Aptamers Market

Market Overview

The global aptamers market size was valued at USD 2.3 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach  USD 17.4 billion by 2032, registering a CAGR of 24.8% during the forecast period (2024-2032). Increased R&D spending and regular technological advancements are the primary drivers of Aptamer's market growth. 

Aptamers are small, single-stranded DNA or RNA molecules that attach to specific target molecules with high affinity and specificity. These molecules are chosen via a technique called SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment), which consists of iterative selection, amplification, and enrichment cycles to isolate aptamers with the necessary binding capabilities. Aptamers can fold into distinct three-dimensional configurations that allow them to recognize and bind to target molecules such as proteins, tiny molecules, nucleic acids, and even complete cells.

The increasing prevalence of life-threatening diseases such as cancer, neurological, cardiovascular, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a major factor driving demand for new and better aptamer-based detection tests. Furthermore, introducing a chemical modification procedure to strengthen nuclease resistance and improve the therapeutic characteristics of aptamers is driving market expansion. Aptamers' market expansion is also attributed to the increasing research and development efforts to improve diagnostic devices, medicines, and carriers. 

Aside from that, because aptamers are chemically manufactured, eliminating batch-to-batch variance and requiring less time for Development, their use is rapidly expanding worldwide. Furthermore, private companies are working with academic institutes and research laboratories to introduce next-generation products and enhance their current market position. This is expected to increase the use of aptamers in various medical therapies and the food and beverage (F&B) business.

Highlights

• Nucleic acid aptamer generates the highest revenue share in the market by type.
• Research and Development contributes significantly to the market by application.

Market Dynamics

Global Aptamers Market Drivers

Increasing Prevalence of Chronic Diseases

The rising frequency of life-threatening diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular problems, and infectious diseases is a significant driver of growth in the aptamers market. Aptamers have distinct benefits in developing diagnostic and treatments for various disorders due to their high specificity, affinity, and customizability. Cancer is one of the significant causes of mortality worldwide, with important implications for public health and healthcare systems. Aptamers have emerged as valuable tools for cancer detection, prognosis, and therapy due to their ability to target specific biomarkers associated with various cancer types. The American Cancer Society estimates that 1,958,310 new cancer cases and 609,820 cancer deaths will occur in the United States in 2023. The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts 20 million new cancer diagnoses and 10 million deaths worldwide in 2023.

Furthermore, the rise of infectious diseases, including viral epidemics like COVID-19, presents substantial threats to global health security. Aptamers provide rapid and sensitive detection methods for contagious organisms, aiding in early diagnosis, surveillance, and containment efforts. Aptamer-based biosensors, for example, have been designed to detect viral diseases such as Zika, Ebola, and SARS-CoV-2, allowing for prompt outbreak diagnosis and response. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for effective diagnostic techniques for infectious diseases. According to the World Health Organization, COVID-19 has caused over 400 million confirmed illnesses and 5.8 million fatalities worldwide as of January 2022. The urgent need for reliable and scalable diagnostic solutions fuels the demand for aptamer-based assays and biosensors for COVID-19 testing, resulting in market growth.

Additionally, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the top cause of mortality in the United States, accounting for around 695,000 fatalities per year, or one in every five. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common type of heart disease, killing approximately 375,476 people each year. In the United States, one person dies from cardiovascular disease every 33 seconds. The growing prevalence of CVDs and the need for more effective diagnostic and treatment techniques drive the demand for aptamer-based technologies in cardiovascular research and clinical practice.

Global Aptamers Market Restraints

Limited Clinical Validation

Despite their promising features, many aptamer-based treatments have limited clinical validation compared to traditional medicines and diagnostics. Limited clinical data on aptamer-based therapies' safety, efficacy, and long-term effects may impede regulatory approval and physician adoption, delaying market expansion. Aptamer-based assays and biosensors have shown high sensitivity and specificity in detecting disease biomarkers. However, clinical validation of these diagnostic techniques must frequently catch up to analytical validation. Aptamer-based biosensors for detecting cancer biomarkers or infectious pathogens, for example, may show promising findings in laboratory research but must be rigorously validated in large patient cohorts to demonstrate diagnostic accuracy, dependability, and utility.

