Avicena Systems

What Avicena Systems does

Avicena Systems is an Australian medical technology company founded in 2020–2021 and headquartered in West Perth, Western Australia, that develops molecular diagnostic instruments for rapid pathogen detection. The company's Sentinel platform is built on proprietary continuous-flow Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) technology, which delivers PCR-level sensitivity and specificity at faster speeds by processing samples at a constant temperature without the heating/cooling cycles required by conventional PCR. The product line centres on two instruments: the Sentinel ULTRA, a high-throughput platform capable of up to 100,000 tests per day in 12- or 24-plate formats (2,500–5,000 tests/hour), and the Sentinel Mini, a portable field-deployable unit processing up to 384 samples in 30 minutes that operates on mains, battery, solar, or generator power. Supporting accessories include the Seguro sample-handling module (ThermoDock, RackReader, QuickPipette) and the Smart Stockpile System for continuous reagent supply. Underlying performance is supported by a peer-reviewed validation study published in Nature Scientific Reports (Dewhurst et al., 2022) demonstrating 94–98% accuracy for SARS-CoV-2 detection.

The company serves three primary verticals: government and national security customers (biosecurity, defence, border control), human healthcare providers (hospitals, aged care, clinical laboratories), and the animal health and agriculture sector (livestock screening, export/import testing). The first commercial Sentinel was delivered to a government user in Spain, and stated expansion targets include the UK, US, and Middle East. Revenue is generated through a combination of outright instrument sales, recurring reagent and consumable supply (including Smart Stockpile), equipment rentals, and long-term service contracts, executed via direct enterprise field sales supplemented by an emerging international partner network. Avicena holds ISO 13485 certification across its West Perth and Bentley manufacturing facilities, CE marking for European IVD use, and a TGA Class 1 IVD listing on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods — making it one of only two Australian-developed molecular diagnostics analysers listed on ARTG. Granted patents in Japan and Saudi Arabia (October 2025) underpin international commercialization.

The company is led by Executive Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer Dr Paul Watt (formerly of Telethon Kids Institute, holder of 27 medical-device patents), CEO Tony Fitzgerald, and founder/key inventor Paul Ostergaard, with research and clinical partners including UNSW (NanoCircle CRISPR integration via a $3M CRC-P grant awarded February 2024), BioPoint, St Vincent's Care Services, Healius Pathology, and Australia's Defence, Science and Technology Group (DSTG). Capitalisation to date is dominated by Australian Federal and State government grants (~$6.02M AUD cumulative) and a $44.4M USD SEC Form D exempt offering by the US subsidiary in March 2022; revenue is not publicly disclosed and the company appears to be in an early commercial stage with a thin named-customer base.

Name

Avicena Systems

Legal name

Avicena Systems Limited

Website

https://avicenasystems.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Avicena Systems develops the Sentinel molecular diagnostic platform based on proprietary continuous-flow LAMP technology, serving government biosecurity, healthcare providers, and animal health customers with PCR-level accuracy in under 30 minutes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Molecular Diagnostics

NAICS

Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516)

SIC

In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro primary industry

Microbiology & Infectious Disease Diagnostics (Culture/ID/AST) (HLAHAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Emerging Pathogen & Outbreak Response Testing Networks (HLAJAIAE)

Keywords

• Molecular diagnostics
• Biosecurity platforms
• LAMP technology
• Pathogen screening
• Rapid diagnostic instruments

Headquarters

HQ city

Coolgardie

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Sentinel Instrument Sales: Sale of Sentinel ULTRA and Sentinel Mini diagnostic instruments to government, healthcare, and industrial customers. Flexible business models include outright sales, rentals, and long-term service contracts.
2. Reagent and Consumable Sales: Ongoing sales of test reagents, microplates, and consumables required for running tests on Sentinel instruments. Supports Smart Stockpile System for continuous reagent supply.
3. Service Contracts: Long-term service contracts providing maintenance, support, software updates, and performance monitoring for deployed Sentinel instruments.
4. Equipment Rentals: Flexible rental options for Sentinel instruments, enabling customers to access diagnostic capability without capital purchase.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Avicena Systems develops and manufactures the Sentinel biosecurity platform, a suite of molecular diagnostic instruments built around proprietary continuous-flow LAMP (Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification) chemistry. The company sells high-throughput (Sentinel ULTRA) and portable (Sentinel Mini) instruments, along with reagents, consumables, and accessories, to government health agencies, hospitals, and agricultural customers for rapid pathogen detection and outbreak preparedness.

