Frost & Sullivan: U.S. DNA/RNA Probe Diagnostic System Markets Largely Unexploited
As cases of infectious diseases in the U.S. continue to rise, hospitals and clinical laboratories are expected to adopt rapid and highly sensitive methods of detecting the presence of pathogen DNA/RNA. Frost & Sullivan's (Mountain View, CA) new strategic research report, entitled "U.S. DNA/RNA Probe Diagnostic System Markets," measures the markets for this type of testing in a broad range of applications.
The report forecasts the opportunities for growth in the U.S. DNA/RNA Probe Diagnostic Systems Markets, identifyies key issues and trends, and proves product analyses while outlining the competitive environment. To give an indication of how much of the market remains unexploited, Frost & Sullivan performed more than 75 DNA/RNA probe diagnostic system end-user interviews in selected hospitals and reference laboratories.
Historically, the primary method used for DNA amplification was the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which was effective in analyzing DNA samples that were too small to permit other types of analyses. As new technologies for DNA/RNA amplification continue to be introduced, they are employed in conjunction with DNA/RNA probes in assays to detect the presence of pathogens, and measure the concentration of viral particles as a determinate of therapeutic effectiveness.
"DNA/RNA probe diagnostics have come to the forefront of the diagnostics industry. To keep competitive in the market, companies need to develop a broad panel of assays, automated systems and increased throughput," says Frost & Sullivan Biotechnology Analyst John Keefe. "Because of the large investment many companies are putting into the development of their system, any competitor not addressing these factors could very quickly find themselves at an extreme disadvantage in the market."
According to Frost & Sullivan, the viral load monitoring market generated revenues of $171.7 million in 1998, with a growth rate of 47% over 1997. Infectious disease diagnostics also showed a double-digit growth rate from 1997 to 1998, while the food-borne pathogen detection market showed only a 6% growth rate over that same time period. Viral load monitoring and infectious disease diagnostics should each continue to achieve double-digit revenue growth through 2005, but the food-borne pathogen detection market is expected to show the most significant gains throughout the forecast period.
The biggest development discovered by Frost & Sullivan is the need for automation of the DNA/RNA probe diagnostic systems. The efficiency of these automated systems allow laboratories to lower their overhead costs by reducing the number of highly-educated technicians who are needed to operate the older existing systems. Competition in these markets is stiff, as larger companies continue developing a broad panel of assays, thereby pushing out the smaller companies who participate in niche markets, such as HPV.
This healthcare industry research has integrated the market engineering consulting philosophy into the entire research process. Critical phases of this research included: identification of industry challenges, market engineering measurements, strategic recommendations, planning, and market monitoring. All of the vital elements of this system help the market participants navigate successfully through the DNA/RNA probe diagnostic system markets.
Frost & Sullivan is an international marketing consulting company that monitors the medical industry for market trends, market measurements, and strategies.
For more information: Russ Pecoraro, Frost and Sullivan, 2525 East Charleston Rd., Mountain View, CA 94043. Tel: 650-237-4386. Fax: 650-903-0915. Email: rpecoraro@frost.com.