What HiPep Laboratories does

HiPep Laboratories (株式会社ハイペップ研究所), headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, is a privately held biotechnology company founded in 2001 by Dr. Kiyoshi Nokihara that develops and commercializes peptide synthesis technology, molecular-recognition-based biochip diagnostics, and gene-expression regulation reagents for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, academic, and medical research customers. The company's core technology platform combines proprietary peptide synthesis know-how with an amorphous-carbon biochip substrate on which fluorescently labeled peptide probes are immobilized to detect disease through protein fingerprint pattern analysis, without dependence on known biomarkers — embodied in the PepTenChip® system, the portable PepTenCam fluorescence detector, the OPOB (One-Bead-One-Peptide) ~200 million-sequence screening library, and the PIPA (Pyrrole-Imidazole-Polyamide) gene-expression regulation reagent line.

The company monetizes through multiple parallel streams: commissioned peptide synthesis (Fmoc solid-phase, complex and modified peptides, 10–15 business day delivery); commissioned analytical services (HPLC-MS, MALDI-TOF-MS, GMP-compliant amino acid and chiral analysis, residual solvent analysis); sale of proprietary instruments (PetiSyzer® peptide synthesizers, AHST-16 hydrolysis system, LibraTube® reaction vessels, HiPep-Intrada HPLC columns); research reagent and consumable sales (amino acid derivatives, coupling reagents, TentaGel®/HypoGel® resins, PEG derivatives); and Japanese distribution of third-party products (J.G. Finneran vials, J-KEM Cadence® virus inactivation, Luxembourg Biotechnology coupling reagents, Arrayit glass substrates). Pricing is quote-based across all streams, and go-to-market is via direct enterprise sales, the company website quotation system, and participation in major domestic and international scientific exhibitions including BioJapan, JASIS, Biotech Showcase, Pittcon, IDDST, and Korea Pharm.

HiPep pursues its diagnostics pipeline by collecting clinical-grade data toward regulatory approval of PepTenChip® chips for non-invasive detection of gastric cancer pre-disease (atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia via gastric juice) and periodontal disease (via saliva), supported by granted patents in Japan and Europe, a wholly-owned Korean subsidiary (HiPep Korea Co., Ltd., established 2016), and co-development relationships with Kyoto University, the National Institute of Genetics, and Konan University. In May 2026 the company commercially launched periodontal disease and gastric cancer pre-disease detection chips as research-use products, signaling its transition from a pure research-tools supplier toward clinical diagnostics.

Name

HiPep Laboratories

Legal name

株式会社ハイペップ研究所

Website

https://hipep.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HiPep Laboratories is a Kyoto-based peptide research and tools company that develops peptide synthesis instruments and reagents, the PepTenChip® biomarker-independent diagnostic biochip system for periodontal and gastric cancer screening, and PIPA gene-expression regulators, serving pharma, biotech, academic, and medical customers via direct enterprise sales and commissioned synthesis and analysis services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biotech Research Tools and Reagents

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), In-Vitro Diagnostic Substance Manufacturing (325413)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835)

akta.pro primary industry

Protein Engineering & Directed Evolution Platforms (enzyme/therapeutic protein optimization) (HLAAAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Therapeutic Peptides & Protein/Peptide Biologics (HLAAAAAH), Chiral / Asymmetric Synthesis & Complex Chemistry Services (HLAGAHAE)

Keywords

• Peptide synthesis services
• Biochip diagnostics
• Custom peptide manufacturing
• Peptide synthesis instruments
• Drug discovery reagents

Headquarters

HQ city

Kyoto

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Research Reagent and Consumable Sales: Sale of peptide synthesis reagents, peptide libraries, peptide derivatives, amino acid derivatives, coupling reagents, resins, PEG derivatives, and HPLC columns to research institutions and pharmaceutical companies.
2. Commissioned Peptide Synthesis: Custom peptide synthesis services using Fmoc solid-phase method, including modified peptides (phosphorylation, fluorescent labeling, biotinylation) and complex peptides, with delivery lead time of 10-15 business days.
3. Commissioned Analysis Services: HPLC-MS, MALDI-TOF-MS, rapid amino acid analysis, D/L enantiomeric analysis (GMP-compliant), residual solvent analysis, and water content measurement services.
4. PIPA Custom Synthesis: Custom synthesis of pyrrole-imidazole polyamide (PIPA) molecules for gene expression regulation, offered with design services and discount for company-designed sequences.
5. PNA Synthesis: Peptide nucleic acid synthesis services with standard range of 10-15 base pairs, offering conjugate preparation and modified PNA including pseudo-complementary nucleobases.
6. Instrument Sales: Sale of proprietary peptide synthesizers (PetiSyzer® series), AHST-16 hydrolysis systems, PepTenChip® biochips, PepTenCam detectors, and LibraTube® accessories.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HiPep Laboratories develops, manufactures, and sells proprietary peptide science products and instruments — including the PepTenChip® biochip diagnostic system, PetiSyzer® peptide synthesizers, AHST-16 hydrolysis systems, and reagent product lines (PIPA, OPOB peptide libraries, TentaGel® resins, HPLC columns). The company also provides commissioned custom peptide and PNA synthesis, analytical services (HPLC-MS, MALDI-TOF-MS, amino acid analysis), and serves as the authorized Japanese distributor for select third-party research instruments and reagents. Customers are primarily pharmaceutical/biotech companies, academic research institutions, and medical/diagnostic developers.

