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25 Years of peptides&elephants: From a Pioneering Idea to a Global Success Story
In late September 2001, a visionary idea officially became reality: Dr. Oliver J. Kreuzer, together with colleagues from the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke (DIfE) and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, founded peptides&elephants GmbH. Operations officially launched on October 1st, 2001—marking the beginning of a quarter-century dedicated to advancing peptide chemistry and immunological research.
Today, as we celebrate our 25th anniversary, we look back on a journey of technological innovation, scientific curiosity, and an enduring passion for high-precision peptide tools.
Driven by Engineering and Science: The Origins
The foundation of peptides&elephants rests on a groundbreaking invention by our CEO, Dr. Oliver J. Kreuzer: a custom-engineered robot for high-parallel peptide synthesis, which was patented worldwide upon the company's founding.
Dr. Kreuzer’s journey toward this milestone combined chemical engineering with advanced biological research:
- Chemical Engineering Foundations: Dr. Kreuzer focused on automated peptide processing early in his career during his diploma studies.
- First Robotic Prototypes: While working at Evotec, he began designing and constructing his initial peptide synthesis robots.
- Biological Applications: His subsequent PhD research on hormone receptors opened up crucial functional perspectives, bridging the gap between automated peptide chemistry and biological application.
Pioneering the LIPS Technology
With this patented robotic platform, peptides&elephants established its signature LIPS Technology. For the first time, researchers could access custom peptide libraries produced with unprecedented efficiency, high parallel throughput, and reliable quality. This innovative approach set new standards in the market and was later adopted by peptide manufacturers around the globe.
Over the past 25 years, peptides&elephants has grown from an ambitious lab spin-off into a key partner for academic institutions, biotech firms, and global pharmaceutical leaders.
Looking Ahead: Here’s to the Next 25 Years!
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our team, our academic partners, and our clients worldwide who have trusted us with their science over the last quarter-century. Here’s to the next 25 years of peptide synthesis innovation, scientific breakthroughs, and advancing global health together!
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DGfI 2026 in Munich with peptides&elephants
We were thrilled to participate in the 55th Annual Meeting of the German Society for Immunology (DGfI), which took place from September 15–18, 2026, in Munich, Germany. As a leading manufacturer of high-precision catalog peptides, custom libraries, and peptide pools powered by our proprietary Ultra Sonic Peptide Synthesis (USPS®) technology, we were proud to support the advancement of translational immunology and T-cell research as a Gold Sponsor of this year's congress.
A Vibrant Gathering at Booth C03 — Celebrating 25 Years
Throughout the event, Booth C03—located right in front of the Audimax and opposite the Coffee Station—served as a lively hub for engaging conversations about current research projects and upcoming peptide synthesis needs. Our CEO, Dr. Oliver Kreuzer, was on site to connect with attendees and share insights into how we are driving innovation in immuno-oncology.
This year's meeting was extra special as it marked our 25th anniversary! We had a fantastic time celebrating this quarter-century milestone alongside the scientific community in true "elephantic" fashion. Visitors enjoyed participating in our popular annual Plush Elephant Raffle and capturing memorable snapshots with our giant mascot.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by to enjoy a piece of birthday cake and discuss their research. We look forward to continuing these valuable collaborations and supporting your future projects!
🏆 Sponsoring Excellence: The DGfI Poster Awards by peptides&elephants
As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting young researchers and groundbreaking science, peptides&elephants was proud to sponsor two Best Poster Awards—each endowed with €500.
Out of an impressive lineup of immunology research, two outstanding presentations from Poster Sessions A & B stood out. Huge congratulations to our two award winners:
🥇 Guido Rattay for the poster "IL-22-dependent epithelial reprogramming contributes to protective tissue memory"
🥇 Chiara Huber for the poster "Impact of early-life thymectomy on virus-specific T-cell responses in adults with congenital heart disease"
The honors were presented during the Closing Ceremony on Friday, September 18, 2026, in the Audimax. A special thank you to Congress President Prof. Dietmar Zehn for hosting and moderating the award session, and to Congress Chair Prof. Percy A. Knolle for joining our CEO, Dr. Oliver Kreuzer, on stage to present the awards to these talented young scientists.
