Vector Laboratories

Maravai LifeSciences acquired Vector Laboratories in 2021 for approximately $124 million. Vector now operates as a subsidiary within Maravai's reagents segment, alongside entities like TriLink BioTechnologies. Maravai is publicly traded under the ticker MRVI on Nasdaq.

VECTASTAIN is an avidin-biotin complex (ABC) detection system that amplifies signal by forming large, enzyme-rich complexes at each antigen site. This yields higher sensitivity than direct enzyme-antibody conjugates, making faint antigens visible. Pathologists and neuroscientists adopted it as the default chromogenic detection method for formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded clinical tissues, embedding it into thousands of published staining protocols.

Vector manufactures both detection reagents and a curated line of secondary antibodies and lectins optimized for its own kits. Its secondary antibodies are affinity-purified and tested for minimal cross-reactivity with the kit components. The company also supplies purified lectins — plant-derived proteins that bind specific carbohydrate structures — used extensively in glycobiology and vascular research.

Academic and clinical labs standardize on a specific detection kit protocol for multi-year studies. Once a VECTASTAIN or ImmPRESS kit is embedded in a workflow, switching requires revalidating every antibody and tissue slide against a new reagent — a prohibitively expensive process. This lock-in means most core facilities and contract research organizations place standing orders for the same catalog numbers year after year.

Maravai LifeSciences acquired Vector as a wholly-owned subsidiary in 2021. Maravai provides the balance sheet and corporate infrastructure, but Vector maintains its own brand, product catalog, and operational leadership in Newark, California. Maravai's SEC filings break out revenue by segment; Vector falls under 'Nucleic Acid Production and Biologics Safety Testing' for reporting purposes.