AVSS

What AVSS does

AVSS Co., Ltd. (株式会社AVSS) is a privately held Japanese specialty pharmaceutical company founded on October 11, 2006, as a spin-off venture of Nagasaki University. The company is incorporated in Japan with a registered capital of 36,000,000 JPY and operates from a headquarters in Nagasaki City and a branch laboratory in Uruma City, Okinawa Prefecture. Its sole focus is the infectious disease domain, specifically antiviral drug development, in vitro diagnostic kits, and R&D support services for the domestic bio-pharmaceutical industry, healthcare providers, and government health agencies.

The company's core technology is a proprietary cell-based antiviral screening system combined with unique capability to handle live infectious viruses, an expertise the company claims makes it the only such operator in Japan. Built on this platform, AVSS has developed and commercialized a portfolio of diagnostic kits for mosquito-borne viruses (Dengue, Zika, Chikungunya, Japanese encephalitis), Dengue serotype identification, HPV genotyping, and a SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR kit developed within one month of the COVID-19 outbreak. The service line includes virus safety testing for biopharmaceuticals, joint research collaborations, and NGS-based viral genome analysis.

AVSS generates revenue through a mix of one-time licensing and product sales of diagnostic kits, professional services for R&D support and virus safety testing, and government contracts for PCR testing and genomic surveillance. The go-to-market is sales-led and direct, relying on partnerships with public research institutions, academia, and private companies. Notable customers include Okinawa Prefecture (COVID-19 PCR testing since 2020 and NGS genome analysis since 2023), Ryukakusan Co., Ltd. (co-developed product launched September 2020), Tomishiro Central Hospital (cervical cancer genetic testing since 2009), and various regional medical associations. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed and the company operates as a small private laboratory-focused entity.

Name

AVSS

Legal name

株式会社AVSS

Website

https://avss.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Short description

AVSS is a Nagasaki University spin-off Japanese pharmaceutical company that operates the only live-infectious-virus-handling facility in Japan, developing antiviral drugs, virus detection diagnostic kits, and R&D support services for the domestic bio-pharmaceutical industry, healthcare institutions, and government agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Nagasaki-shi

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Anti-virus Drug Development: Development of antiviral agents targeting various viruses using proprietary screening systems
2. Virus Detection In Vitro Diagnostics: Development and sales of virus detection kits including mosquito-borne virus discrimination kits, dengue serotype kits, and SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR kits
3. R&D Support Services: Joint development and research services supporting clients in identifying antiviral activity in substances and materials for product development, patent filing, and academic paper writing
4. Virus Safety Testing Services: Biopharmaceutical virus safety testing contracted services

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

AVSS is a Japanese specialty pharmaceutical company that discovers and develops antiviral drugs using a proprietary cell-based high-throughput screening system, and develops and sells in vitro diagnostic kits for virus detection (including mosquito-borne viruses, HPV, and SARS-CoV-2). The company also provides R&D support services such as virus safety testing for biopharmaceuticals and NGS-based viral genome analysis to pharmaceutical companies, healthcare institutions, and government agencies in Japan.

Product overview

AVSS is a Nagasaki University-originated pharmaceutical company and the only Japanese company with the unique capability to handle live infectious viruses. Their product portfolio centers on three interconnected business areas: (1) Anti-viral Drug Development using a proprietary cell-based antiviral screening system for high-throughput discovery of antiviral agents; (2) Virus Detection In-Vitro Diagnostics including mosquito-borne virus discrimination kits, dengue serotype kits, and SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR kits; and (3) R&D Support Services including virus safety testing for biopharmaceuticals and NGS-based genome analysis. The company operates from Nagasaki headquarters and an Okinawa branch, serving as a specialty pharma targeting infectious disease therapeutics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Anti-Viral Drug Development Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Developed COVID-19 RT-qPCR detection kit within one month of outbreak in January 2020
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and moderate.

