Real-time PCR (qPCR) and Digital PCR (dPCR) Market Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast

by Susan Hill Business Consultant

The global real-time pcr and digital pcr market size is anticipated to reach USD 4.33 billion by 2026, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. It is anticipated to register a CAGR of 8.5% during the forecast period. Growing demand for Rapid Diagnostics Tests (RTDs) is one of the high impact rendering drivers for this market. The demand for RDTs is likely to witness strong growth as local governments across the globe seek to incorporate these tests to improve the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases.

The emergence of RDTs as an important tool in the management of infectious diseases owing to the ability to provide rapid results in remote areas with limited healthcare infrastructure is likely to fuel the growth of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) systems which are used extensively to conduct these diagnostic procedures.

In addition, high prevalence of infectious diseases is one of the major factors contributing to the market growth. According to the estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO), lower respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, and tuberculosis were ranked among the top ten causes of deaths worldwide in 2016. New cases of other infectious diseases, such as HIV/AIDS and malaria among others continue to witness sharp increase in developing countries which is expected to substantially increase the patient population, driving the need for better diagnosis options.

Furthermore, inorganic growth strategies such as mergers and acquisitions employed by major PCR manufacturers to broaden their product portfolio and to develop novel qPCR and dPCR products is another factor expected to propel the market during the forecast period. For instance, in January 2017, RainDance Technologies, Inc. was acquired by Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. which is expected to strengthen the company’s position in the field of droplet digital PCR and next generation sequencing.

Further key findings from the report suggest:

qPCR held the largest market share in 2018 due to the accuracy and wide applications of the technology in quantification of gene expression, pathogen detection and microRNA analysis
Digital PCR is estimated to be the fastest growing segment due to precise quantification of target sequences
Consumables and reagents led the product segment and is likely register the fastest CAGR of 8.9% over the forecast period due strong uptake in the use of PCR kits in diagnostic tests
Research application was the largest segment in terms of value in 2018, due to wide-spread use in research areas, such as stem cells, microbiology, and agriculture
Clinical application is expected to witness robust growth over the forecast period due to the adoption of automated processes
North America held the largest market share in terms of revenue in 2018 due launch of new PCR products along with rising demand for rapid diagnostic tests
Asia Pacific is projected to register comparatively strong growth during the forecast period owing to burgeoning patient population as a result of prevalence of infectious diseases
Prominent players in the qPCR and dPCR market include Bio-Rad Laboratories; Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.; Qiagen N.V.; Abbott Laboratories, Inc.; and others