European Nucleic Acid-Based Amplification Reagents Markets for Clinical Applications

Business Wire, June 24, 2008

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/33e995/european_nucleic_a) has announced the addition of Frost & Sullivan's new report "European Nucleic Acid-based Amplification Reagents Markets for Clinical Applications" to their offering.

Research Overview:

This Frost & Sullivan research service titled European Nucleic Acid-based Amplification Reagents Markets for Clinical Applications provides an overview of market dynamics together with revenue forecasts. It also provides a complete analysis of key market drivers, restraints and trends in the market. Finally, it provides strategic solutions to vendors to gain advantage in this growing market. In this research, Frost & Sullivan's expert analysts thoroughly examine the following markets: infectious diseases, genetic testing and transplant diagnostics.

This analysis is available through our Drug Discovery Technologies Growth Partnership Services programme. With continuous access to intelligence and resources from all seven perspectives of the complex business universe, the Growth Partnership Services program ensures that you and your Growth Team[TM] are able to maintain a 360x view of the market. This comprehensive, objective information allows your company to mitigate risk, identify new opportunities, and drive effective strategies for growth.

Market Overview:

European NAT Reagents Market Booming for Clinical Applications

In relation to clinical diagnostics, nucleic acid-based amplification technique (NAT) allows the highly specific detection and quantification of extremely low levels of disease agents. Subsequently, effective therapeutic management through the monitoring of patients can be carried out. One of the major trends in the molecular diagnostics market is the growing number of biomarkers that have been identified, resulting in the surging number of tests that are being commercialised to target these biomarkers. Similarly, the completion of the human genome project is augmenting the number of tests developed for cancer and genetic diagnostics. There are several tests for infectious diseases that use NAT technology, including for HIV, HBV, HCV, HPV, CT, GC, HSV, CMV, MTB, Legionella species, Mycloplasma pneumoniae, Group A strep, EBV and VZV.

Using NAT tests for screening purposes, such as for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) testing and expanded DTC advertising, augurs well for long-term market growth. The test for HPV screening has already been incorporated in the healthcare system and has proven to be a significant market driver. Similarly, there is an increasing interest in adding tests such as Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae for screening purposes. Despite reimbursement issues, the sensitivity and the accuracy of NAT technology and the rise in automation are spurring double-digit growth of this segment.

Benefits of NAT Leading to Increased Interest from End-user Base

The results obtained from using NAT techniques instead of immunoassay or culture methods have clearly proven to be more specific and sensitive. For instance, the time taken between infection and the development of antibodies (window period) can cause HIV to be undetectable by ELISA. However, with NAT, the genetic material of the virus is detected directly. "The increase in automation technology and the use of quantitative PCR (qPCR) and multiplexing provides an early, rapid and accurate method to diagnose disease states and medical disorders, supporting reliable treatment regimes," notes the analyst of this research. "End users are slowly realising the benefits of being able to detect clinically relevant genetic variations in patients to help doctors better predict disease risk and progression, and hence select the most appropriate therapy sooner." This can decrease healthcare costs significantly in the long term.

NAT diagnostic kits can play a very important part in detecting infectious agents, genetic disorders, predicting the likelihood of having cancer and monitoring a therapy. However, the major question gripping the industry is whether these technologies are cost effective; the alternative methods for clinical applications such as home-brewed assays, immunoassays, fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) and culture techniques continue to be less expensive than NAT reagents, making reimbursement a critical challenge. "Therefore, strategies such as educating end users and undertaking widespread marketing to make customers aware of NAT products and their benefits can be useful," advises the analyst. "Focusing on automation and multi-parameter kits can encourage the use of this technology, and promote sustained market growth."

Market Sectors:

Expert Frost & Sullivan analysts thoroughly examine the following market sectors in this research:

* Infectious diseases

* Genetic testing

* Transplant diagnostics

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/33e995/european_nucleic_a