sensors to analyze a runner’s biomechanical stress, reflecting Huettner’s ability to combine his personal interests with high-tech innovation. He is also deeply involved in the regional biotech community, serving as the Chairman of the Board of the Association for the Promotion of Biotechnology and Medical Technology e.V.  

 

 

Intavis Peptide Services vs. Intavis Peptide Synthesizer

In October 2019, CEM Corporation, a leading global provider of microwave laboratory instrumentation headquartered in Matthews, North Carolina, entered into a definitive agreement to purchase the instrumentation lines of Intavis Bioanalytical Instruments AG.
As a result of this deal, CEM Corporation took full responsibility for the manufacturing, distribution, sales, and service of the Intavis line of synthesizers, including the well-recognized synthesizer models MultiPep and ResPep. The transition period lasted approximately four months, after which manufacturing was moved to CEM’s headquarters in the United States
The 2019 asset sale created a clear market distinction. The “Intavis” brand instruments are a product line of CEM Corporation, whereas “Intavis Peptide Services is an independent company led by Dr. Steffen Huettner, focused on the chemical service side.

 

 

For peptide projects that need more than a standard CDMO

Intavis Peptide Services combines deep peptide chemistry expertise with tailored support for research-grade, advanced-grade, neoantigen peptide vaccine, and custom peptide library projects, helping your team reduce complexity, improve reliability, and move faster from concept to meaningful results.

Talk to our team about your peptide project.