Capricorn Products

What Capricorn Products does

Capricorn Products is a sub-brand and former legal entity of Nittobo America Inc. (NTB-A), a California corporation incorporated in 1986 and wholly owned by Japanese parents Nittobo Boseki Co., Ltd. and Nittobo Medical Co., Ltd. The Capricorn brand was established in 1994 in Portland, Maine; Capricorn Products LLC was acquired by NTB-A on June 7, 2019 and merged into NTB-A effective January 1, 2020. Capricorn now operates alongside two sister brands under NTB-A — IIC (Murrieta, California) and MBC (Boone, Iowa) — collectively forming a primary manufacturer of bulk polyclonal antisera and complementing calibrators and controls for the turbidimetric immunodiagnostic assay (TIA) and broader in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) industry. All three facilities are ISO 9001:2015 certified and USDA-registered; the Capricorn site, located on 12 acres of farmland in Portland, Maine, holds USDA technical-plant registration enabling export to the EU under EC 1060/2009 and 142/2011. Jane Havey is identified as Founder of Capricorn and remains with the organization under the consolidated NTB-A structure.

Capricorn's product portfolio is centered on polyclonal antisera produced in goats, rabbits, and sheep, targeting human immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM, IgE), apolipoproteins (Apo A1, Apo B, Apo(a)), complement proteins (C3, C4, C1Q), C-reactive protein, cystatin C, albumin, transferrin, haptoglobin, fibrinogen, prealbumin, alpha-1-antitrypsin, and serum amyloid A. Antisera are offered in multiple forms — serum, gamma fraction, IgG fraction, affinity-purified antibody, and FITC conjugates — for use as raw materials in IVD kit manufacturing. The brand also supplies human serum calibrators and controls (CRP, cystatin C, microalbumin, multi-analyte custom at six levels) and has expanded into monoclonal antibodies and purified antigens for infectious disease and immunological diagnostics (e.g., HIV, Hepatitis B, EBV, CMV, Borrelia, Chlamydia, Toxoplasma).

The business model is sales-led and contract-driven, with three revenue streams: (1) bulk antisera sales priced by volume with typical lots greater than 100mL, (2) calibrators and controls sales in stabilized liquid form with defined protein concentrations, and (3) custom polyclonal antibody production services using customer-supplied antigens in USDA-licensed facilities, priced per contracted event (initiation, animal maintenance, immunization, bleeds, conversion, shipping) with a 9-month minimum program. Distribution is direct-to-customer through NTB-A's Sales Department via phone, fax, mail, or email under EX WORKS shipping terms, with international shipping handled via DHL, FedEx, or UPS. Marketing is concentrated in industry trade shows — ADLM, MEDICA, and immunology conferences — and customer segments are IVD assay manufacturers (primary) and R&D organizations requiring non-catalog antibody specificities (secondary).

Name

Capricorn Products

Legal name

Nittobo America Inc.

Website

https://capricornproducts.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Capricorn Products, a sub-brand of Nittobo America Inc., manufactures bulk polyclonal antisera, calibrators, controls, monoclonal antibodies and antigens at its Portland, Maine facility, supplying raw materials to in-vitro diagnostic kit manufacturers globally under ISO 9001 and USDA-registered standards.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Bulk Antisera Sales: Sale of bulk polyclonal antisera in various forms (serum, IgG fraction, affinity purified) for use as raw material in in-vitro diagnostic kits. Pricing based on volume ordered, typical bulk quantities are greater than 100mL.
2. Calibrators and Controls Sales: Sale of human serum calibrators and controls for immunoassay applications, provided in stabilized liquid form with specific protein concentrations.
3. Custom Polyclonal Antibody Production: Contract production of custom polyclonal antibodies using customer-provided antigens in USDA licensed facilities. Pricing based on individual contracted events including initiation fees, maintenance fees, immunization, production bleeds, and shipping.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Capricorn Products is a primary manufacturer of bulk polyclonal antisera and complementing raw materials (calibrators, controls, monoclonal antibodies, antigens, and serum products) for the in-vitro diagnostic kit manufacturing industry. Products are produced at the Portland, Maine facility in multiple forms — serum, Ig fraction, IgG fraction, and immunoaffinity purified antibody — and are used as raw materials in turbidimetric immunoassays and other IVD applications. The company also offers custom polyclonal antibody contract production using customer-provided antigens in USDA-licensed facilities.

Product overview

Capricorn Products is a sub-brand of Nittobo America Inc. (acquired in 2019), offering bulk polyclonal antisera and calibrators for the turbidimetric immunodiagnostic assay (TIA) industry. The product portfolio consists of three interconnected product lines: (1) Capricorn polyclonal antisera produced in goats, rabbits, and sheep targeting human immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE), apolipoproteins (Apo A1, Apo B, Apo(a)), complement proteins (C3, C4, C1Q), C-reactive protein, albumin, transferrin, and other serum proteins; (2) Capricorn calibrators and controls including human CRP calibrators, cystatin C calibrators, microalbumin calibrators, and multi-analyte custom calibrators/controls for immunoassay standardization; and (3) Capricorn monoclonal antibodies and antigen products for infectious disease diagnostics. All Capricorn products are manufactured at the Portland, Maine facility as raw materials for in-vitro diagnostic kit manufacturers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IIC: Brand of bulk polyclonal antisera and calibrators produced at the California facility in Murrieta, CA.
• MBC
• Capricorn

