Hello Bio Announces Launch of Novel Small Molecule Alternative to FGF2 for Stem Cell Culture

Hello Bio announces the launch of a novel range of TCB compounds, developed as a first-in-class small molecule alternative to FGF2 for stem cell culture.

FGF2 (basic fibroblast growth factor) is widely used to maintain pluripotency in stem cells, organoids and neural precursor cells. However, it is highly unstable at 37 °C, rapidly degrading in culture media and often requiring daily media changes to maintain effective signalling.

Hello Bio has launched the first small-molecule alternative to FGF2 designed to provide a stable alternative to recombinant FGF2 in stem cell culture workflows.

The newly available TCB compounds (TCB-32, TCB-541 and TCB-621) remain active in cell culture media for over 13 days, enabling sustained FGFR signalling without the rapid degradation associated with recombinant FGF2 at 37 °C.

By replacing unstable growth factor supplementation with chemically defined small molecules, the TCB compounds help reduce daily media changes, minimise signalling variability and support more consistent long-term culture conditions, including weekend-free workflows.

The range includes:

• TCB-32 – a well-characterised and robust starting point
• TCB-541 – a balanced potency option for a wide range of applications
• TCB-621 – the most potent analogue for lower working concentrations

“Replacing unstable growth factors with small molecule alternatives is an important step towards improving reproducibility and scalability in cell culture,” said Steve Roome PhD, CEO of Hello Bio. “With the TCB range, we’re excited to offer researchers a practical solution that reduces media changes while maintaining consistent signalling and cell performance.”

The development of the TCB compounds builds on published research identifying guanylhydrazone-based FGFR1 agonists through structure-based design and optimisation, demonstrating their ability to promote cell proliferation and provide sustained signalling comparable to FGF2.

TCB compounds have applications across stem cell research, organoid culture and large-scale cell production, with potential to help overcome key challenges in areas such as cell therapy and cultivated meat.

More information about the TCB range can be found here:
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