As the start of the influenza season moves forward, Mizuho Medy is looking for an October entry point against a backdrop of winter demand for test kits. The focus is on its ability to supply test reagents for fever clinics and the features of the testing systems it provides.
This year's influenza season began earlier than usual, and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced the start of the season in August. Patient reports have consequently been increasing, raising the question of how the stock market will assess this news and changes in demand. Meanwhile, Mizuho Medy has established a supply system for test kits used in cases of fever and is preparing for higher winter demand.
Mizuho Medy mainly offers test kits that use a nasal swab and produce results in about 10 minutes, covering a broad range of conditions including influenza, COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus and Mycoplasma. Its portfolio includes a high-sensitivity instrument-read testing system developed with Fujifilm and Smart Gene, which enables genetic testing at clinics. A key feature is that the company handles development, manufacturing and sales in-house.
The biggest risk, however, is the extent to which earnings are easily affected by external factors such as the timing and scale of infectious disease outbreaks. In particular, the sustainability of demand for combination test kits, which accounted for nearly half of sales in the previous fiscal year, will be a focus as the scale of the COVID-19 outbreak declines.
The article organises information to help assess how test kits are monetised through medical institutions and wholesalers, how profits expand during outbreak periods, and how an earlier start to the season affects earnings. Based on financial results materials and infectious disease announcements, it aims to indicate the direction of key metrics to watch.