Thank you to everyone who presented their work, and special thanks to the DGfI committee for organizing such an inspiring forum.
🍽️ Highlight: Our Scientific Lunchsymposium
A major highlight of our participation at DGfI 2026 was our scientific lunch symposium, "Beyond Antibodies: Tracking Virus-Specific T Cells in Human Blood and Tissues to Define Immune Protection." On September 17, attendees gathered for an insightful session led by distinguished experts: Prof. Christof Geldmacher and Dr. Eva Grüner from the LMU University Hospital Munich, alongside Dr. Leonie Mayer from the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE).
Session Overview
Virus-specific T cell responses can control viral replication, limit tissue penetration and onward transmission, and attenuate viral disease, independently of antibodies. They often target conserved antigenic regions and contribute to the development of robust virus-specific antibody responses, while viral escape from T cell recognition appears to be relatively uncommon. Despite their important role in antiviral immunity, the design of vaccine immunogens and immunomonitoring during clinical development primarily focus on antibody responses and often neglect the induction of T cell responses. This is partly due to the technical challenges associated with monitoring virus-specific T cells and reliably defining and assessing protective response thresholds.
During this session, speakers first reviewed evidence for the protective role of T cells in pre-clinical vaccination models and human infections, before focusing on key advancements in the field:
- defining T cell correlates of protection during large clinical studies,
- T cell immunomonitoring in response to the emerging Bundibugyo Ebola virus epidemic, and
- the assessment of T cells targeting respiratory viruses within the upper airway tissue.
The well-attended session featured three 12-minute presentations followed by a vibrant 9-minute discussion:
- Talk 1: “Development of an adaptable, scalable platform to define T cell correlates of protection for viral pathogens” (Christof Geldmacher, LMU, 12 minutes)
- Talk 2: “BDBV cross-reactive T cell responses following rVSV-ZEBOV vaccination in humans” (Leonie Mayer, UKE, 12 minutes)
- Talk 3: “Unravelling Virus-Specific T Cell Responses in Human Airways following Influenza A Infection: Dynamics, Function and Cross-Recognition of Avian Influenza Viruses” (Eva Grüner, LMU, 12 minutes)
Thank you to our speakers and all attendees for joining us for these insightful lectures, interactive discussions, and lunch!
peptides&elephants receives ProFIT funding for MHC Class I Peptide Pool launch
peptides&elephants has received funding through Brandenburg’s ProFIT Innovation Program, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (EFRE) and the State of Brandenburg.
The project “Market Launch: Establishment of a New Peptide Product Family – Introduction of Novel MHC Class I Peptide Pools” supports the development of a next-generation MHC Class I Peptide Pool product line. These peptide tools will advance immunological research by enabling more precise studies of T cell responses and antigen presentation.
With ProFIT support, peptides&elephants will:
- Launch innovative MHC Class I Peptide Pools
- Expand peptide synthesis and purification at the Hennigsdorf site
- Strengthen collaborations within Brandenburg’s biotech ecosystem
This project bridges peptide chemistry and translational immunology — helping to accelerate discoveries in infectious disease and cancer research.
Highlights from CIMT 2026: Collaborations, Lunch & Learn, and Our Traditional Raffle
A Delicious Tradition: peptides&elephants Celebrates Annual Spring Outing
Kremmen, Germany, 17.04.2026 – Gathering for a seasonal lunch during the regional asparagus season is a cherished tradition at peptides&elephants. This week, the team continued this annual ritual with a trip to the well-known asparagus farm in Kremmen.
While the spring weather moved the gathering indoors this year, the team enjoyed a wonderful lunch in a unique setting inside a charmingly decorated tent.
The regional asparagus harvest is a seasonal highlight in Brandenburg. For peptides&elephants, this annual outing serves as an opportunity to step away from the laboratory and office routines, connect across departments, and celebrate the team's strong community spirit.
peptides&elephants says thank you to the entire team for the vibrant energy and great conversations that made this year’s outing another memorable highlight in the company calendar.
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