Drug Discovery Technologies

Report Highlights

• The global market for drug discovery technologies increased from $20.2 billion in 2006 to an estimated $22 billion in 2007. It should reach $32.5 billion by 2012, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.2%.
• High throughput screening has the largest share of the market, worth an estimated $8.5 billion in 2007, and is expected to reach $12 billion by 2012, a CAGR of 7.1% over the forecast period.
• While informatics has the smallest share of the market, worth $725 million in 2007, the segment will see the largest CAGR of 15.7%, as its value rises to $1.5 billion by 2012.

INTRODUCTION

This study examines trends in drug discovery. Drug discovery is an enormous field, and this report focuses on a selection of the major workhorse technologies, including liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, as well as on newer approaches, such as systems biology, high content screening, and bioinformatics.

Trends in financing and business approaches are examined, as are strategies for commercializing new products. The report also makes predictions about technologies and approaches and how they are likely to perform in the next 5 years.

SCOPE OF STUDY

This report contains:

• Descriptions of various drug discovery-related products including bioanalytical instruments, high throughput screening, informatics and microarrays
• The current market status of drug discovery technologies, trends and forecasts for growth over the next 5 years
• Discussion of new methods of research important to the market including compound discovery, compound optimization, efficacy testing in vitro and in vivo, toxicology testing, pharmacokinetics, and stability testing
• An analysis of patents and their importance to the industry.

METHODOLOGY AND INFORMATION SOURCES

The material for this report was gathered from interviews with individuals in the industry, as well as a thorough review of technology gathered from secondary sources. These sources include company annual, 10K and 10Q reports, company literature, trade literature, trade associations, and online sources. Note that the author of this report is herself involved in the development of a compound for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Projections were based on current and historical levels of funding and revenues, potential end users, likely unit prices, and rates of consumption. Final projections are based on the analysis of information from primary and secondary sources. All dollar projections are presented in year 2007 constant dollars.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Valerie Natale has an M.Sc. in microbiology from the University of Dublin and a Ph.D. in cell biology from the University of Bern. She has considerable experience in biotechnology, both as a research scientist and as the president of a small startup company investigating treatments for neurological disorders. She has written a number of other BCC reports on this industry.