ARKRAY launches Rapidchip BNP-II whole-blood BNP test in Japan

ARKRAY launched Rapidchip BNP-II (ラピッドチップBNP-II), a reagent for measuring BNP (human brain natriuretic peptide), on September 7, 2026. BNP is used to assess and diagnose heart failure. The product is an in vitro diagnostic that runs on a dedicated protein analyzer and reports a BNP concentration from whole blood in about 10 minutes.

The test uses 120 µL of plasma or whole blood collected with EDTA-2Na or EDTA-2K. Loaded onto a Rapidpia or Rapidpia II analyzer, the sample gives a result in about 10 minutes with no pretreatment. Even the anticoagulant is specified, because BNP values shift easily with collection and storage conditions.

In a central lab, BNP measurement means centrifuging the tube to separate plasma and then running it on an automated analyzer. The analyzer itself is fast. Once transport, centrifugation and the queue are added, though, the total no longer fits into an outpatient visit. Accepting whole blood removes the centrifuge step altogether.

Telling in the consulting room whether a patient with breathlessness or swelling has heart failure is useful in many settings. Point-of-care tests are designed to sort patients correctly around the decision value rather than to match central-lab precision. They accept a narrower range in exchange for an answer during the visit.

Sekisui Medical launched a product under the same name, Rapidchip BNP-II, on August 3, 2026. The two companies have partnered on sales of BNP analyzers since 2013. Sekisui Medical's materials list two changes from the previous product. Measurement time fell from about 15 minutes to about 10, and shelf life grew from 1 year to 18 months.

The faster result is the headline. For anyone stocking the reagent, the longer shelf life may matter more. Point-of-care reagents turn over slowly, and a clinic that runs only a few tests a day always ends up with boxes that expire before use. With 6 more months of shelf life, it can order in larger lots and throw away fewer kits. Running costs usually hinge on that, not on minutes saved.

The price, a sales target and how ARKRAY and Sekisui Medical divide their roles have not been disclosed.