The global Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) Market size is projected to reach a CAGR of 7.7% from 2023-2030.
Nucleic acid testing (NAT) refers to a molecular technique for screening viruses, bacteria or pathogenic nucleic acid in the blood, tissue or urine of the patient. It is conducted for forensic testing and to diagnose transfusion-transmitted infections, genetic diseases and cancer. It involves sample pooling through nucleic acid (NA) extraction, target NA amplification and target amplicon NA detection. The testing involves kits and consumables for performing polymerase chain reaction (PCR), strand displacement amplification (SDA), ligase chain reaction (LCR), transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) and NA sequence-based amplification (NASBA) processes. NAT is also used for the identification of diseases with no visible symptoms and for resolving false reactive interpretations.
Rising usage of nucleic acid tests for the treatment of genetically related diseases, cancerous diseases, and infectious diseases caused by bacteria or viruses is anticipated to spur their demand worldwide. Apart from this, extensive use utilized for paternity testing/HLA typing and forensic testing will aid the expansion of the nucleic acid testing market in the coming years. These tests help healthcare professionals and researchers in narrowing down the period of infection. In other words, it reduces the window period between the time of serological detection of a virus and the time of viral exposure. Thus, the ability of these tests to deliver accurate results in the early detection process is likely to accelerate their demand in the forthcoming years.
The inability or difficulty of nucleic acid testing in obtaining quantitative results from a large pool of clinical sample, the difficulty of using the NAT test for susceptibility testing, and the higher cost of nucleic acid testing devices is expected to hamper the growth of the nucleic acid testing market. NAT is a highly sensitive and advanced technique; however, it is associated with high cost and requires dedicated infrastructure facility, equipment, consumables, and technical expertise thus these factors are also hindering the growth of the market.
The onset of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has also enhanced the demand for NAT solutions to detect antigens. NAT is widely used for the effective management of communicable diseases and accurate identification of the infecting agent.
The Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) market is experiencing significant growth and is expected to continue its upward trajectory in the foreseeable future. The increasing demand for accurate and reliable diagnostic testing for infectious diseases, genetic disorders, and cancer has driven the adoption of NAT technologies. The advancements in molecular diagnostics, along with the development of automated systems and high-throughput testing platforms, have further propelled the growth of the NAT market.
NAT has emerged as a powerful tool in the field of diagnostics, offering advantages such as high sensitivity, specificity, and rapid results. It has played a pivotal role in the detection and management of infectious diseases, including HIV, hepatitis, and COVID-19, facilitating early diagnosis and treatment initiation. Moreover, the growing focus on personalized medicine and precision diagnostics has expanded the application of NAT in genetic testing for inherited diseases, pharmacogenomics, and prenatal screening, among others.
North America to Dominate the Market
