Molecular diagnostics is the fastest growing segment of the in-vitro diagnostics market. Caren B. LesReprint of an Article published by BioPhotonics.comMolecular diagnostics is the fastest growing segment of the in vitro diagnostics market, according to the Los Angeles-based market analysis firm, DeciBio. The market size, estimated at $4.8 billion in 2010, has experienced a ~15+ percent growth rate over the last few years, driven by the increased availability of various tests, the rising incidence of chronic diseases related to the aging population, and pharmacogenomics/personalized medicine, said Stéphane Budel, a partner at the company. A report titled Molecular Dx: Market Segmentation and Opportunities was published by DeciBio in October 2010.“The market for photonics-based molecular diagnostic tools has been attractive, and will remain so in the foreseeable future,” said Budel. He added that the vast majority of molecular diagnostic tests rely on detection of nucleic acids, and use some form of photonics-based tool, primarily fluorescence (in sequencing and real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), for example), chemiluminescence (in transcription-mediated amplification) or chromogenic methods, such as in chromogenic in situ hybridization. In addition, a number of new automated photonics-based platforms such as Gen-Probe’s Tigris DTS direct tube sampling system have supported the growth and adoption of legacy tests, he said.Molecular diagnostic tests are a class of diagnostic tests that identify biological markers in the form of nucleic acids such as DNA or RNA. These nucleic acids can be genetic material of foreign organisms, as in the case of an HIV infection, or genetic markers that distinguish normal from abnormal tissue such as in the case of overexpression of a breast cancer receptor, Her-2. Molecular diagnostic tests do not include microbiology tests that detect whole organisms by culturing them in a dish or immunochemistry tests that detect protein typically using antibodies.“Current technologies are well understood, but establishing growth figures for rising photonics-based molecular diagnostics test markets such as next-generation sequencing or bead-based multiplex technologies can be difficult, as current utilization is small, making current market size hard to estimate. Moreover, key customers are still gauging their forecasted level of adoption for the next few years,” said Budel. He estimated the real time PCR market at $2 billion, the transcription-mediated amplification at $1 billion, the combined in situ hybridization and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) market at $700 million, and the sequencing market at $200 million.“Each of these technologies depends on an instrument with photonics-based elements. The key trends affecting these instruments are increased automation, workflow simplification and multiplexing,” said Budel.“Multiplexing –the ability to look at multiple analytes in a single sample– is of particular relevance to photonics-based tools, as it depends on the availability of instruments with the right set of excitation sources and filters, as well as the existence of appropriate dyes.“Currently, growth in the molecular diagnostics test market is driven in large part by adoption of multiplex tests, because these assays tend to be more comprehensive, only require smaller sample volumes and can eliminate intrasample variability. Advances in personalized medicine necessitate the analysis of multiple analytes in a single sample in order to make a diagnosis -- for example, Genomic Health’s Oncotype DX examines the activity of 12 genes in a patient’s tumor. Limiting factors in multiplexing technologies are often linked to cross-reactivity, higher costs and spectral differentiation for signal detection.”Budel cited four photonics-based molecular diagnostic tools that have recently gained traction or are on the horizon: point-of-care readers, next generation sequencing platforms, low-density bead-based microarray readers and digital anatomical pathology instruments.While current point-of-care readers rely primarily on simple tests, often based on chemistry/immunochemistry, some companies are starting to develop molecular diagnostics-based tests because of their higher sensitivity and specificity. “This evolution is motivated by the increased number of genetic biomarkers found each year, and rendered possible by the development and uptake of molecular diagnostic test techniques that do not require thermal cycling, thereby facilitating instrument development,” said Budel. “Some of the key applications for point-of-care readers include infectious disease testing in the field, such as for HIV, or in hospitals, such as for MRSA infection, where an immediate response is critical for patient triage. The key challenge for these readers is photonics miniaturization.”“Next-generation sequencing platforms enable the sequencing of an entire human genome or transcriptome in about a week for a few thousand dollars. This technology is starting to be used in clinical settings, in centers of excellence and by companies like GeneDx. It seems poised to revolutionize healthcare and affect a broad range of stakeholders, with the $1000 genome right around the corner, said Budel. “These sequencing instruments promise to be a key platform for optics in the next few years,” he added. “One of their key applications will be repeat sequencing of patient tumors to identify mutations in cancer cells that create resistance to drug treatment. The main challenges for this technology are higher sensitivity and resolution of signal from higher picture density.”Low-density bead-based microarrays also are expected to play an increasingly important role in molecular diagnostic testing. “These laser-based instruments can measure 50 to 500 analytes in a single sample at a throughput appropriate for clinical settings (especially for hospital based-laboratories),” said Budel. This technology promises to have a broad range of application, ranging from genetic mutation panels to respiratory viral panels, such as flu strains and other respiratory viruses. The challenges for bead-based microarrays are higher sensitivity and discrimination of spectral overlaps.“Digital anatomical pathology may be the future of histology,” said Budel. It is used in fewer than 10% of US hospitals and clinical labs, he added. “The technology allows healthcare providers to digitally capture, store and share images of biopsies from patient tissues on slides. Software can perform some of the work done by a pathologist and help with data interpretation and reflex testing. The key hurdles for this technology are clearer pictures with a 3-D feeling, faster image acquisition and downstream analysis.”The companies Roche, Abbott Molecular, Siemens and Qiagen are the major PCR / real timePCR players, said Budel. He added that Applied Biosystems and Roche offer two of the most popular laser-based instruments to perform these tests in clinical settings. He also said that Gen-Probe offers large-volume tests used for blood screening based on transcription-mediated amplifiction and hybrid capture technology, while Dako, Vysis (Abbott Molecular) and Ventana Medical Systems (Roche) are key developers of in situ hybridization and FISH.“Within the latest instrument-based technology, Illumina, Life Technologies and Roche (454 Life Sciences) are top sequencing companies. For bead-based technologies, Luminex is the current company of choice. Key digital anatomical pathology suppliers include Roche (BioImagene) and Aperio,” said Budel.

Authors: Stephane Budel, Partner at DeciBio, LLCConnect with Stephane Budel on Google+https://plus.google.com/+StephaneBudel