Why is the demand for the advanced antibodies production growing?

Posted by Susan Hill on July 31st, 2019

Antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins, are Y-shaped proteins that are produced by plasma cells to protect the body from pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. There are two main types of antibodies namely polyclonal and monoclonal; and five classes of antibodies including IgG, IgM, IgD, IgA, and IgE. These immunoglobulins can be used for diagnostics as well as therapeutics applications for different diseases such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn’s disease, hypercholesterolemia, and macular degeneration. Hence, many pharmaceuticals and biotechnology companies have begun to focus on the development of advanced antibodies for the treatment of chronic diseases such as cancer, rheumatic heart disease, and arthritis.

Various instruments & consumables including bioreactors, chromatography systems, filtration systems, media, and consumables are widely used by manufacturers for production of antibodies. Increasing interest of healthcare companies and researchers in antibody R&D, owing to its high efficiency in the treatment of chronic diseases is a major driver of the antibody production market. For instance, in 2015, Thermo Fisher Scientific, a leading vendor of antibody manufacturing products invested around USD 692.3 million in R&D.

The global antibody production market is expected to reach a value of USD 22.6 billion by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Increasing demand for therapeutic antibodies including monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies is a major factor that drives growth of the market during forecast period. Antibodies are the dominant biopharmaceuticals that specifically target the abnormal cells. 

Patent expiry of several blockbuster monoclonal antibodies in the near future, is another major factor supporting the growth of the antibody production market. Several antibodies such as Avastin, Herceptin, and Mabthera are going to lose their patents in a few years. For instance, the patent of Herceptin (trastuzumab) expired in Europe in July 2014 and will expire in the U.S. in June 2019. Many companies such as Amgen Inc., Synthon, Biocon, and Pfizer Inc. are developing biosimilar for trastuzumab, which is expected to propel the demand for antibody production products.

Rising geriatric population along with prevalence of severe chronic diseases leads to increasing demand for effective diagnostic and therapeutic products including antibodies. According to the WHO, the number of people aged 85 years and above are estimated to grow from 14 million to 40 million by 2050. In addition, a developing healthcare infrastructure and growing penetration of CROs in developing Asian countries like India and China are expected to increase the demand for high-end antibody production products. A large number of patients, vast genome pool, low manpower cost, availability of skilled personnel, and lower cost for conducting clinical trials in Asian countries have propelled the growth of this market in this region.