Product overview

HiPep Laboratories is a peptide research and development company offering a unified portfolio centered on the PepTenChip® biochip system for diagnostics and drug discovery, combined with synthesis equipment (PetiSyzer® synthesizers, AHST-16 hydrolysis system), reagents (PIPA, peptide libraries, TentaGel® resins, amino acid derivatives), HPLC columns (HiPep-Cadenza, HiPep-Intrada), and contract services (peptide/PNA synthesis, mass spectrometry, GMP analysis). The PepTenChip® system integrates with PepTenCam fluorescence detector for on-site diagnosis of periodontal disease and gastric cancer risk. PetiSyzer® personal synthesizers use LibraTube® reaction tubes for multi-sample peptide synthesis. The company also distributes third-party products including JG Finneran vials, J-KEM Cadence® virus inactivation systems, UltraSeal Pro sealers, and Luxembourg Biotechnology reagents. Research reagents include PIPA for gene regulation, AGP angiogenic peptides, OPOB bead libraries, structural peptide libraries, and various synthesis chemicals (PEG derivatives, condensation agents, mimosin amino acid).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PepTenChip®: Next-generation biochip system using peptide microarrays for disease detection and diagnostics without relying on known biomarkers
• PepTenCam
• PetiSyzer®
• LibraTube®
• PIPA
• OPOB
• AHST-16
• HiPep-Intrada

