The Native Antigen Company

What The Native Antigen Company does

The Native Antigen Company (TNAC) is a UK-based manufacturer of native and recombinant antigens, antibodies, virus-like particles (VLPs), toxins, and immunoassays used in infectious disease diagnostics, vaccine development, and academic research. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, the company operates an ISO9001:2015-accredited catalog of 838-900+ products spanning more than 50 viral and bacterial pathogens including Dengue, Zika, Norovirus, Cytomegalovirus, Ebola, Chikungunya, Influenza, and SARS-CoV-2. Its technical differentiator is the proprietary VirtuE™ mammalian cell expression system, which uses HEK293 (and complementary baculovirus-insect-cell and E. coli) platforms to produce native-like proteins with correct folding and glycosylation—an attribute valued by IVD kit manufacturers and vaccine developers who require biologically faithful antigens.

TNAC sells primarily through a B2B direct-to-customer model with online ordering, pricing in British Pounds per unit and quantity discounts of up to 30 percent for bulk purchases, supplemented by a network of international distributors enabling global delivery. A secondary contract services line offers custom vector design, protein expression, purification, antibody generation, immunoassay development, and endotoxin testing for biopharma and diagnostic clients on projects ranging from short-term to multi-year engagements. In October 2022 the company relocated to a 36,000 sq ft purpose-built facility at Oxford Technology Park, materially expanding manufacturing capacity and bringing its site into BREEAM sustainability certification.

The company operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of LGC Clinical Diagnostics within the LGC Group, alongside other reagent brands such as SeraCare, Biosearch Technologies, and Maine Standards. Day-to-day leadership includes COO Nicholas Roesen; broader strategic direction sits within the parent group. No public revenue, headcount, or funding figures are disclosed in available sources.

Name

The Native Antigen Company

Legal name

The Native Antigen Company

Website

https://thenativeantigencompany.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Native Antigen Company is a UK-based B2B manufacturer of native and recombinant antigens, antibodies, virus-like particles, and immunoassays serving IVD developers, vaccine developers, and academic researchers across infectious and adjacent disease areas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Infectious Disease Reagents

NAICS

In-Vitro Diagnostic Substance Manufacturing (325413)

SIC

In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835)

akta.pro primary industry

Reagents, Chemicals & Assay Kits (Buffers, Antibodies, ELISA, Enzymes) (HLAGAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Infectious Disease & Pandemic Preparedness Vaccines (emerging pathogens) (HLAAAEAC), Biomarker Assay & Reagent Development (LDT/IVD assay design, antibodies/standards/controls) (HLAAAMAL)

Keywords

• Infectious disease reagents
• Viral antigen production
• Recombinant antibody manufacturing
• Diagnostic immunoassay components
• Vaccine research reagents

Headquarters

HQ city

Kidlington

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Biological Reagent Products: Sale of antigens, antibodies, virus-like particles, toxins, immunoassays, and related reagents to diagnostic and biopharmaceutical companies, academic researchers, and vaccine developers. Products are sold in standard vial sizes with quantity discounts available.
2. Contract Services: Custom project services including vector design, protein expression, protein purification, antibody generation, immunoassay development, and endotoxin testing. Projects range from short-term (few days) to long-term programs (year or more).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Native Antigen Company develops and manufactures native and recombinant viral and bacterial antigens, antibodies, virus-like particles (VLPs), virus receptors, toxins, and immunoassay/NTRL kits used by in vitro diagnostic manufacturers, vaccine and biopharmaceutical developers, and academic research groups. It also offers contract production and custom assay development services, all produced under ISO9001:2015 quality standards at its 36,000 sq ft Kidlington, UK facility.

Product overview

The Native Antigen Company develops and manufactures a comprehensive portfolio of critical reagents for human health diagnostics and biopharmaceutical research. The core offerings include antigens and antibodies for over 50 viral and bacterial pathogens, virus-like particles (VLPs), virus receptors, toxins, immunoassays including SARS-CoV-2 NTRL kits, veterinary products, conjugation kits, and human disease biomarkers. The company operates a proprietary VirtuE Expression System for mammalian cell expression producing native-like proteins. Beyond products, the company offers contract services for custom antigen manufacturing, antibody generation, and assay development. Key product categories include: Antigens & Antibodies (the largest category covering pathogens like Dengue, Norovirus, Influenza, Zika), Virus-Like Particles (non-infectious recombinant viral structures), Immunoassays (including SARS-CoV-2 variant NTRL kits), and Human Disease Biomarkers (hormones and autoimmune markers). The company also provides matched pair antibodies and conjugation/labeling kits. All products are manufactured under ISO9001:2015 quality standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VirtuE™ Expression System: Proprietary mammalian cell expression system developed for producing native-like proteins with correct folding and glycosylation.

