Gene Delivery Technologies Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Mode (AAV, Lentivirus, Retrovirus), By Application (Gene Therapy, Cell Therapy), By Method (Ex-vivo, In-vivo), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028

Report Overview

The global gene delivery technologies market size was estimated at USD 2.6 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.1% from 2021 to 2028. The advent of cell and gene therapies has not only transformed the treatment of genetic and intractable diseases but has also played a major role in reshaping the entire pharmaceutical ecosystem. By end of 2019, over 27 cell and gene therapies were launched worldwide and nearly 990 companies are engaged in R&D and commercialization of advanced therapies. The constantly evolving landscape of advanced therapies is one of the key driving forces of the market for gene delivery technologies.

Owing to the technological advancements with respect to nanotechnology and physical technology, advanced physical gene delivery methods such as magnetoporation, optoporation, sonoporation, and electroporation have been extensively studied. These techniques are gaining attention owing to their advantages such as briefness and nontoxicity nature. These factors are anticipated to bolster the usage of products offered in this market and thereby foment the organic revenue growth of operating players.

In May 2020, Thermo Fisher Scientific invested USD 180 million to scale up its viral vector manufacturing capability twofold. Similarly, in August 2019, Next Generation Manufacturing Canada provided USD 1.89 million funding for the development of an advanced manufacturing process for lentiviral vectors. These investments and financing in the space to support R&D and manufacturing of various gene delivery technologies is expected to boost the organic revenue growth.

The expanding gene delivery technologies arena has triggered the entry of several new players in the market. Moreover, the operating players are deploying various business strategies to boost the market for gene delivery technologies. A substantial number of companies had begun seeking support from CMOs to produce viral vectors. For instance, in May 2020, Oxford Biomedica signed a Clinical and Commercial Supply Agreement with AstraZeneca for manufacturing of adenovirus vector-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

Thus far, the major application of delivery technologies is in research settings, with few implemented for clinical applications. This is primarily due to the efficiency and technical challenges associated with each mode type, thus endeavors towards the development of more efficient technology are expected. Particularly, physical techniques require a breakthrough for their usage in clinical settings.

Mode Insights

The biological vectors segment dominated the market for gene delivery technologies and accounted for the largest revenue share of 58.0% in 2020 owing to the huge success of Kymriah and Yescarta. Viral-vectors have received great attention since the approval of the first viral vector-based gene therapy products. The exponential increase in the number of viral vectors-based R&D programs has substantiated the acceptance of viral vectors are the key delivery mode amongst end-users.

However, several clinical challenges associated with viral systems have spurred the usage of chemical methods. Chemical gene delivery technologies such as polyethyleneimine (PEI) and polyamidoamine dendrimers are recognized as an alternative to viral gene systems for their ability in combating challenges associated with the viral systems.

The lowest penetration of the physical method is their relatively lower transfection efficiency as compared to the biological and chemical methods. Low cell viability is another major shortcoming of electroporation-based physical methods. Nonetheless, these drawbacks create opportunities for the market players striving to gain revenue share by addressing the high transfection efficiency and cell viability related issues in this segment.

Application Insights

The gene therapy segment dominated the gene delivery technologies market and captured the maximum revenue share of 33.0% in 2020. The growing acceptance of gene-based therapies and the consequent increase in the number of clinical research initiatives have fueled the revenue generation in this segment. Increasing approval of gene therapy products across the globe has also accelerated the segment growth.

The second-generation DNA vaccines exhibit the potential to induce more-potent humoral and cellular responses. This has facilitated the investigation of this approach of disease management in both therapeutic and preventative arenas. This is anticipated to drive the uptake of gene editing tools for vaccine development.

This segment is also expected to be benefitted significantly from the recent outbreak of SARS-CoV-2. As of August 2020, nearly 25 research groups are working towards the development of viral vector-based vaccines to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Similarly, around 20 research teams are aiming to explore genetic instructions for the development of nucleic acid vaccines.

