BIODEFENSE MARKET ANALYSIS

Biodefense refers to the use of medical or military measures to protect individuals from bioterrorism, including interventions such as drugs and vaccinations, as well as research and public health preparations to counter biological attacks. To prevent the use of dangerous pathogens and toxins, several bioscience laboratories, agricultural managers, customs agents, and many other parties have implemented variety of processes and systems such as the imposition of regulations on pathogen research or the enhancement of contingency plans in the event of a hostile disease outbreak.

A bioterrorism attack refers to the intentional release of viruses, bacteria, or other germs with the intent of causing illness or death. Considering the recent natural epidemics (severe acute respiratory syndrome [SARS] and avian influenza) and biological attacks (USA anthrax attack, 2001), two types of epidemics can be identified that are specific to biological attacks, which includes: the epidemic of infectious disease and the epidemic of fear and panic. The anthrax bioterrorism attack in the U.S. that occurred in 2001, revealed the true scope of the fear and panic epidemic when letters containing Bacillus anthracis were sent within the country. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC), in total, 22 people were diagnosed with B. anthracis infection, five of whom died, and over 32,000 people were treated with antibiotics, while a massive panic and fear epidemic gripped the entire U.S. population.

Global Biodefense Market - Impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic

Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak was first reported on December 31, 2019, in Wuhan, China. The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 as pandemic on March 11, 2020. According to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Weekly Epidemiological Update by the World Health Organization, over 182 million cases and 3.95 million deaths due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were reported till July 2, 2021, across the globe.

Impact of COVID-19 on Demand and Supply of Biodefense Products

The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown in various countries across the globe have impacted the financial status of businesses across all sectors including private healthcare sector. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the entire supply chain of the healthcare industry mainly due to strict lockdown in several regions. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the economy of various regions across the globe in three main ways; 1) by directly affecting the production and demand; 2) by creating disruptions in distribution channels; and 3) through its financial impact on companies and financial markets. Many countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore are facing problems with regards to transportation and distribution of healthcare products.

However, impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is expected to drive the growth of the global biodefense market during the forecast period, owing to the raising awareness between government agencies against bioterrorism or biological warfare amongst the consequences of COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, in April 2021, the Counter Terrorism Preparedness Network (CTPN) launched a detailed report titled ‘Bioterrorism: Applying the Lens of COVID-19’. The report's main goal was to discuss the threat of bioterrorism in the light of COVID-19 and the advancements in technology and biosciences. The report also suggested that it is essential that relevant industries makes recommendations to the government authorities to improve their preparedness and capabilities for bioterrorism and, as a result prepare them for public health crises. These factors are expected to support the growth of global biodefense market.

The global biodefense market is estimated to be valued at US$ 12.2 Bn in 2021, and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 4.8% over the forecast period (2021-2028).

Figure 1: Global Biodefense Market Share (%) Analysis, By Product Type, 2021

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The prevalence of pathological agents such as Ebola, Zika or Nipah viruses is the major factor that is expected to drive the growth of global biodefense market over the forecast period.

The emerging prevalence of zoonotic infections such as Ebola causing a rise in biodefense initiatives by government organizations, is expected to bolster the growth of global biodefense market. For instance, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), during the outbreak of Ebola virus in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone (2014-2016), a total of 28,616 cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and 11,310 deaths were reported. When the outbreak spread beyond these three countries in West Africa, it resulted in an additional 36 cases and 15 deaths. Due to high number of cases, CDC activated its Emergency Operations Center in July 2014 .During the peak of the response, the CDC trained 24,655 West African healthcare workers on infection prevention and control practices. Throughout the response, more than 6,500 people were trained in the United States during live training events. Furthermore, laboratory capacity in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone was increased, with 24 laboratories capable of testing for the Ebola virus by the end of 2015.

Research and Development activities

Increasing number of clinical trials for Zika vaccine is expected to aid in the growth of the global biodefense market over the forecast period. For instance, on November 28, 2017, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, based in Japan, announced the entry of its purified, inactivated, alum-adjuvanted, whole Zika virus vaccine candidate (TAK-426) into a Phase 1 clinical trial. Takeda's Zika virus vaccine candidate is being developed as part of a larger effort to prevent Zika virus spread in vulnerable populations around the world.

Global Biodefense Market – Regional Analysis

On the basis of region, the global biodefense market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa.

North America is expected to hold dominant position in the global biodefense market over the forecast period, owing to the number of awareness campaigns held by private and public authorities. For instance, on June 18, 2021, the Biodefense Graduate Program hosted a workshop on Pandemics and Global Health Security at George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government in the U. S. The workshop was designed to introduce participants with the global challenges faced at the intersection of pandemic preparedness and response, public health, national security, and life sciences.

Moreover, due to global events and conferences on biodefense & bioterrorism, Asia Pacific region is expected to witness a significant growth in global biodefense market over the forecast period. For instance, Conference Series LLC LTD, the world's leading event organizer, announced that the 2nd International Conference on Bioterrorism and Biodefense would be held in Tokyo, Japan on September 24-25, 2021. The goal of Bioterrorism 2021 is to bring together leading academic scientists, researchers, and research scholars to exchange and share their experiences and research findings on all aspects of bioterrorism and biological agents.

Figure 2: Global Biodefense Market Value (US$ Bn), by Region, 2021

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Global Biodefense Market – Competitive Landscape

Major players operating in the global biodefense market include Emergent Biosolutions Inc., SIGA Technologies Inc., Bavarian Nordic A/S, Elusys Therapeutics Inc., Ichor Medical Systems Inc., Amgen Inc., Cleveland BioLabs Inc., Dynavax Technologies Corporation, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc., and XOMA Corporation.