Avacta secures Optim deal in Japan

The York-based group’s deal with £5.8bn turnover group DKSH Japan follows closely on its contract with global technology group Pall Corporation to market Optim in the United States.

Chief executive Alastair Smith said: “We are delighted to have signed this exclusive Japanese distribution agreement with such a strong partner as DKSH.

“It has in-depth understanding of the Asian market as well as an excellent team of sales, applications and support staff. The team has many years experience in selling and supporting complementary technologies to Optim into our target customers which is of significant benefit to Avacta.

“We are looking forward to working with them to achieve our market potential in this strategically important territory.”

DKSH has nearly 50 years’ experience supporting the Japanese pharmaceutical industry. Avacta highlighted its strong contacts in the rapidly-growing biopharmaceutical industry and with the large and expanding life sciences research base in Japan.

Japan is the second largest biotechnology market after the US with over 500 bioventures, and is expected to grow ten times in volume by 2017.

Avacta has already received its first order for an Optim unit which will be shipped to DKSH in April.

The group claims its Optim device speeds up and cuts the cost of drug development, by allowing scientists to test drugs using tiny samples. The group said the quality of data derived through Optim gives drug developers a greater insight into candidate drugs much earlier in their development.

Yuji Hirohata, executive sales manager at DKSH Japan, said: “Avacta’s Optim system is attracting considerable attention as a tool that allows drug developers to gain a greater insight into protein therapeutics formulation at a much earlier stage of development. We are happy to represent Optim in Japan and are confident of its great market potential.”

Shares in the group edged up 0.8 per cent to 1.21p.