• Nagasaki University (長崎大学)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAVSS was founded as a Nagasaki University venture company in October 2006. The company originated from university research and maintains close ties. University research lab was closed in March 2019 as AVSS consolidated its Okinawa facility.
• Vietnam University of Science and Technology (ベトナム科学技術大学/USTH)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccepted 3 students for internship from June to September 2023 as part of international academic exchange and talent development.
• Okinawa Prefecture Clinical Laboratory Technicians Association (沖縄県臨床検査技師会)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJointly conducted PCR testing technology training workshops (monthly sessions, 3 total) from July to September 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Ryukakusan Co., Ltd. (㈱龍角散)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development partnership resulting in product launch in September 2020. This represents a commercial product development collaboration with a major consumer healthcare company.
• Okinawa Prefecture (沖縄県)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple collaborations including: Okinawan New Industry Creation Startup Investment (2011), Okinawa Infectious Disease Research Achievement Promotion Project (2018), COVID-19 PCR testing contracted services (2020), and NGS-based COVID-19 genome analysis (2023).

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• bioMérieux (BioFire Diagnostics): bioMérieux, through its BioFire Diagnostics subsidiary, is a global leader in molecular diagnostics for infectious diseases including the FilmArray syndromic panels (respiratory, meningitis, gastrointestinal). Direct peer to AVSS in molecular infectious disease diagnostics, with a much broader test menu and global commercial reach.
• Seegene: Seegene is a Korean molecular diagnostics company specializing in multiplex molecular diagnostic tests for infectious diseases including respiratory pathogens, HPV, and tropical viruses. Direct peer to AVSS in IVD kit development for infectious diseases, with comparable syndromic testing capabilities (Dengue, Zika, SARS-CoV-2) but operating at significantly larger scale globally.
• QuidelOrtho: QuidelOrtho is a US diagnostics company focused on infectious disease testing, with rapid antigen and molecular diagnostic products including SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and tropical disease assays. Direct peer to AVSS in infectious disease IVD kit development with global commercial presence.
• Meridian Bioscience: Meridian Bioscience is a US-based diagnostics company specializing in infectious disease test kits and reagents for gastrointestinal, respiratory, and tropical diseases. Direct peer to AVSS in infectious disease IVD kit development, comparable in size focus on niche infectious disease diagnostics.
• Cepheid (Danaher): Cepheid, owned by Danaher, is a US-based molecular diagnostics company whose GeneXpert system provides rapid PCR testing for infectious diseases including SARS-CoV-2, HPV, and tropical diseases. Direct peer to AVSS in molecular infectious disease diagnostics with established global installed base.

Broad incumbents

• Sysmex Corporation: Sysmex is one of Japan's largest IVD companies with global presence in hematology, urinalysis, and infectious disease diagnostics including molecular testing platforms. Broad incumbent peer to AVSS in Japanese infectious disease diagnostics with substantially larger R&D budget and international distribution network.
• Fujifilm Healthcare (Toyama Chemical): Fujifilm, through its Toyama Chemical subsidiary, developed Avigan (favipiravir), one of the most prominent Japanese antivirals developed for COVID-19 and influenza. Broad incumbent peer to AVSS in Japanese antiviral drug development, with significantly greater R&D resources, regulatory expertise, and global commercialization capabilities.
• Denka Company: Denka is a Japanese specialty chemicals and diagnostics company producing IVD reagents and test kits for infectious diseases including influenza and other respiratory pathogens. Broad incumbent peer to AVSS in Japanese infectious disease diagnostics with significantly broader product portfolio and manufacturing scale.
• Shionogi & Co. Shionogi is a major Japanese specialty pharmaceutical company with significant antiviral focus, notably developing Xocova (ensitrelvir) for COVID-19 and broader anti-infectives pipeline. Broad incumbent peer to AVSS in Japanese antiviral development, but operating at vastly greater scale with full pharmaceutical commercialization capabilities.
• H.U. Group Holdings (Fujirebio): H.U. Group Holdings, parent of Fujirebio, is a major Japanese IVD company with a broad portfolio including infectious disease diagnostics, tumor markers, and specialty reagents. Broad incumbent peer to AVSS in the Japanese IVD market, offering overlapping diagnostic capabilities but as part of a much larger diagnostics portfolio serving hospitals and labs nationwide.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 AVSS