Oligonucleotide Synthesis Market Size

Oligonucleotide Synthesis Market Analysis

The oligonucleotide synthesis market is expected to register a CAGR of 12.3% over the forecast period.

COVID-19 has impacted the growth of the oligonucleotide synthesis market. The increased demand for COVID-19 diagnostics has, in turn, increased the global demand for oligonucleotide raw materials that form the basis of molecular diagnostic products. In a study published in PLOS One in March 2022, it was observed that the oligonucleotides successfully targetted 5'-polyUs in the coronavirus genome. Also, developing therapeutic COVID-19 medicines employing essential mutational targets, such as the 5'-polyU tract, can lessen the production and spread of new SARS-CoV-2. Such research studies have impacted the demand and adoption for oligonucleotides in drug development, affecting the market growth during a pandemic.

Moreover, various companies are investing in oligonucleotide synthesis, which is expected to increase market growth over the forecast period. For instance, in September 2021, SpeeDx invested in local oligonucleotide manufacturing to reduce supply chain risk and develop a more vital sovereign capacity for critical diagnostics. Such developments are expected to increase the adoption of oligonucleotides in drug development which is anticipated to fuel the market growth over the forecast period.

Other significant factors include the increasing government investments and R&D expenditure in pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and the use of synthesized oligonucleotides in molecular diagnostics and clinical applications.

There are growing government initiatives for raising funds to develop various genome projects to develop advanced therapeutics to treat multiple chronic and rare diseases. This is expected to increase the demand for oligonucleotides for drug development, boosting the market growth. For instance, in September 2022, the National Institutes of Health invested more than USD 600 million to launch the next stage of its human genome project for the brain. This funding helps to devise new ways to target therapeutics and other molecules to specific brain cell populations.

Additionally, the rising company and government initiatives to boost the development of oligonucleotide-based drug products and the adoption of oligonucleotide technology in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry are also expected to increase market growth. For instance, in February 2021, CPI launched a project in the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre to revolutionize the manufacture of oligonucleotides. The Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre launched a collaboration with AstraZeneca, Exactmer, Novartis, and UK Research and Innovation to develop a scalable, sustainable, and more cost-effective medicines manufacturing process for oligonucleotides: short strands of synthetic DNA or RNA. This development enhances the production capacity and viability of this exciting new class of medicines and is expected to increase market growth over the forecast period.

Furthermore, the increasing adoption of oligonucleotides in molecular diagnostics and clinical applications contributes to market growth. For instance, in February 2022, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana developed a new miRNA point-of-care test for cancer detection. The test uses nanoparticles to capture tumor-specific microRNAs (miRNAs) in human serum. In January 2021, Diagenode launched a new small RNA-sequencing solution, D-Plex Small RNA DNBSEQ Kit, compatible with MGI's DNBSEQ sequencers. The kit incorporates unique D-Plex technology for library preparation enabling high performance with ultralow RNA inputs and providing diverse small RNA transcript detection.

Therefore, the studied market is expected to grow over the forecast period owing to the increasing research and development initiatives and the establishment of the facilities. However, the high treatment cost of oligonucleotides and the lack of skilled professionals and research support in undeveloped countries are expected to hinder the growth of the oligonucleotide synthesis market over the forecast period.