In a short period Umeå has become one of the important Swedish centre for biotechnology and biotechnical research. Several biotech-oriented, researcher-owned companies have been established in Umeå and the surroundings of Umeå University in northern Sweden.

Highly specific monoclonal antibodies were produced already in 1980 at the Department of Medical and Physiological Chemistry and Department of Immunology at the University of Umeå by researchers now active in UmanDiagnostics AB. Such antibodies have later been incorporated in several new diagnostic kits.

UmanDiagnostics has close collaboration with research groups at many departments at Umeå University and the company also collaborates with a number of Swedish and foreign biotech companies. Researchers at UmanDiagnostics have earlier been involved in the development of the diagnostic S-100 assay, indicated for monitoring traumatic brain injuries and patients with malignant melanomas. S-100 is today used worldwide for these conditions.

Behind the company UmanDiagnostics stands InRo BioMedTek AB, Uminova Invest AB, Norrlandsfonden and Innovationsbron.