Method Insights

With a revenue share of 41.0%, the ex vivo method dominated the market for gene delivery technologies in 2020 owing to its several advantages such as the ability to assess transduction efficiency prior to implantation of cells back into the patient and less immunogenic responses. Also, it offers high transduction efficiency leading to its high usage in research settings.

On the contrary, although in vivo gene therapy is the preferred choice of gene transduction, this mode poses challenges in cases where highly targeted delivery is required. Errors in targeted delivery result in an immune response, thus less penetration of this segment in the market for gene delivery technologies.

However, scientists are making focused efforts to accelerate R&D in this segment. For instance, in March 2020, a U.S.-based Oregon Health and Science University deployed the gene-editing tool Crispr-Cas9 to edit DNA for the treatment of a genetic form of blindness inside the human body for the first time. Such developments are expected to result in the lucrative growth of this segment.

Regional Insights

North America dominated the market for gene delivery technologies and accounted for the largest revenue share of 39.4% in 2020. A substantial number of clinical trials are underway to assess the efficacy and safety of gene therapies as a viable treatment for cancer, genetic conditions, and HIV/AIDS in the U.S. Furthermore, a significant number of major companies that are engaged in the supply and commercialization of gene delivery technologies are headquartered in the U.S. These factors have contributed to the dominance of the region in the market for gene delivery technologies.

Multiple new collaborative research and innovation projects were introduced as part of Horizon 2020 calls. The project covers viral vector-based gene therapy trials for rare conditions. This is expected to drive the adoption of gene delivery technologies across the European nations. On the other hand, Asia Pacific countries are emerging as strong contenders in this space.

Large population size and low operating cost are attributive for the acceptance of Asia as an attractive target amongst drug-makers. Furthermore, China is recognized as the hub for cell and gene therapy development and has pegged the second position across the globe in terms of clinical trials with more than 1,000 clinical trials either conducted or underway between 2017 or 2019. Strong policy support in the country is one of the key factors in spurring the growth of China in this space.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The increasing interest of public and private investors in gene delivery technologies is anticipated to accelerate the entry of new players into the market. In addition, the current major players are adopting various strategic initiatives such as mergers and acquisitions, licensing, and partnering to enhance their market presence. In the past few years, the market for gene delivery technologies has witnessed notable mergers and acquisitions.

For instance, in May 2020, Merck announced the acquisition of Themis, a vaccines and immune-modulation therapies developer to expand its vaccine development capabilities for the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine program. Similarly, in May 2019, Thermo Fisher Scientific acquired Brammer Bio, a CDMO actively engaged in manufacturing viral vectors for gene therapies. In addition, end-users such as cell and gene therapy developers are engaged in strategic alliances with vector supplier for their therapy development, thereby propelling the market growth. Some of the prominent players in the gene delivery technologies market include:

• Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.

• QIAGEN

• Horizon Discovery Group Co.

• OriGene Technologies, Inc.

• Oxford Biomedica

• SignaGen Laboratories

• Vectalys

• Takara Bio Inc.

• Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.

• System Biosciences llc

• Promega Corporation

• Hoffmann-La Roche AG

• Sirion-Biotech GmbH

• Catalent Inc.

Gene Delivery Technologies Market Report Scope

Segments Covered in the Report

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the subsegments from 2017 to 2028. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global gene delivery technologies market report on the basis of mode, application, method, and region:

• Mode Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

  • Biological

    • Adenovirus

    • Retrovirus

    • AAV

    • Lentivirus

    • Other viruses

    • Non-viral

  • Chemical

  • Physical

• Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

  • Gene Therapy

  • Cell Therapy

  • Vaccines

  • Research

• Method Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

  • Ex vivo

  • In vivo

  • In vitro

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • U.K.

    • France

    • Italy

    • Spain

  • Asia Pacific

    • Japan

    • China

    • India

    • Australia

    • South Korea

  • Latin America

    • Brazil

    • Mexico

  • Middle East Africa (MEA)

    • South Africa

    • Saudi Arabia