Product overview

Avicena Systems offers the Sentinel Biosecurity Platform, a suite of molecular diagnostic instruments built around continuous-flow LAMP technology. The core product line consists of two instruments: Sentinel ULTRA (high-throughput, processing up to 100,000 tests/day) and Sentinel Mini (portable, up to 384 tests/hour). Both instruments share the same RT-LAMP chemistry foundation and integrate with laboratory information management systems for secure result reporting. The platform is complemented by the Seguro Module accessory for sample handling and the Smart Stockpile System for reagent supply management. The instruments support multiple sample types (saliva, nasal, blood, skin lesions) and can detect a wide range of human and animal pathogens.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sentinel ULTRA High-throughput molecular diagnostic instrument delivering up to 100,000 tests per day with PCR-level accuracy in under 30 minutes. Available in 12-plate (2,500 tests/hour) and 24-plate (5,000 tests/hour) configurations for large-scale human, animal, and environmental health screening.
• Sentinel Mini Compact, portable molecular diagnostic instrument processing up to 384 tests per hour with PCR-level accuracy in under 30 minutes. Designed for field deployment, mobile labs, and remote biosecurity operations; operates on mains, battery, solar, or generator power.
• Sentinel LAMP Chemistry RT-LAMP (Reverse Transcription Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification) chemistry technology that delivers PCR-level sensitivity at faster speeds with easier scalability than traditional PCR methods. Powers both Sentinel ULTRA and Sentinel Mini instruments.
• Seguro Module Companion module for Sentinel Mini that simplifies sample handling and tracking with integrated tools including ThermoDock for sample deactivation, RackReader for rack-to-microplate linking, and QuickPipette for automated pipetting. Currently for animal health and research use only.
• Smart Stockpile System Continuous reagent supply system using non-perishable microplates and shelf-stable base reagents with automatic replenishment of expiring stock. Enables nations and organizations to maintain immediate surge testing capability and minimize waste from expired reagents.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 100,000 tests per day throughput
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and strategic.

• University of New South Wales (UNSW)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2024Research collaboration to develop transformational diagnostics platform combining Avicena's Sentinel LAMP platform with UNSW's NanoCircle CRISPR-based diagnostics technology. Project led by Professor Ewa Goldys, recipient of prestigious Eureka prize, to create world's fastest and most accurate molecular diagnostic tests.
• BioPointcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2024Commercial partner working with Professor Ewa Goldys's group at UNSW for five years on development of CRISPR technology. Now collaborating to commercialize NanoCircle technology integrated with Avicena's Sentinel platform.
• St Vincent's Care ServicessupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 13 February 2024Clinical partner providing initial validation of new combined Influenza/COVID-19 test technology using samples collected from aged care facilities.
• Healius PathologysupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 13 February 2024Clinical partner collaborating on initial validation of new technology using Avicena's combined Influenza/COVID-19 test with samples from aged care facilities.
• Defence, Science and Technology Group (DSTG)strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2024Agency of Australian Department of Defence serving as project collaborator with access to training on cutting-edge Sentinel technology and potential for bio-defence applications.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Cepheid (Danaher): Cepheid's GeneXpert system is the global gold-standard molecular diagnostics PCR platform, with deep clinical installed base. Comparable as a direct molecular diagnostic instrument competitor, though PCR-based rather than LAMP and broader in clinical menu.
• bioMérieux (BioFire): BioFire's FilmArray syndromic panels dominate rapid molecular diagnostics in clinical settings. Comparable as a high-throughput molecular diagnostic platform targeting pathogen detection, though PCR chemistry and a broader test menu.
• Roche Diagnostics: Roche's cobas system is a leading high-throughput molecular diagnostic platform widely deployed in central laboratories and pandemic response. Directly comparable for high-throughput pathogen screening use cases, though at much larger scale and broader portfolio.
• Abbott Molecular: Abbott's m2000 and Alinity m systems are established high-throughput molecular diagnostic platforms competing in clinical and pandemic screening. Directly comparable for centralised high-volume testing workflows.
• Hologic: Hologic's Panther system is a fully automated, high-throughput molecular diagnostics platform used in large reference labs. Comparable for scalable pathogen screening, though PCR-based and broader in women's health and infectious disease menus.
• QuidelOrtho: QuidelOrtho offers Sofia rapid antigen and Savanna molecular diagnostic platforms. Comparable as a multi-modality infectious disease diagnostics competitor with both rapid and molecular offerings across point-of-care and lab settings.
• Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD): BD's MAX system and broader molecular diagnostics portfolio serve clinical and research labs with high-throughput pathogen detection. Comparable for high-volume infectious disease testing workflows, though at much larger scale.

Emerging players

• T2 Biosystems: T2 develops rapid molecular diagnostics for sepsis and biothreat detection. Comparable as an emerging molecular platform targeting infectious disease outbreaks with non-PCR chemistry, though focused on direct-from-blood applications.
• Atila BioSystems: Atila develops isothermal amplification (LAMP-based) molecular diagnostic kits. Comparable as a LAMP-chemistry-focused competitor in the same non-PCR molecular diagnostic category as Avicena's Sentinel chemistry.
• Mesa Labs: Mesa Labs offers biological indicators and monitoring solutions for healthcare and life sciences. Comparable as a niche diagnostics and quality monitoring company serving regulated healthcare/biopharma customers, though not direct molecular diagnostics competition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/avicena-systems
• Xx.com/avicenasystems

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

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 Avicena Systems