Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is one of the revolutionary life science technologies that has not only made tremendous impact on the scientific community, but also affected many aspects of diseases diagnosis and treatment.

The overall market for PCR technology has observed steady growth due to the expansion in its application areas and increased accuracy and precision. Specific technology segments of the PCR market, such as dPCR (digital PCR) and qPCR (real-time PCR), are witnessing higher market growth owing to their benefits such as real-time process monitoring, low reagent consumption, automation of workflow, and greater reproducibility and precision. The real-time PCR segment commanded the largest share of the global PCR market in 2014, due to several factors including technological advancements, increasing use of qPCR in research and medical diagnostics, growing use of robotics for lab automation, and expansion of installation base.

dPCR is the fastest-growing segment in the market, expected to witness the highest CAGR (during 2015-2020) owing to the factors such as the development of innovative dPCR products, increasing government and private funding for gene-based research, and high growth opportunities in emerging countries.

This report segments the PCR instruments end-user market in four distinct segments reference laboratories, research laboratories/academic institutes/hospitals, medium-sized laboratories, and others (clinical research organizations and forensic laboratories). Reference laboratories command the major share of PCR instrument market owing to increased test volume of infectious diseases and various types of cancers.

The growing geriatric population, coupled with an increasing population base for chronic disease patients, and technological advancements in the field of life science are the key factors driving the growth of qPCR and dPCR market. The rising incidence of infectious disease and genetic disorders and increased public-private investments, funds, and grants for PCR-based research are further assisting the market growth in this segment.

However, the high cost of dPCR instruments and technological limitations associated with qPCR and dPCR are the key factors limiting market growth. In addition, the implementation of the Minimum Information for the Publication of Quantitative Real-Time PCR Experiments (MIQE) guidelines is a key challenge faced by industry players in this market.

Scope of the Report

This report provides qualitative assessment of PCR technology in terms of pricing, replacement trends, competitor portfolio analysis, and selection criteria of adopting PCR instruments from an end-user perspective.