Market forces driving growth of the exosome have been expanding over the past two years, with increasing investment flowing into the space, merger and acquisition (M&A) activity accelerating, and new therapeutics entering various stages of development. Exosomes are defined as small vesicles ranging from 30-100nm in size that are found in nearly all eukaryotic fluids and facilitate a range of important cellular functions. They transfer DNA, RNA, and proteins to other cells, thereby altering the function of the targeted cells. They are made in some form by all species, including bacteria that produce analogous outer membrane vesicles (OMC).
Key opportunities driving growth of the exosome industry include:
- Increasing investment into scientific research involving exosomes and a corresponding increase in scientific publications
- Increasing recognition of the role of exosomes in how stem cells exert their therapeutic effects
- An expanding range of disease indications that could be positively addressed by exosome-based therapeutics
- Growing interest among companies in securing intellectual property (IP) related to exosomes
- A proliferation of strategic partnerships within the exosome sector
Global Forces Supporting the Exosome Industry
When global forces are considered, population aging and an increasing prevalence of cancer will drive interest in exosome-related applications, because these cellular vesicles have the potential to be leveraged as non-invasive diagnostic and therapeutic tools. Over the past 150 years, the average human lifespan has doubled and continued increases in life-expectancy are expected.
In China, the country expects to have half a billion people over the age 60 by 2050.
In Japan, the government expects to have 50% of the population over 65 within two decades. Similar demographics are affecting Europe and the United States. As new become required to diagnose and treat these aging populations, exosomes will get integrated into the fields of liquid biopsy, precision medicine, and regenerative medicine.[1]
Market for Exosome Research Reagents
It is also anticipated that many research supply companies will expand into offering exosome-related research products. A current market leader in this area is Lonza, which acquired HansaBioMed Life Sciences in May 2017 while simultaneously investing in Exosomics. HansaBioMed Life Scinces is an Estonia-based supplier of technology and services for exosome research, while Exosomics is an Italian firm developing next-generation sequencing-based cancer tests.
Another leading company offering exosome-specific research tools is SystemBio (SBI). SystemBio offers a range of products called “The ExoQuick Family.” Qiagen also has a full product line of exosome research products, as does Thermo Fisher.
At this time, approximately a dozen companies market exosome-related products through the Google Adwords, which allows ads to appear with Google Search results. While the research supply market for exome-related products is currently early-stage, it will undoubtedly grow more competitive over the next 3-5 years.
To learn more, view the global strategic report, “The Market for Stem Cell Exosomes.”
Footnotes
[1] Marketwire. (2017). Avalon GloboCare Acquires Leading Beijing Exosome Technology Company. [online] Available at: http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/avalon-globocare-acquires-leading-beijing-exosome-technology-company-otcqb-avco-2238802.htm [Accessed 17 Nov. 2017].