A microfluidic device is a well-accepted technology and has several applications. The technology allows integration of many medical tests on a single chip. It has become an essential technology for integration, industrialization, miniaturization and parallelization of various tests in the fields of diagnostics, drug development and biological research. The technology also helps in reducing the side effects and improving the efficacy of treatment. New microfluidic methods are used for evaluating drugs and manipulating cells for the treatment of diseases related to heart and cancer.
The microfluidic market is driven by changing trends. Recently there has been an increase in the demand for these devices in proteomics and genomics. The overall market has also experienced development due to recent product innovations and various industry partnerships and collaborations. The use of microfluidic devices has gained importance in the biology and medical fields due to its potential to reduce sample and reagent volumes. These devices can also carry out reaction and detection at lower cost and with better efficiency.
Microfluidic devices are becoming more and more important for many chemical and biological analyses. These devices have the ability to manipulate bio particles such as cells, DNA and molecules at a very micro level. Some of the advantages for the genomics include improved test speed, reduced reagent consumption and efficacy, also reducing the size of the devices which are more efficient than other historic methods. With the growth of the low cost genomic devices and further enhancements in microfluidic equipment, an increase in research in biopharmaceuticals is expected. There will also be an increase in demand for microfluidic devices in the field of proteomics and genomics.
The microfluidic system has emerged as one of the most attractive platforms in the field of diagnosis. At present North America dominates the global microfluidic devices market, driven by factors such as growing geriatric population, increasing health and wellness awareness, rising occurrence of chronic and lifestyle ailments, informed insurance options and various technological developments suited for varied applications. Asia-Pacific is expected to emerge as an attractive market for companies manufacturing medical devices. In Europe, the microfluidic devices market is driven by increased diagnostic requirements, attributed to rising diseases and lifestyle changes, aging population and improving healthcare facilities.
The major companies operating in the microfluidic devices market include Abbott Laboratories, Agilent Technologies, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. Cepheid, Dolomite Centre, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Fluidigm Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, Micronit Microfluidics, RainDance Technologies, Inc., and Siemens Healthcare, Inc.