Products and services

• Polyclonal Antisera — Immunoglobulins (IgA, IgE, IgG, IgM) Goat polyclonal antisera to human immunoglobulins (IgA alpha chain, IgE epsilon chain, IgG Fc specific, IgM mu chain), available as serum, gamma fraction, and FITC conjugate for immunodiagnostic assay development. Sold as bulk raw material to IVD kit manufacturers.
• Polyclonal Antisera — Apolipoproteins (Apo A1, Apo B, Apo(a)) Goat polyclonal antisera to human apolipoproteins (Apo A1, Apo B, Apo(a)), available as serum and gamma fraction for cardiovascular disease and lipid profile diagnostics. Sold as bulk raw material to IVD kit manufacturers.
• Polyclonal Antisera — Other Serum Proteins Goat polyclonal antisera to a range of human serum proteins including complement (C1Q, C3, C4), CRP, Cystatin C, Fibrinogen, Haptoglobin, Prealbumin, Transferrin, Albumin, Alpha-1-Antitrypsin, and Serum Amyloid A. Available as serum, gamma fraction, affinity purified, and FITC conjugate forms for inflammation, kidney function, liver function, and coagulation immunoassays.
• Human Serum Calibrators & Controls Stabilized liquid calibrators and quality controls for human multi-analyte, CRP, Cystatin C, and Microalbumin immunoassays. Includes multi-analyte custom calibrators in six levels (Level 1–6), multi-analyte controls in two levels, and analyte-specific calibrators at defined concentrations for turbidimetric immunoassay standardization.
• Monoclonal Antibody Products Portfolio of monoclonal antibodies targeting pathogens and human proteins including Borrelia, Candida, Chlamydia, Dirofilaria, Ebola, EBV, HIV, and Hepatitis B for infectious disease and immunological diagnostic applications. Sold as raw material to IVD kit manufacturers.
• Antigen Products Purified and partially purified antigens for a range of pathogens and proteins including Adenovirus, Chlamydia pneumoniae, CMV, Cystatin C, Fatty Acid Binding Protein, Hepatitis B, Herpes Simplex Virus, and Toxoplasma for diagnostic assay development.
• Serum Products Specialty serum products including goat anti-rotavirus IgG fraction, goat anti-streptococcus affinity purified, sheep anti-human deoxynivalenol serum, rabbit anti-Helicobacter pylori IgG fraction, rabbit anti-Legionella IgG fraction, and rabbit anti-vaccinia virus IgG fraction for infectious disease and food/environmental diagnostic applications.
• Custom Polyclonal Antibody Production Service Contract production of custom polyclonal antibodies using customer-provided antigens in USDA-licensed facilities. Programs include initiation, daily animal maintenance, immunization, test bleeds, production bleeds, plasma-to-serum conversion, packaging/handling, shipping, and document fees with a minimum 9-month program length.
• Custom Manufacturing & Product Development Services Custom manufacturing and product development services leveraging Nittobo America's two USDA-licensed facilities and 30+ years of polyclonal antiserum production experience to support customer-specific IVD assay development and scale-up.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Nittobo America Inc.parentOthersCapricorn Products LLC (Portland, ME) was acquired by Nittobo America Inc. on June 7, 2019, with merger effective January 1, 2020. Capricorn operates as one of three brands (IIC, MBC, Capricorn) under Nittobo America Inc. marketing and sales. Owned by Nitto Boseki Co., Ltd. and Nittobo Medical Co., Ltd. (Japan).

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• GenScript: GenScript provides custom antibody production services, including polyclonal and recombinant antibody development for diagnostic and research customers. Comparable to Capricorn's contract production line, with broader service offerings and recombinant capabilities.
• Surmodics: Surmodics provides IVD reagent components and surface coatings for diagnostic manufacturers. Comparable in serving IVD kit makers with raw material components, though focused on different reagent categories (immunoassay reagents, coatings) vs. Capricorn's core polyclonal antibodies.

Direct peers

• BBI Solutions: BBI Solutions is a primary manufacturer of polyclonal antibodies and immunoassay reagents serving the IVD industry. Directly comparable to Capricorn Products in core product (bulk polyclonal antisera), customer base (IVD kit manufacturers), and business model (raw material supply).
• Monoclonal Antibodies Inc. (MAb): Monoclonal Antibodies Inc. produces custom monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies for diagnostic and research applications. Directly comparable to Capricorn's custom contract polyclonal antibody production service.
• Meridian Bioscience: Meridian Bioscience manufactures bulk antigens, antibodies, and diagnostic reagents for IVD manufacturers. Overlaps with Capricorn's antigen and antibody offerings in the infectious disease and immunology diagnostic raw material space.
• HyTest (a Thermo Fisher Scientific brand): HyTest specializes in monoclonal antibodies and antigens for IVD, particularly for cardiac and infectious disease markers. Comparable to Capricorn in serving IVD manufacturers with antibody raw materials, though focused more on monoclonal technology.

Broad incumbents

• DiaSorin: DiaSorin is a specialty IVD company focused on immunodiagnostics and molecular diagnostics. Comparable to Capricorn as a producer and consumer of immunological reagents, though focused on finished kit manufacturing rather than raw material supply.
• Siemens Healthineers (Diagnostics): Siemens Healthineers is a major IVD kit manufacturer whose clinical chemistry and immunoassay product lines (e.g., BN, ADVIA Centaur) use polyclonal reagents internally. Comparable as a potential customer and a competitor in the broader IVD raw materials ecosystem.
• Roche Diagnostics: Roche Diagnostics is a global IVD leader that develops and manufactures its own diagnostic kits, including those that may use polyclonal antisera internally. Comparable as a major consumer and producer of IVD reagents, though operates at vastly different scale and primarily as a downstream kit manufacturer.
• Bio-Rad Laboratories: Bio-Rad is a large life science tools and diagnostics company that produces a broad portfolio of antibodies, reagents, and IVD raw materials. Overlaps with Capricorn in polyclonal antibody production and immunoassay reagents but operates at significantly larger scale and broader scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/capricorn-products-llc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Capricorn Products