Market Trends of Gel Documentation Systems Industry
Nucleic Acid Quantification is Expected to Register Considerable Growth Over the Forecast Period
Nucleic acid quantification is a technique used to determine the amount of nucleic acid present in a solution by using gel electrophoresis to separate the target nucleic acid band according to the molecular weight of the nucleic acid segments in the band. The quantity of the target nucleic acid band is determined by visualizing the nucleic acid bands under a gel documentation system and comparing them with the nucleic acid ladder. This technique is essential for various research studies involving the determination of the molecular weight of nucleic acids such as DNA and RNA. It has several applications in amplification, genetic engineering, and other fields.
Recent studies have highlighted the importance of nucleic acid quantitation in disease management, particularly in the case of viral infections such as HIV-1 and SARS-CoV2. For instance, a report published by the Journal Methods in May 2022 emphasized the significance of sensitive detection and quantitation of viral nucleic acids for disease management. The study demonstrated that sensitive HIV-1 DNA and RNA quantitation assays can aid in effectively treating and managing HIV-1 infection, including combination antiretroviral therapy (cART).
The high usage of nucleic acid quantification using gel electrophoresis, which requires gel documentation systems, is expected to drive the growth of the nucleic acid quantification segment. Furthermore, research investments in HIV have increased, which is also expected to drive the demand for gel documentation systems for HIV-related studies. According to data published by the United States Department of Health & Human Services in October 2022, the National Institute of Health (NIH) announced 66 awards to institutions participating in the NIMH AIDS Research Centers (ARC) programs and NIH-funded Centers for AIDS Research (CFAR) as part of the initiative to "End the HIV Epidemic in the United States (EHE)." The increasing need for nucleic acid quantification in gel electrophoresis and heightened research efforts in HIV are anticipated to significantly drive the demand for gel documentation systems.
Therefore, due to the importance and various applications of nucleic acid quantitation in research studies, as well as the increased demand for gel documentation systems for HIV-related studies, the nucleic acid quantification segment is expected to grow significantly over the forecast period.
North America is Expected to Witness Significant Growth Over the Forecast Period
North America is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period, owing to the high prevalence of chronic diseases, advanced healthcare infrastructure, and research investments. The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases in the region would create more demand for diagnosis and research of the target protein, biomarkers, and nucleic acid, which utilizes gel documentation systems for visualizing the protein/nucleic acid bands. For instance, a report published by the American Cancer Society in January 2023 reported that new cases of prostate cancer, cervical cancer, and bladder cancer constituted 14.7%, 0.7%, and 4.2%, respectively, of the 1.9 million new cancer diagnoses in the United States for that year.
Further, according to the Canadian Cancer Society's 2023 data, 233,900 new cancer cases were reported in 2022. Concurrently, the region is experiencing a significant burden of diabetes, which is expected to increase the demand for gel documentation systems utilized in research. The Canadian Diabetes Association reported in June 2022 that over 5.7 million Canadians were diagnosed with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes in 2022.
Furthermore, the region has significant investments in cancer and other diseases, which would create more demand for the gel documentation system as they are used in imaging the electrophoresis gel to study the target protein. Thus, the increasing research in the North American region is expected to boost the growth of the gel documentation market.
For instance, in January 2023, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research of the Government of Canada (CIHR) invested over CAD 23 million (USD 16.83 million) into pediatric cancer in Canada. Further, in December 2022, Breast Cancer Canada announced a call for proposals for its 2023 Precision Oncology Research Grants, which would award over CAD 500,000 (USD 36,600) in its new funding for breast cancer research projects.
The key developments and investments into research in the region are expected to create more demand for the gel documentation system for the research, which would boost the market in the region. For instance, in May 2023, the Lung Cancer Research Foundation (LCRF) collaborated with Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca. Under the collaboration, LCRF and companies would fund three research grants focused on antibody-drug conjugates to improve the outcomes for lung cancer patients.
Further, in January 2023, Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine of the United States planned to invest in six new projects, which are focused on breast, prostate, neck and head cancer, lung, osteosarcoma, and neuroblastoma. Also, in January 2022, Novartis planned to invest over USD 50 million into clinical research in Mexico. The investment would strengthen the discovery of new drugs for diseases with unmet medical needs in the country and, thus, create the demand for gel documentation systems and accessories and drive the market's growth.
Therefore, owing to the factors above, including the increasing prevalence of diseases and increasing research investment into diseases, the growth of the market studied is anticipated in North America.
