Sample Preparation Market Analysis

Sample Preparation Market – Insights

Increasing interest in developing quick, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly sample preparation techniques, lead to develop new methods which will eventually minimize the extraction steps, reduce solvent consumption, and thereby automate the sample preparation system. Sample preparation is necessary to isolate the desired or targeted components from complex matrices, which most analytical instruments cannot handle the matrix directly. Sample preparation is a crucial process which can greatly impact the accuracy of research and are responsible for the success of downstream applications, such as nucleic acid or protein isolation and purification, pipetting, and other liquid-handling requirements. Current sample preparation trend includes miniaturization, automation, high-throughput performance, ability of new sample preparation instruments to combine with existing analytical instruments and reduction in solvent volume and time. Moreover, continuous innovation in sample preparation and integration of new technology, will further drive the sample preparation market. For instance, integration of QuEChERS method in solid phase extraction allows simple and streamline sample preparation system for analysis of various pharmaceutical and veterinary drugs. Automated sample preparation eliminates human error, low sample purity, and sample contamination, allowing consistent result at every time.

The global sample preparation market was valued at US$ 5.7 billion in 2017 and is expected to witness a CAGR of 6.3% over the forecast period (2017–2025).

Global Sample Preparation Market, By Product Type

Source: Coherent Market Insights Analysis (2018)

Global Sample Preparation Market Growth is Driven by Rapid Shift from Manual to Automated Sample Preparation Methods

Increasing adoption of innovative technologies and high requirement for product development are propelling demand for automation in sample preparation instrument. Furthermore, automated sample preparation offer various advantages such high productivity, repeatability, and traceability. Also, it lowers operator’s health and safety risks by reducing exposition to hazardous chemicals and biological laboratory samples. Furthermore, customers prefer total framework solutions, instead of standalone workstations, as it offers integration of different sample preparation instruments at one place. Automated sample preparation enhances the productivity of laboratory by minimizing the resource allocation for repetitive tasks such as sample extraction, filtration, weighing, dilution, and sample analysis.

Moreover, key players are focused on introducing innovative products in the sample preparation market, which is expected to drive growth of the market. For instance, in March 2018, Inlabtec AG, introduced TA12 Serial Diluter: a low cost, high productivity dilation system for quantifying live probiotic bacteria. Moreover, in February 2018, Teledyne CETAC Technologies launched SimPrep: a new automated sample preparation system. The new system offer wide range of syringes from 20 microliter to 50 milliliter and it combines multiple techniques such as Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), atomic absorption (AA), colorimeter and Flow Injection Analysis (FIA).

Rapid Advancement in Blood Collection Tools and Growing Research and Development Funding from Various Government and Private Organizations are Driving Growth of the Global Sample Preparation Market

Various government and private organizations are focusing on increasing R&D investment in clinical diagnostic, forensic, proteomics, and genomics research. Proper sample preparation is vital to obtain significant and accurate results. Moreover, increasing research and development (R&D) spending by various government and private organizations is expected to increase adoption of advanced sample preparation instrument in near future. For instance, The German Research Foundation (DFG) on March 2018, funded US$ 17.3 million to four new German sequencing centers. The funding will be used to conduct research in next-generation sequencing field. In April 2018, DNA Script received US$ 5.5 million in funding from European Commission and French investment bank: Bpifrance. Funding is provided as a part of subsidies and refundable advances of European Commission’s Horizon 2020 European Innovation Council program and Bpifrance's innovation development programs. DNA Script intends to make innovation in synthesis of DNA and RNA using its proprietary enzymatic technology.

Emerging markets such as Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa with their increasing population, high healthcare expenditure and their ability to file increasing numbers of patents in different research fields, will lead to drive sample preparation market, in these region. For instance, according to the World Intellectual Property Indicators 2017 report, Asia (64.6%) accounted to register highest percentage of patent applications for 2016, followed by North America (20.5%), Europe (11.3%), Latin America and the Caribbean (2%), Oceania (1.1%), and Africa (0.5%). According to the same source, in 2016, China registered highest number of patents (1,338,503 patent applications), with 21.5% annual growth.

Instrumentation and sample handling challenges faced by the users

However, expensive setup for sample preparation and shortage of skilled professionals to operate advanced sample preparation instruments may lead to hinder the sample preparation market, during the forecast period. Sample preparation can be complex when analyzing the drugs in biological matrices, which requires high skilled professionals to operate. In some of the primary steps of sample preparation such as drawing blood or excising tumor tissue and executing it into a plate or tube (from which it is accessible to the automated sample preparation system), requires a high level of skill. Moreover, limitations of sample preparation system varies with instrument type and sample. In most of sample preparation process, samples are usually fluids. Viscous samples require more time and precaution than standard samples. Forensic samples are among the difficult samples to process due to their limited quantity, chances of environmental exposure on the substrates, which contain polymerase chain reaction (PCR) inhibitors. Extracting required amount of sample and further preparing laboratory analysis using sample preparation instruments requires detailed knowledge of instrument handling and related consumables. 

Key players operating in the market include F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Agilent Technologies, Inc., Danaher Corporation, Qiagen N.V., PerkinElmer, Inc., Illumina, Inc. and Merck KGaA.