PCR: Developments that Buck the Global Economic Trend

Monday 8 October 2012, Amsterdam

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and techniques based on this method, were advanced by Kary Mullis in 1983, for which he later received the Nobel Prize. Since then, PCR has grown tremendously and it is now the most widely used technique in molecular biology, biochemistry and medicine.

The numbers of applications for PCR are considerable and include sequencing, genetic fingerprinting, cloning, disease research, diagnostics, drug discovery, biomarkers, forensics, viral infections and many other areas. Such is the power of this technique that some observers have referred to two epochs in the life science field – “Before PCR” and “After PCR” (1).

As a technique, PCR offers many practical advantages and developments in computing and software continues to establish new applications, and increase the volumes of biological information these methods can generate. Bucking current economic trends, PCR is growing by more than 13% per year and by 2015 global markets are expected to exceed $27 billion (2). To put this into perspective, this is almost three times greater than the global markets for microarray, flow cytometry and mass spectrometry put together.

A recent market study by Biopharm Reports (PCR 2012), which involved the participation of more than 700 PCR end-users, invited individuals to describe the limitations of this technique. Almost one third said there were very few. End-users are now more focused on how new PCR techniques can be applied to today’s most challenging problems, and made easier and faster. 

From the first methods of the 1980s, PCR has been greatly extended and today more than 50 techniques are in use. These are dominated by qPCR, RT-PCR, Hot Start, Multiplex and Taqman techniques. Going forward, these are expected to see continued growth, as is the case for other methods such as Long PCR, Nested PCR, Allele and Methylation-Specific PCR (MSP).

PCR 2012, a global study involving the participation of 733 PCR end-users in 84 countries, was carried to evaluate markets and technology developments in this field.  It’s findings provide a wealth of information on both current and emerging areas. These findings offer assistance to PCR developers, vendors and investors in this field, and enable scientists to compare their own practices with others.


References

1 Wade, Nicholas (September 15, 1998), "Scientist at Work/Kary Mullis; After the 'Eureka', a Nobelist Drops Out", The New York Times.
2 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR): Products/Tools - A Global Market Watch, 2009-2015"; Axis Research Mind, Nov 2011