Colorado is home to a vibrant and growing cluster of research institutions, scientists and more than 1,700 bioscience-related companies developing breakthroughs in life-saving drugs and devices. The industry has attracted more than $1.6 billion in venture capital over the last five years.

The following companies are finalists in the Colorado Manufacturing Awards category of Bioscience Manufacturer of the Year.


AlloSource (Centennial)

Founded in 1994, AlloSource is a leader in providing allografts that maximize tissue donations to help surgeons heal their patients.

During 2021, the nonprofit company partnered with 26 tissue-recovery organizations throughout the United States, distributed more than 6.5 million square centimeters of burn skin to the majority of burn centers across the country and distributed more than 200,000 tissue grafts throughout all 50 states and 25 countries.

Organizations AlloSource supports include the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors, The Limb Preservation Foundation and the National Kidney Foundation.

“We are honored to be recognized as a finalist for the Colorado Bioscience Manufacturer of the Year,” says Dean Elliot, chief operating and legal officer. “Nobody, including AlloSource, has been immune to the challenges presented by the pandemic. However, the last two years have taught us how to overcome these challenges and emerge stronger than ever, inspired by our mission and the resilience of our associates who continue to strive for excellence.”


Leiters (Englewood)

Compounded sterile preparations provider Leiters doubled its revenue from 2020 to 2021 despite the pandemic slowing sales in some of its segments. The company also signed on more than 300 new customers and increased its workforce by 25 percent, adding 45 new positions last year.

As part of its ongoing commitment to and investment in quality, compliance and manufacturing excellence, Leiters invested in automation throughout its manufacturing operations. The investment helps the company, which makes compounded sterile preparations used by hospitals, surgery centers and physician offices, increase its capacity to deliver automated syringe, IV bags, and pain management pump-filling machines to the healthcare market.

“Our mission is to deliver better medicine to more people, and I am thrilled about the momentum we have established in our business and look forward to driving our next chapter of growth,” says Robin Smith Hoke, the company’s president and CEO.


Tolmar (Fort Collins)

Over the past two years, Tolmar’s journey to excellence embedded lean manufacturing principles to eliminate waste and drive value in all areas of the business. The effort led to Tolmar taking a market leadership position with its flagship drug Eligard for advanced prostate cancer.

Other 2021 highlights for the pharmaceutical company included a new Eligard marketing partnership in Europe, launching Tolmar Canada to drive commercial sales and marketing with its northern neighbors, proactively increasing employee salaries and continuing to advance its product pipeline with key submissions to regulatory agencies.

Tolmar provides life-saving products to patients in more than 89 countries. “What we do matters to our patients. How we do it makes a difference to our colleagues, our partners and to our business,” says Shawn Silvestri, the company’s president and chief operating officer. “Our transformation continues to allow us to be our best selves today and to become our best selves tomorrow.”


The winners of the 2022 Colorado Manufacturing Awards will be revealed on April 7 in Denver. The event is open to all Colorado business enthusiasts and stakeholders. REGISTER HERE for the 2022 CMA Winners Reveal & Gala.

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