Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Market Size Hits to $6.24 Bn in 2034

Vantage Market Research releases its latest comprehensive report on the ‘Global Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AST) Market’ with a forecast period of 2024-2034. The global antimicrobial susceptibility testing market size is estimated at USD 3.63 billion in 2024, and projected to reach USD 6.24 billion in 2034, and register a revenue CAGR of 6.1% over the forecast period.

The report covers current key growth factors, challenges and restraints, threats, opportunities, up-to-date trends, scenarios in medical and healthcare sectors, technological advancements, R&D, advances in all related industries and sectors, innovations, and company-related news, revenue, key operating segments, strategies, recent developments, and provides expert insights to understand the various market scenarios and make more informed business decisions. The report covers all major regions and countries with relevant revenue share, revenue growth rates, consumption patterns and relevant data, and projected (2024-2034) domestic and international market scenarios.

Market Overview:

Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AST) is used to determine sensitivity particular bacteria and fungus, pathogens, and viruses exhibit to specific antibiotics. Testing typically complements a Gram stain and culture, and these testing systems are capable of providing results quickly. AST detects possible drug resistance in common pathogens and aids in assuring susceptibility to drugs of choice for particular infections. Among the different testing methods, the most widely used are disk diffusion and broth dilution. Increasing Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in patients is creating major complexities across the healthcare sector and resulting in rising healthcare burden. This is also influencing increasing incidence of hospital acquired infections, healthcare-associated infections, or HAIs (also known as nosocomial infections) caused by bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other pathogens. 

Overuse or misuse of various antibiotics and medications, incomplete dosage and treatment regimen, and lack of new drug development are some key factors driving incidence of AMR worldwide. Clinical treatment failure is another factor supporting demand for antimicrobial susceptibility testing, particularly rapid AST (rAST). Testing also enables monitoring for emergence of resistant pathogens and resistance patterns due to bacterial DNA mutations. Focus on research initiatives is driven by rising prevalence of infectious diseases, and efforts to combat potential mutation and spread are being supported by governments, private and commercial entities through funding and provision of research facilities, and by combined efforts to address antibiotic resistance and to reduce healthcare burden. Focus on gram-negative bacteria is rising rapidly owing to increasing infection rates and rising concerns regarding public health, as these bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to multiple antibiotics. 

Use of automated systems for antimicrobial susceptibility testing in clinical microbiology laboratories has been increasing steadily owing to advantages such as ability of these systems to provide reports on microbial identification and AST results very quickly, and transmit test results to a laboratory, thereby reducing the potential of human error. Also, automated systems reduce dependence on human workforce and the testing is done in significantly less time. Integration of AST systems with Electronic Medical Records (EHRs) facilitates development and streamlining of multiplex testing platforms to enhance capabilities, improve accuracies, speed-up identification and diagnostics, and enable healthcare personnel and organizations to enter into strategic collaborations with the objective of addressing various urgent issues at hand on a wider scale. Technological advancements in devices and materials, development of new testing methods, integration of automation, and use of Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to predict likelihood of compound exhibiting antimicrobial properties are other key factors driving adoption of these systems. 

However, certain limitations of AST such as accuracy of automated AST systems, especially when testing for low-level resistant pathogens, varied results across different systems, errors despite integration of advanced technologies, potential false-negative or false-positive results, and availability and use of alternatives for antimicrobial efficacy assessment and testing can have a negative impact on market growth.

Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Market Segmentation:

By Product Type

• Automated AST Systems
• Manual AST Products
• Consumables
  • Antibiotic Discs
  • Plates
  • Broth
• Accessories
  • Inoculating Loops
  • Spreaders
• Services and Software

By Method

• Disk Diffusion
• Broth Dilution 
• Rapid Automated AST
• Gradient Diffusion
• E-test
• Molecular Testing
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
  • Sequencing

By Application:

• Clinical Diagnostics
• Drug Development and Research
• Epidemiology and Surveillance
• Veterinary Diagnostics

By End-User:

• Hospitals and Clinics
• Diagnostic Laboratories
• Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies
• Research Institutes and Academic Centers 
• Contract Research Organizations

Some Key Takeaways:

• North America antimicrobial susceptibility testing market led among the regional markets in terms of revenue share contribution to the global market in 2023, and is estimated to account for USD 1.35 billion in 2024.
• Europe accounted for second-largest revenue share in 2023, with Germany, the UK, and France accounting for major revenue shares.
• Asia Pacific registered fastest revenue growth rate in 2023, and is expected to register a CAGR of 5.45% over the forecast period. 
• Demand for automated AST systems was significantly higher than for manual AST systems in 2023, and the automated AST segment is expected to continue to account for largest revenue share over the forecast period.
• Among the method segments, the molecular testing segment accounted for largest revenue share in 2023.
• Among the application segments the clinical diagnostics segment accounted for largest revenue share in 2023, and this segment is expected to register fastest revenue growth rate over the forecast period.
• The hospitals and clinics segment among the end-user segments accounted for largest revenue share in 2023, and this trend is expected to continue.
• The competitive landscape in the global antimicrobial susceptibility testing market is dynamic and competition is increasing significantly among major companies 

Company List:

• BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company)
• Synbiosis
• Zhuhai DL Biotech Co., Ltd.
• Mast Group Ltd.
• HiMedia Laboratories
• Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.
• Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.
• Creative Diagnostics
• Genefluidics, Inc.
• Rosco Diagnostica A/S

Recent Developments:

June 24, 2024: bioMérieux, which is a BARDA partner, received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for the VITEK REVEAL GN AST Assay. The BARDA-supported antimicrobial susceptibility test - VITEK REVEAL GN AST Assay - when used with the VITEK REVEAL AST System, is indicated for antimicrobial susceptibility testing for gram-negative pathogenic bacteria commonly associated with bloodstream infections. The modular AST system is capable of delivering actionable results for gram-negative bacteria directly from positive blood cultures in an average of 5.5 to 6 hours, which is 75% faster than conventional AST methods, and this allows for same-day patient treatment.

April 2024: QLINEA secured U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) market clearance for its ASTar System. The system has thereafter been introduced in hospitals and laboratories across the USs. The ASTar is fully-automated and designed for antibiotic susceptibility testing, and is capable of providing susceptibility profiles directly from positive blood culture within six hours.