Products and services

• PepTenChip® Biochip System Next-generation biochip system using fluorescent-labeled peptide microarrays immobilized on amorphous carbon substrates for disease detection via multivariate protein-fingerprint pattern analysis without requiring known biomarkers. Applications include gastric cancer risk (pre-disease) assessment from gastric juice, periodontal disease detection from saliva, and multiple sclerosis diagnostics research. Sold to research institutions, hospitals, and diagnostic developers.
• PepTenCam (PTC-FD15) Biochip Detector Portable biochip fluorescence detector device for real-time on-site measurement with customizable fluorescence filters matching various fluorescent dyes. Pairs with PepTenChip® system for non-invasive, on-site diagnostic readout.
• PetiSyzer® Personal Peptide Synthesizer Compact multi-item peptide synthesizer series (PSP-5100, PSS-5100 with temperature controller, PSL-2050, PSL-5030) supporting simultaneous 5-10 sample synthesis with heating and shaking capabilities. Compatible with LibraTube® reaction vessels. Sold to research laboratories for parallel peptide synthesis.
• AHST-16 Multi-sample Hydrolysis System Multi-sample sealed heating system for simultaneous hydrolysis and derivatization of up to 16 samples without flame-sealing ampoules, maintaining 99.9% seal integrity at 110°C for 24 hours. Used for protein/peptide hydrolysis and derivatization workflows.
• LibraTube® Reaction Vessels Multi-purpose reaction tube/column system in polypropylene and glass formats (1.5ml, 3ml, 5ml, 20ml, 50ml capacities) for solid-phase synthesis, filtration, and affinity chromatography. Used with PetiSyzer® synthesizers and AHST-16 system.
• AB96 96-channel Simultaneous Purification Unit 96-channel parallel processing filtration tube system for purification and washing operations using Mini LibraTube® (RT1.5M) tubes. High-throughput peptide purification accessory.
• HiPep-Cadenza and HiPep-Intrada HPLC Columns Reversed-phase HPLC columns for peptide separation: HiPep-Cadenza for standard peptide analysis; HiPep-Intrada wide-pore column optimized for structural peptides such as β-amyloid and prion protein fragments, distinguishing peptide conformations during analysis.
• PIPA (Pyrrole-Imidazole-Polyamide) Gene Regulation Reagents DNA sequence-specific polyamide molecules that bind the minor groove of double-stranded DNA and selectively suppress transcription of disease-elevated genes without affecting normal cells. Sold as research reagents for gene-expression regulation; offered with custom synthesis and design services for novel drug discovery applications.
• Telomere Staining Probe (HPTH59) Fluorescent-labeled polyamide probe (HPTH59) using PIPA technology for selective telomere visualization without destroying telomere structure through minor-groove binding, with fluorescence intensity reflecting telomere length for semi-quantitative analysis. Sold to academic research labs.
• Angiogenic Peptide AGP (Regenerative Medicine) Angiogenic peptide and complexes for regenerative medicine applications, offered as a library and licensing-out opportunity for vascular tissue regeneration. Targeted at regenerative medicine researchers and licensees.
• OPOB One-Bead-One-Peptide Library Bead-immobilized peptide library with approximately 200 million diversity using 24 amino acid derivatives, combined with rapid deconvolution method using partial hydrolysis and high-resolution MS/MS for ligand identification in drug discovery screening. Sold to pharmaceutical/biotech R&D and academic screening labs.
• Mimosin / Mimosyl Peptide Non-proteinogenic amino acid mimosin (Mim) isolated from plants, verified optical purity, used for drug discovery and functional cosmetics development with tyrosinase inhibition and antioxidant activities.
• TentaGel® and HypoGel® Solid-Phase Synthesis Resins TentaGel® (PEG-based, types S/R/HL/MB/M/B/N/J) and HypoGel® (hydrophilic gel-type) resins sourced from Rapp Polymere (Germany), supplied by HiPep as authorized Japanese distributor for peptide synthesis applications. Sold to research and pharmaceutical synthesis labs.
• SUPER-React High-Efficiency Coupling Reagent High-efficiency coupling reagent system (DMF alternative) for improved peptide synthesis efficiency, particularly suitable for long-chain peptides (50+ amino acids) and difficult sequences. Sold to peptide chemists.
• Structural Peptide Libraries Designed peptide libraries including α-Helix (500 types), β-Loop (400 types), β-Strand (500 types), and Glycopeptide (96 types) libraries for protein-protein interaction inhibition studies. Sold to academic and industry research groups.
• Polyethylene Glycols (PEG) and Derivatives Comprehensive PEG product line including heterofunctional PEGs, homofunctional PEGs, methoxy PEGs with various molecular weights (750-20,000) for bioconjugation and polymer modification. Sold to research and pharmaceutical labs.
• UltraSeal Pro Automated Heat Sealer Automated microplate and tube rack heat sealer (distributed from J.G. Finneran Associates, USA) for sample sealing with adjustable heating parameters and gas purge options.
• Cadence® Virus Inactivation System Fully automated virus inactivation system by J-KEM (USA) using low-pH processing for pharmaceutical scale-up testing applications. Distributed by HiPep in Japan.
• J.G. Finneran High-Quality Glass Vials High-quality borosilicate glass vials and polypropylene caps for LC/MS and GC/MS applications, available in LC-grade and MS-grade with PTFE/silicone septa. Distributed from J.G. Finneran Associates in Japan.
• Contract Peptide Synthesis Service Custom peptide synthesis service using Fmoc solid-phase method with 20+ years of experience. Supports modifications including acetylation, biotinylation, amidation, fluorescent labeling, cyclization, disulfide bonds, and peptide conjugates; delivery lead time 10-15 business days. Sold to pharmaceutical/biotech R&D and academic research customers on a per-order quote basis.
• Mass Spectrometry and Amino Acid Analysis Services Contract analytical services including HPLC mass spectrometry, MALDI-TOF-MS, rapid amino acid analysis, and GMP-compliant amino acid composition and chiral (D/L) enantiomeric analysis. Sold to pharma/biotech manufacturers and academic researchers.
• Residual Solvent Quantification Service Gas chromatography analysis for quantifying residual organic solvents in polyamides, peptides, and proteins using USP 467 related method with internal standard technique. GMP-compliant contract service for pharmaceutical quality control.
• PNA (Peptide Nucleic Acid) Custom Synthesis Service Custom PNA synthesis service for 10-15 base standard range, with support for pseudo-complementary nucleobases (Ap, Tu) and modified cytosine for enhanced specificity. Sold to antisense/diagnostic research groups.
• Magnetic Polystyrene AM NH2 Resin Magnetic polystyrene AM NH2 resin (5-50 µm, 1.5-2.0 mmol/g substitution rate) for solid-phase organic synthesis, protein purification, and RNA/DNA extraction/purification. Sold to chemistry and biochemistry research labs.

