SNBL and Tasso, Inc. to Establish Joint Venture in Japan

TOKYO & KAGOSHIMA, Japan & SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tokyo & Kagoshima, Japan (March 28, 2025 JST) / Seattle, Washington, USA (March 27, 2025 PT): Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories, Ltd. (TSE Prime: 2395, Representative Chairman, President & CEO: Ryoichi Nagata, M.D., Ph.D.; hereinafter “SNBL”) and Tasso, Inc., the Seattle-based leading provider of patient-centric, clinical grade blood collection solutions (Co-founder & CEO: Ben Casavant, Ph.D.; hereinafter “Tasso”) hereby announce that they have agreed to establish a new joint venture company (hereinafter “JV”) for exclusive distribution of Tasso’s proprietary on-demand blood collection device in Japan.

The establishment of the JV between SNBL and Tasso aims to contribute to important themes in Japan, such as self-medication, preventative medicine, telemedicine, and reducing the burden on medical professionals (particularly doctors and nurses), by leveraging the unique features of Tasso's self-blood collection device: (1) it enables a painless collection, (2) it can be used anywhere, including at home, (3) it can be self-administered, and (4) it collects high-quality blood samples using a compatible collection tube.

The JV has the exclusive right to sell Tasso products in Japan, and will manage and oversee the regulatory process, commercialization (including promotion, marketing and sales), and distribution of the device in Japan.

“As part of the SGG initiative, we aim to support the growth of Japanese companies that are aiming to enter the US market and US companies that are planning to enter the Japanese market, and to create new business opportunities for both sides. We believe that this JV is an initiative based on the SGG concept and will make a significant contribution to the improvement of clinical experience,” said Dr. Ryoichi Nagata, Representative Chairman, President & CEO of SNBL.

SGG refers to the SNBL Global Gateway (SGG) project, which makes the most of the strong network of SNBL's CRO and translational research (TR) businesses, which have been cultivated over many years, centered on our facilities in Washington State, USA, and maximizes the use of SNBL’s strong network of Japanese and American academia, investors, and professional companies.

"We are pleased to partner with SNBL as part of the SGG initiative. SNBL’s expertise will streamline the entry of Tasso’s virtually painless blood collection technology to the Japanese market, enabling a better patient experience for Japan," said Ben Casavant, PhD, CEO and Co-Founder of Tasso.