In 1998, Hematech was co-founded by University of Massachusetts researcher Jim Robl, relocated to Sioux Falls. Dr. Robl was the first scientist to clone a cow, and develop procedures to introduce human antibodies into cattle.

Hematech later became a subsidiary of the Japanese company Kirin Pharma, which then merged with Kyowa Hakko Kogyo to form KHK. In 2003, Hematech formed a joint venture with Trans Ova Genetics of Sioux Center, Iowa, to manage its animal needs and moved research to Sioux Falls. The Company was acquired by Sanford Frontiers in early 2013 and became Sanford Applied Biosciences (SAB).