Hirotsu Bio Science

Name

Hirotsu Bio Science

Legal name

株式会社HIROTSUバイオサイエンス

Website

https://hbio.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Hirotsu Bio Science (株式会社HIROTSUバイオサイエンス) is a Tokyo-based diagnostics company that commercializes N-NOSE, a non-invasive urine-based cancer screening test using the olfactory response of C. elegans nematodes to detect 15+ cancer types. It serves individual consumers through direct e-commerce and over 2,000 corporate clients via employee health benefit programs, and is expanding into the US market.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Diagnostic Services

NAICS

Medical Laboratories (621511), In-Vitro Diagnostic Substance Manufacturing (325413), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071)

akta.pro primary industry

High-Throughput Screening & Assay Platforms (HTS/HCS, phenotypic screening) (HLAAAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Clinical Chemistry & Immunoassay Laboratories (HLAFAMAB)

Keywords

• Nematode cancer screening
• Biological diagnostic technology
• Early cancer detection
• Pet cancer screening
• Urine-based cancer test

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. N-NOSE Periodic Screening: Subscription-based periodic cancer screening service with recurring revenue. Users opt for periodic testing at intervals (every 4 months, 6 months, or annually).
2. N-NOSE One-time Screening: One-time purchase of cancer screening test kit for individual use.
3. N-NOSE plus Pancreas: Cancer type-specific add-on test for pancreatic cancer detection. Priced at ¥70,000 regular, ¥50,000 for recent N-NOSE users.
4. N-NOSE Dogs/Cats Pet Screening: Cancer risk screening for pets with periodic or one-time options. Periodic screening ranges from ¥11,800-¥16,800 per test depending on frequency.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hirotsu Bio Science provides cancer screening diagnostic services built on a proprietary nematode-based biosensing technology. Its core product, N-NOSE, uses the chemotactic olfactory response of the nematode C. elegans to detect cancer-specific odors in human urine samples, screening for 15+ cancer types in a single non-invasive test. The company also offers cancer type-specific follow-up tests (pancreas, liver), pet cancer screening for dogs and cats, and mail-in sample collection services.

Product overview

Hirotsu Bio Science offers N-NOSE, the world's first biological cancer screening technology using nematode (C. elegans) olfaction. The core product N-NOSE provides non-invasive, urine-based multi-cancer screening detecting 15 cancer types. The portfolio includes N-NOSE plus (cancer type-specific add-on tests for pancreatic and liver cancer), N-NOSE Animal (pet cancer screening for dogs and cats), and supporting services like postal sample submission and recurrence monitoring. The product family works as a screening-to-specific-detection pipeline: users first take the broad N-NOSE test, and those at high risk can access cancer-type-specific follow-up tests.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• N-NOSE: Primary nematode-based cancer screening test that detects 15+ cancer types using C. elegans olfactory response to urine samples
• N-NOSE plus Pancreas
• N-NOSE plus Liver
• N-NOSE Dogs
• N-NOSE Cats

