Market Trends of Laboratory Filtration Industry
Ultrafiltration Segment is Expected to Witness Significant Growth Over the Forecast Period
Ultrafiltration is the process of separating extremely small particles and dissolved molecules from liquids. The primary basis for separation is the size of the molecules, although the permeability of the filter can be affected by the sample's chemical, molecular or electrostatic properties. To be separated by ultrafiltration, molecules must differ in size by at least an order of magnitude and have a molecular weight between 1 kDa and 1000 kDa. Ultrafiltration membranes can be used to clean the filtrate or collect the retentate. It is typically used to separate proteins from buffer components for buffer exchange, concentration, or desalting.
The advantages and wide applicability of ultrafiltration, such as protein purification and isolation, vaccine manufacturing, and increased investments in research and development, are the major drivers for segment growth. For instance, according to the NCBI research study published in January 2021, proteins could be beneficial in their concentrated products or isolates, of which membrane filtration methods such as ultrafiltration include application in a wide range of protein sources. Furthermore, the advantages of ultrafiltration technology, such as the high product throughput and ability to generate rapid results, also boost the use of ultrafiltration. Moreover, traditional techniques such as chromatography require complex instrumentation support to run efficiently and yield low throughput of product at an extremely high cost owing to which ultrafiltration technique is becoming more popular as it overcomes such disadvantages.
The increased demand for vaccines is also anticipated to propel the segment's growth. For instance, in February 2022, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Mansukh Mandavia launched the National Polio Immunization Drive for 2022 in India by administering polio drops to children below five years of age in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Thus, increased demand for vaccines is expected to surge vaccine production, propelling segment growth as vaccine ultrafiltration is one of the essential steps in the production and manufacture of vaccines. Therefore, the advantages of ultrafiltration, wide applicability, and increased vaccine production are anticipated to propel the segment growth over the forecast period.
North America is Expected to Witness Considerable Growth Over the Forecast Period
North America is expected to witness considerable growth over the forecast period. The growth is due to increasing research work and rising investments in research and development by the public and private sectors. For instance, as per the report published by Research America in January 2022, the estimated Medical and Health R&D Investment in the United States was more than USD 245,127 million in 2021, whereas in 2020, it was around USD 221,438 million. It also reported that the investment in R&D by industrial players has also increased from the previous years. In 2021, the investment by industry was more than USD 161,766 million, whereas, in 2020, it was around USD 148,205 million. Therefore, increased investment indicates that both public and private sectors are focusing on developing new and advanced products, which may create new opportunities for the laboratory filtration market. Therefore, these factors are anticipated to promote market growth in North America.
The key product launches, high concentration of market players or manufacturer's presence in the region, and acquisition & partnerships among major players are the major drivers for the market. In addition, increased investments by biopharmaceutical companies in R&D in the United States are also driving the growth of the laboratory filtration market in the country. For instance, in October 2021, the United States National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) approved a USD 3.0 million grant for six new biopharmaceutical manufacturing devices. North Carolina State University, the University of Massachusetts, the University of Georgia, the University of Michigan, the University of Delaware, and Carnegie Mellon University are among the institutions that will receive funding. The increase in regional R&D investments is expected to boost market growth. Further, new product launches of membrane filters and related filtering systems are likely to fuel market growth over the forecast period in the region. For instance, in November 2021, DuPont Water Solutions (DWS) introduced the TapTec LC HF-4040 reverse osmosis membrane filter, which combines high flow rates with reliability. Therefore, owing to increased investments in research and development and product launches in the country, considerable market growth is expected in the United States over the forecast period.
