DNA Microarrays: A Market Update

The 2006 DNA Microarray Report is composed of a market overview and an introduction to the 2006 DNA Microarray Survey, which contains questions about the DNA microarray systems and related applications that researchers are using. The report also includes a discussion of the survey results and conclusions and recommendations drawn from both the market analysis of DNA microarrays and the survey data. In addition, a new feature, industry dialog, presents an interview with an expert in DNA microarrays and rounds out this comprehensive report offering. The market overview describes the use of DNA microarrays in the life science research arena to examine gene expression and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), as well as to characterize entire genomes. DNA microarrays have also found applications in drug discovery, including lead compound optimization, toxicity studies, and the screening and monitoring of patient data during clinical trials. The first report of the use of DNA microarrays came in 1991, with the publication of the chemical synthesis of oligonucleotides on glass chips by Fodor et al.1 This author went on to develop the first DNA microarray and founded the company Affymetrix, still the major industry leader of microarrays and associated reagents today. Currently, Affymetrix brings in well over $350 million in microarray-related revenue annually. Other companies have since joined in the hunt for market share, including Agilent, GE Healthcare, and Illumina. But at present, these three companies combined only account for just over one-third of Affymetrix’s microarray sales. Custom arrays are becoming more popular among scientists and have brought other companies into the microarray arena. NimbleGen joined with Affymetrix to provide a flexible photolithographic Maskless Array technology, which is advantageous for the production of custom arrays. Invitrogen acquired Xeotron Corp, a producer of custom arrays, to make forays into the microarray market. DNA microarrays currently bring in yearly revenues of nearly $450 million, growing at almost 11% annually. Microarray scanners and readers also contribute to this figure, with a compound annual growth rate that is predicted to approach almost $1 billion by 2010. The advances in various technologies have spurred interest in DNA microarrays and their applications. Better instrumentation, higher throughput, and lower cost continue to draw more users from a variety of scientific disciplines. The expanding use of nucleic acid microarrays has provided a needed boost for clinical diagnostics, biodefense, forensics, and agriculture, areas outside the traditional domain of the life sciences. Advances in biochips, a chip assay format, are predicted to boost microarray revenues even higher, with an average annual growth rate predicted to top $5.3 billion by 2009. Such anticipated growth will open the door for other innovative companies to share in the market. Survey Introduction The 2006 DNA Microarray Survey is designed to provide vendors of DNA microarray systems with a better understanding of how their products are used in the research environment and how their company rates among survey participants. Data were gathered from questions regarding how often nucleic acid microarrays are used in the survey participant’s research, their goals and applications for nucleic acid microarrays, the current microarray facility that is used, the major commercial vendors that come to mind in relation to DNA microarrays, the organisms studied using arrays, how many microarrays are hybridized per week and if that number is expected to change, the specific brands of microarray reagents that are used, the types of dyes and arrays that are used, unmet needs for custom array production, challenges to the use of pre-spotted arrays, plans to use miRNA arrays, what equipment is used to process microarrays, descriptions of scanners and commonly used scanner resolution, descriptions of the microarray analysis software, future purchasing plans, and the attributes that might cause one to switch to a new microarray platform. Survey Methodology The 2006 DNA Microarray Survey consisted of 30 questions. Of these, 20 included “other” as an answer choice and 2 were open-ended. Four questions were used for demographic information. The survey was administered on-line from May 1st-11th, 2006, and the data gathered, tabulated, and presented here.

Additional Information

Conclusions and Recommendations

The data gathered from the 2006 DNA Microarray Survey indicate that most researchers are using microarrays in basic research for gene discovery applications and disease diagnosis. A high percentage of survey participants report using a core facility for at least part of their microarray research. While most investigators use only commercially available pre-spotted arrays, there is a need for microarray representation of additional organisms and specific biochemical pathways, a clear niche for custom array producers in today’s microarray market.

Consistent with the DNA microarray market analysis, the majority of surveyed scientists use microarrays and related products from Affymetrix, the top company that came to mind when polled scientists were asked to name the top commercial microarray suppliers. Other companies are poised to increase market share in this area (e.g., Agilent, Invitrogen), so vendors should pay attention to customer suggestions for new products and related applications in the microarray arena.

As microarray technology frees researchers from studying gene sequences individually and allows a tremendous surge in high-throughput gene expression analysis, the use of microarrays has become a standard tool in genetics and molecular biology laboratories. Instrumentation sales have cemented the market shares of companies like Affymetrix and Agilent, but only advances in custom arrays and biochips will continue their dominance as researchers are clamoring for increased availability of such tools.

The market for microarrays, related instrumentation, and reagents is predicted to grow steadily over the next 5-10 years. Competition from related gene expression platforms, such as bead-based assays, will drive further innovation and cost reduction within the microarray community. Vendors should pay attention to customer needs and suggestions for broadening product lines to keep pace with more flexible and user-friendly tools. As always, following the direction of the science is a supplier’s best bet. Future microarray diagnostic applications in the clinic are forthcoming, only stalled by the characterization and validation studies that await FDA approval. These hurdles will be met successfully and result in an even more explosive surge in microarray-related revenue in the life science and clinical science areas.