Furthermore, aptamers have less registered clinical studies than other biotechnologies, such as monoclonal antibodies or small compounds. Moreover, the number of aptamer-based medications that have acquired regulatory approval for marketing needs to be higher, with only a few items hitting the market. As of 2022, fewer than ten aptamer-based medications had been licensed for clinical usage worldwide, underlining the limitations of turning aptamer research into approved therapies. 

Global Aptamers Market Opportunity

Diagnostics Advancement

As the demand for accurate, cost-effective diagnostic solutions grows, there is potential to expand the use of aptamer-based diagnostic technologies in clinical settings, point-of-care testing, and research facilities. Furthermore, the Development of multiplexed aptamer-based assays enables the simultaneous detection of numerous biomarkers, which improves diagnostic capabilities and patient management.

Additionally, aptamer-based biosensors have been designed to detect a variety of biomolecules and pathogens with excellent sensitivity and specificity. For example, an aptamer-based biosensor was created to detect prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a biomarker for prostate cancer. The biosensor, which included PSA-specific aptamers mounted on a surface, displayed high sensitivity, with detection limits in the picomolar range and specificity, separating PSA from other proteins in serum samples.

Furthermore, aptamers are recognized in diagnostic assays to identify infectious agents, including viruses and bacteria. Aptamer-based assays, for example, have been designed to identify influenza viruses quickly and accurately, including H1N1 and H5N1 strains. These assays use influenza virus-specific aptamers immobilized on sensor surfaces to capture and identify viral particles in clinical samples, providing a quick and dependable alternative to conventional diagnostic procedures.

Moreover, the global market for molecular diagnostics, including aptamer-based assays and biosensors, is expanding rapidly due to the need for accurate, fast, and low-cost diagnostic solutions. Furthermore, regulatory approvals and clearances for aptamer-based diagnostic tools are accelerating market penetration and acceptability among healthcare professionals and regulatory authorities.

Regional Analysis

The global aptamers market analysis is conducted in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America.

North America Dominates the Global Market

North America is the most significant global aptamers market shareholder and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 24.4% over the forecast period. The North American area dominates the aptamer market due to quick technological improvements, significant investment, and funding for aptamer development. The United States has been the focal point for all considerable aptamer research and development activities. The US FDA authorized the first aptamer therapeutic medicine, ''Macugen,'' in 2004. Aptamers, designed explicitly for the nucleocapsid protein of SARS-CoV-2, are used and produce speedy results. No refrigeration or preparation of the sample is necessary. The nanosensor-based technique will accurately detect COVID-19 in symptomatic and asymptomatic cases, distinguishing the novel coronavirus from influenza and other prevalent respiratory viruses.

Additionally, according to a Canadian study by Jiuxing Li et al., published in Nucleic Acids Research Journal in June 2021, aptamers maintained total binding activity with the S1 protein spiked into 50% of human saliva, which could support home testing or rapid testing in congregate settings. Based on this observation, we created a simple colourimetric sandwich assay that used the MSA1 aptamer as a molecular recognition element (MRE). It showed that pseudotyped lentivirus could be identified in 50% of saliva with a detection limit of 400 FM. The study demonstrated the aptamers' potential as diagnostic tools for COVID-19 detection in a readily available patient sample. 

Asia-Pacific is anticipated to exhibit a CAGR of 24.7% over the forecast period. The region's rise can be attributed to the approval of new aptamer-based products. For example, in April 2020, Achiko AG signed an agreement with Pengurus Wilayah Nahdlatul Ulama DKI, the world's largest Islamic association based in Jakarta, to market and sell AptameX, an aptamer-based COVID-19 diagnostic kit. This group has 90 million registered members in Indonesia.

Furthermore, the expansion of the East and South Asia area is due to increased prospects in diagnostic and pharmaceutical development, support for government policies, and well-established vital manufacturers in the region. In addition, the region has a big patient pool suffering from chronic ailments and cheaper treatment costs than wealthy countries, which presents lucrative potential. Stringent intellectual property regulations are gradually being enacted to protect innovation.