Products and services

• N-NOSE Primary cancer screening test that uses the olfactory response of nematodes (C. elegans) to detect cancer-specific odors in human urine samples. Non-invasive, mail-in test capable of detecting 15 cancer types at early stages with high sensitivity, priced at ¥13,800 for periodic screening or ¥14,800 for one-time screening.
• N-NOSE plus Pancreas Cancer type-specific follow-up test for early-stage pancreatic cancer detection, available to N-NOSE users who received high-risk (D or E) results. Priced at ¥70,000 regular or ¥50,000 for recent N-NOSE users.
• N-NOSE plus Liver Cancer type-specific follow-up test for early-stage liver cancer detection, the second addition to the N-NOSE plus cancer type-specific testing service.
• N-NOSE Dogs Cancer risk screening test for dogs that applies nematode olfaction technology to canine urine samples. Detects lymphoma, mammary gland cancer, skin cancer, liver cancer, thyroid cancer, and other canine cancers, with periodic or one-time options priced ¥11,800-¥19,800.
• N-NOSE Cats Cancer risk screening test for cats and the first urine-based cancer test for felines. Detects mammary cancer, malignant lymphoma, lung adenocarcinoma, and nasal adenocarcinoma, with samples collectable at home or at 52 affiliated veterinary hospitals nationwide.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 65% of cancers detected through N-NOSE high-risk results were at Stage 0 or 1, compared to national averages showing lower early-stage detection rates
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Yamanashi FireWinds (山梨ファイアーウィンズ)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 May 2026Sponsor partnership for professional baseball team. N-NOSE provided as employee benefit for team staff and families, with promotional activities at games.
• TCN (Tohoku Cable Television Network)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 April 2026Joint project for cancer screening promotion in Tohoku region. Partnership with regional cable TV stations to raise awareness and expand N-NOSE access in areas with high cancer incidence.
• Salada (サラダ館) / ShaddyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 8 December 2025Health gift service partnership offering N-NOSE through Salada store locations and Shaddy app nationwide.
• State of North Carolina (Economic Development Partnership)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 October 2025Courtesy visit from Governor Josh Stein discussing N-NOSE technology and potential US market expansion. EDPNC offering support for site selection and workforce development.
• Duke University / UNC Chapel HillminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 October 2025Academic partnerships in North Carolina for research collaboration and evidence generation for US market entry.
• Fukushima Hokuryo Co., Ltd. (株式会社福島封筒)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 3 September 2025Capital and business partnership for regional contribution and cancer screening promotion.
• Fujita Zaitaku Co., Ltd. (株式会社フジタ財託)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 3 September 2025Capital and business partnership for regional contribution and cancer screening promotion.
• PT Jaya Prima Alkatra (Indonesia)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 May 2024Indonesian healthcare company exploring N-NOSE technology adoption. Discussing licensing, logistics, and research trial plans including frozen sample shipments to Japan.
• Barrett ComiskeycoreOthers · 21 December 2023Serial entrepreneur and inventor of electronic ink (Amazon Kindle) appointed as Director and CSO. Bringing expertise in global scaling from E Ink's $6B market cap success.
• Global Health Equity Fund / WHO FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2023MOU signed for overseas expansion to countries with inadequate healthcare systems. Impact fund partnership for global health equity initiatives.
• World Economic Forum Global Innovators CommunitycoreOthers · 1 November 2022Membership in WEF Global Innovators Community, participating in Davos meetings and global health discussions alongside world leaders and innovative companies.
• Japan Sumo AssociationcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 September 2022Official partnership agreement providing free annual N-NOSE screening to JSA members. N-NOSE exhibited at Kokugikan during Grand Sumo Tournaments for awareness promotion.
• Tokyu Agency Inc.coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 August 2022Capital and business alliance for awareness expansion and business promotion of N-NOSE. Joint marketing and business development activities.
• Sojitz CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 March 2022Business alliance for promoting N-NOSE cancer screening. Sojitz introduced N-NOSE at its Tokyo Head Office/Kansai Branch Clinic for employee health management. Strategic partnership for cancer screening promotion.
• Sompo Himawari Life Insurance, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 September 2021Collaboration for cancer screening promotion through insurance services.
• Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Club Co., Ltd.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 August 2021Business alliance for N-NOSE service provision and cancer screening promotion.
• Mitsui Sumitomo Aioi Life Insurance Co., Ltd.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 July 2021Capital and business alliance for cancer screening promotion through insurance products.
• Seino GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 24 May 2021Sample collection service partnership covering all 47 prefectures in Japan through Seino's logistics network.
• Dai-ichi Life Insurance Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2021Business alliance to solve social issue of improving cancer screening rates. Integration of N-NOSE with insurance services for policyholders.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• GRAIL: Developer of Galleri, a blood-based multi-cancer early detection test. Directly comparable to N-NOSE as a non-invasive, multi-cancer-type screening test targeting consumers and health systems, with similar positioning around early-stage detection.
• Exact Sciences: Maker of Cologuard (stool-based colorectal screening) and the Thrive multi-cancer detection platform. Direct peer in non-invasive cancer screening, with comparable consumer-direct GTM, payor relationships, and recurring revenue testing model.
• Guardant Health: Blood-based liquid biopsy company with Guardant Shield for cancer screening and Reveal for recurrence monitoring. Comparable in pursuing blood-based/screening-driven oncology diagnostics, though with different biomarker technology.
• PetDx: Developer of Oncotect, a blood-based multi-cancer screening test for dogs. Direct peer in the pet cancer screening market, where Hirotsu also operates via N-NOSE Dogs and N-NOSE Cats.

Emerging players

• Freenome: Multi-cancer early detection startup using blood-based multiomics. Comparable as a multi-cancer early detection platform pursuing similar population-scale screening use cases, though using a different underlying biology.
• VolitionRx: Developer of Nu.Q nucleosome-based blood cancer tests. Comparable as a smaller-scale, emerging multi-cancer detection platform pursuing similar non-invasive screening applications.
• Oncimmune Holdings: UK-based early cancer detection company with EarlyCDT lung cancer test. Comparable as a smaller-scale early cancer screening player using non-invasive blood-based immunoassay technology.

Broad incumbents

• Sysmex Corporation: Japanese in-vitro diagnostics leader with broad hematology/clinical chemistry portfolio. Comparable as a Japanese diagnostics incumbent against which Hirotsu competes for hospital/lab partnerships and clinical credibility.
• Eiken Chemical: Japanese IVD company known for fecal immunochemical testing and clinical chemistry reagents. Comparable as a Japanese diagnostics incumbent whose products overlap in non-invasive colorectal/screening diagnostics.

Others

• H.U. Group Holdings: Japanese clinical laboratory and diagnostics conglomerate (formerly Miraca Holdings) that participated in Hirotsu's 2018 funding round. Relevant as both an investor and a strategic channel for clinical lab services and reference testing in Japan.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HIROTSU_BIO
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCexample
• Facebookfacebook.com/Hirotsu-Bio-Science-100082705544950
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hirotsu-bio-science-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/hbio_jp

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors16 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hirotsu Bio Science