Products and services

• Antigens and Antibodies Native and recombinant antigens and antibodies for viral and bacterial pathogens, used by IVD manufacturers, vaccine developers, and academic researchers. Specific recombinant products have been added over time, including Rheumatoid Factor recombinant added in 2024.
• Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) Recombinant virus-like particles designed to mimic the structure of authentic viruses for use in vaccine discovery, serology assay development, and research applications.
• Virus Receptors Recombinant viral receptor proteins for use in research studying viral entry mechanisms and in assays requiring authentic receptor binding partners.
• Toxins Recombinant bacterial toxins for use in diagnostic test development, vaccine research, and academic study of bacterial pathogenesis.
• Immunoassays and NTRL Kits Immunoassay kits and Neutralisation Test Reference Lab (NTRL) kits, including SARS-CoV-2 variant kits introduced in 2022, used by diagnostic laboratories and researchers.
• Veterinary Products Infectious disease antigens and antibodies for veterinary diagnostics, animal health research, and livestock disease testing.
• Conjugation and Labeling Kits Conjugation and labeling kits enabling customers to conjugate or label antigens and antibodies for use in-house diagnostic assay development.
• Accessory Reagents Supporting accessory reagents used alongside primary antigens, antibodies, and VLPs in infectious disease immunoassays and research workflows.
• Human Disease Biomarkers Human disease biomarker reagents for use in research and diagnostic applications outside the infectious disease core catalog.
• Matched Pair Antibodies Matched antibody pairs (capture and detection antibodies) for use in sandwich immunoassays such as ELISA and lateral flow diagnostic tests.
• Contract Production and Assay Services Fee-for-service custom production of recombinant proteins, antigens, antibodies, and VLPs, plus custom assay development, delivered by PhD-level molecular biologists for IVD and vaccine customers.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Virology Research Services (VRS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2018Joint research collaboration awarded MRC Proximity to Discovery Award for Knowledge Exchange. The partnership tested a large panel of The Native Antigen Company's viral antibodies in immunofluorescence applications, generating new immunofluorescence data for CMV, Yellow Fever, and Ebola antibodies.
• LGC Group / LGC Clinical DiagnosticsflagshipOthersThe Native Antigen Company is part of LGC Clinical Diagnostics, a division of LGC Group. LGC is a global leader in life sciences tools and diagnostics. The new Oxford facility serves both TNAC and hosts an advanced workflow applications laboratory for LGC Biosearch Technologies.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Merck (Millipore Sigma Life Science): Long-established life science reagents giant supplying antigens, antibodies, buffers, and assays across all research biology. Overlaps with TNAC's catalog and customer base as an incumbent; scale and catalog breadth are vastly larger, and Millipore Sigma is also a competitor for OEM reagent contracts.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific (Life Sciences Reagents): Diversified life sciences tools giant with extensive antibody, protein, and immunoassay portfolios (Invitrogen, Gibco, eBioscience). Comparable as a reagent supplier to vaccine developers and diagnostic manufacturers, but as part of a much broader portfolio across instruments, consumables, and pharma services.
• Bio-Techne (R&D Systems / Novus Biologicals): Large US-listed life science tools company spanning proteins, antibodies, ELISA kits, and reagents via R&D Systems and Novus Biologicals. Overlaps with TNAC in ELISA/kits and antibody reagents for infectious disease and immunology, but operates across all research biology, not specialising in infectious disease.

Direct peers

• Abcam (Danaher): Global leader in research-grade antibodies and reagents, now part of Danaher's Life Sciences segment. Overlaps with TNAC's antibody catalog and infectious disease focus; serves the same academic and biopharma R&D customers, though Abcam is much larger and broader.
• Sino Biological: China-based global supplier of recombinant proteins, antibodies, and assay reagents covering infectious disease, with a catalog breadth (10,000+ SKUs) far exceeding TNAC's. Compares directly as both compete head-to-head for IVD and vaccine developer reagent contracts across the same viral and bacterial pathogen menu.
• GenScript / GenScript ProBio: Recombinant protein and antibody production company with a strong biologics CDMO arm. Comparable in custom protein/antibody services and viral antigen catalog, serving overlapping IVD and vaccine developer customers.
• Biosynth (formerly Life Sciences Group / Fitzgerald Industries): Specialist chemicals, peptides, and biological reagents supplier with a meaningful infectious disease and viral antigen catalog. Comparable in target market (IVD manufacturers, vaccine researchers, academic groups) and product mix (antigens, antibodies, assay components).
• ACROBiosystems: Recombinant protein and reagent supplier focused on biopharma, with comparable strengths in viral antigens, VLPs, and viral receptor reagents. Directly comparable on target customer (vaccine/IVD developers), product format (mammalian-expressed recombinant antigens), and core differentiation (native-like structure).
• Cell Signaling Technology (CST): Specialist antibody and reagent supplier known for quality and validation rigor. Comparable on the antibody-reagent axis serving academic and translational researchers, although CST focuses more on cell signalling / oncology than infectious disease.

Emerging players

• ProSci Incorporated: Specialist custom antibody and recombinant protein supplier with infectious disease and viral antigen capabilities. Comparable to TNAC in offering custom services alongside catalog reagents, but smaller catalog breadth and more US-centric.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/nativeantigen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-native-antigen-company

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 The Native Antigen Company