Europe holds a significant market share. The expansion of the aptamers market in Europe is expected to be driven by increased approvals for advanced technologies and rising demand for aptamers. The future of the aptamer market in this area is predicted to be determined by advances in aptamer technology made by prominent industry competitors.

Segmental Analysis

The global aptamers market is segmented based on type and application.

The market by type is further segmented into Nucleic Acid Aptamer and peptide Aptamer.

The nucleic acid segment had the largest market share of 80% in 2023 and is predicted to experience the most rise throughout the forecast period. Nucleic acid aptamers are single-stranded DNA or RNA molecules that fold into distinct three-dimensional shapes, allowing them to attach with great affinity and selectivity to target molecules such as proteins, tiny compounds, and even complete cells. These aptamers are chosen via a procedure known as SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment), in which a broad library of random sequences is iteratively selected and amplified to identify aptamers with the desired binding capabilities. 

Moreover, many businesses are currently exploring the mechanism of action of nucleic acid aptamers in treating various illnesses, including age-related muscle degeneration (AMD). For example, in June 2021, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted IVERIC BIO (formerly known as Ophthotech Corporation) a written agreement under Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) to design the GATHER2 phase 3 clinical trial of Zimura for the treatment of patients with GA secondary to AMD. This approval is expected to drive segment growth. 

The peptide aptamer segment is predicted to increase rapidly throughout the forecast period due to its wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic applications. For example, in August 2021, Engineering Center for Microtechnology and Diagnostics scientists created a new biosensor for multiparametric express testing in preclinical cardiovascular disease diagnostics. Next-generation biochips have been constructed for this testing using the peptide aptamer marker system and molecular recognition. Researchers created peptide aptamers using data from Data Bank and Protein 3D software. Thus, entering such items into the market may increase the use of peptide aptamers.

The market can be bifurcated by application into Diagnostics, Therapeutics, Research and Development.

The research and development segment had the most significant market share (35%). Aptamers are essential tools in biomedical research and drug discovery applications. Researchers use aptamers to validate targets, screen drugs, and uncover biomarkers. Aptamers make examining protein-protein interactions, cellular signaling cascades, and disease mechanisms easier, giving researchers new insights into disease pathophysiology and potential treatment targets. Furthermore, aptamers are utilized to create new research tools, including affinity chromatography columns, protein purification kits, and cellular imaging probes, to aid fundamental and translational research efforts in various scientific fields.

Additionally, the segment's rise can be due to rising demand for aptamers and increased research activity in this industry, which has opened the way for aptamer demand in research and development. Key actors have undertaken various strategic actions, including collaborations, partnerships, and agreements for researching and developing novel aptamer-based diagnostic and therapeutic products. For example, in June 2021, SomaLogic and Ixaka Ltd formed a research agreement to advance the discovery and Development of aptamer-based bispecific therapies. This collaborative study assesses the safety and efficacy of antigen-specific SOMAmer reagents. Such an initiative is expected to drive segment growth.

Therapeutics is expected to experience profitable market growth during the forecast period, owing to the ability to design antidotes (complex with antibodies) rationally and being regarded as a superior alternative to protein therapeutics regarding synthetic accessibility, size, and modification by medicinal chemistry. These elements, taken together, will help the therapeutics segment establish a significant market position in the future. However, nuclease resistance is a considerable risk associated with therapeutic aptamers, which may limit segment expansion.

Recent Developments

• April 2024- Aptamer Group plc, the creator of new Optimer® binders to enable innovation in the life sciences industry, announced the expansion of its cooperation with Kairos Biotech, an early-stage business investigating novel treatments for transplant rejection.
• January 2024- SomaLogic combined with Standard BioTools formed the multi-omics research tool leader. 
• April 2024- TME Pharma announced that 33% of patients receiving NOX-A12 in conjunction with bevacizumab and radiation achieved two-year survival in the GLORIA Phase 1/2 trial in brain cancer.