Quantifiable outcome

• PepTenChip® detected gastric pre-cancerous lesions (atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia) non-invasively from gastric juice samples without tissue biopsy
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Konan University (甲南大学)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2015Joint research on novel diagnostic technology using saliva as a test specimen, funded by the Ikeda Shinken Bank consortium R&D grant. Professor Usui Kenji (臼井健二) served as the representative researcher. Collaboration on saliva-based diagnostic chip development using the PepTenChip® system.
• Kyoto University (京都大学)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2013Collaboration on the development of a telomere visualization probe using PIPA technology. Funded by the 'Kyoto-style Innovative Medical Technology R&D Grant' with Professor Sugiyama Hiroshi from Kyoto University contributing expertise in polyamide chemistry.
• National Institute of Genetics (国立遺伝学研究所)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2013Joint development of telomere staining probe with Professor Maeshima Kiwamu from the National Institute of Genetics, funded by the Kyoto-style innovative medical technology R&D program.
• Rapp Polymere GmbH (Germany)coreTechnology or IntegrationHiPep is the authorized sole Japanese supplier of TentaGel® and HypoGel® resins. The company's founder has long-standing collaborative relationships with the resin invention group, and HiPep serves as an authorized supply partner for the German manufacturer's products in Japan.
• Japan Light Metal Co., Ltd. (日本軽金属株式会社)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint exhibition at JASIS 2023 at Makuhari Messe under the concept of 'novel biological measurement technology.' The partnership combined HiPep's PepTenChip® diagnostic system with Japan Light Metal's technologies for a co-branded exhibition booth.
• HiPep Korea Co., Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWholly-owned Korean subsidiary established to serve customers in the Korean market. Handles customer inquiries, sales, and distribution for the Korean market.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Abcam: Global life-science reagent company offering antibodies, proteins, and research tools to academic and biopharma customers. Comparable as a broad-reach research reagent and tools business targeting the same pharma and academic buyer set that HiPep addresses with its reagents, peptide libraries, and biochips.
• Eurogentec (Kaneka): Belgian-Japanese peptide and oligonucleotide CDMO now part of Kaneka, providing custom synthesis and GMP manufacturing for therapeutic applications. Comparable as a broader peptide services incumbent with established GMP capacity that HiPep lacks, serving overlapping pharma customers with similar amino acid derivative and custom synthesis offerings.

Direct peers

• CSBio: US peptide CDMO offering custom peptide synthesis, peptide APIs, and peptide synthesis instrumentation since the 1990s. Comparable on Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis services, complex modifications (phosphorylation, biotinylation, fluorescent labeling), and synthesis scales that mirror HiPep's contract synthesis business.
• Bachem: Swiss-headquartered peptide CDMO producing custom peptides, amino acid derivatives, and APIs for pharma and biotech customers. Comparable as a vertically integrated custom peptide synthesis provider with similar product breadth (resins, reagents, contract synthesis) and overlapping customer base in drug discovery R&D.
• Biotage: Swedish life-science tools company focused on peptide synthesis instrumentation, purification systems, and consumables. Comparable on the PetiSyzer®-style peptide synthesizer and purification workflow, serving shared pharma and academic customers with adjacent workflow tooling.
• JPT Peptide Technologies: Berlin-based provider of peptide libraries, peptide arrays, and custom peptide synthesis services for proteomics and drug discovery. Closest comparator to HiPep's OPOB bead-immobilized peptide library and PepTenChip®-style peptide microarray diagnostic/research offerings.
• PeptiDream: Japanese biopharma specializing in peptide-based drug discovery platforms and non-standard peptide therapeutics. Comparable as a Japan-based peptide-focused company leveraging proprietary chemistry and libraries to serve global pharma partners, though PeptiDream is significantly larger and therapeutic- rather than tools-focused.
• GenScript: Global life-science services company offering custom peptide synthesis, protein engineering, antibody services, and cell therapy. Comparable on the peptide synthesis services, peptide libraries, and protein engineering pillars that mirror HiPep's core offerings to pharma and academic customers.
• Meso Scale Diagnostics: US diagnostics and life-science tools company using proprietary microarray and electrochemiluminescence detection platforms for biomarker and protein measurement. Comparable on the multiplex biochip detection concept that HiPep's PepTenChip® pursues, though MSD operates at much greater scale and clinical footprint.

Regional players

• CPC Scientific: Chinese custom peptide CDMO offering GMP and non-GMP peptide synthesis, amino acid derivatives, and PNA services to global pharma customers. Comparable on the contract peptide synthesis and PNA synthesis revenue streams, with regional overlap in Chinese drug discovery customers served by HiPep at trade shows like IDDST.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/HipepJp/videos
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hipep-laboratories

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 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 HiPep Laboratories