U.S. Aptamers Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Type (Nucleic Acid Aptamer, Peptide Aptamer), By Application (Diagnostics, Therapeutics, Research & Development, Others), And Segment Forecasts, 2024 - 2030

U.S. Aptamers Market Size & Trends

The U.S. aptamers market size was valued at USD 950.3 million in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 24.3% from 2024 to 2030. Recent innovations in purification, generation, and drug delivery for eliminating target cells have driven the attention of many researchers toward aptamers owing to the competitive advantages they provide. Some of these benefits include low cost of manufacturing, low immunogenicity, small molecular size, and fewer side effects compared to antibodies.

The market has benefited from the immense potential of nucleic acid therapeutics, including aptamers, to treat various diseases such as oncology, genetic disorders, infectious diseases, & others. Several CDMOs operating in the U.S. have expanded their facilities to meet the increasing demand for drugs. For instance, in January 2023, Agilent Technologies, Inc. announced an investment of USD 725.0 million to expand nucleic acid-based therapeutics manufacturing capacity. This investment in the manufacturing capacity was planned to support the company to fulfill the demand for small interfering RNA (siRNA) and antisense molecules. Also, it is expected to significantly increase the number of CRISPR-guided RNA programs for the company.

In 2023, the U.S. aptamers market accounted for a revenue share of over 41.0% of the global aptamers market. Increasing investments, a rising number of clinical trials, rapid advancements in medicine development, and a growing gene therapy pipeline across the country are expected to drive the market. The demand for aptamers-based diagnostic products is increasing among diagnostic and pathology labs for cellular-level disease diagnosis. Thus, increasing incidence of diseases including CVD, cancer, and AMD is likely to drive the footfall of patients for the diagnosis of such diseases, thereby increasing demand for aptamers.

Market Characteristics & Concentration

The industry growth stage is high, and the pace of growth depicts an accelerating trend. The U.S. aptamers industry needs to be more cohesive, marked by many companies competing for a higher revenue share. The industry is in a high growth stage and will continue its trajectory in the coming 5-6 years. 

Macugen by Eyetech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (commercialized by Bausch) is the only FDA-approved therapeutic aptamer. This aptamer is purposed for treating age related muscular degeneration disorder (AMD). Technological innovations in research drive scientists’ attention toward developing advanced aptamer-based therapeutic drugs for disease treatment. At present, several products are undergoing clinical trials. One of these products is Zimura by IVERIC Bio, Inc., which is used for treating AMD. Approval and commercialization of such products are opportunistic for industry growth.

The U.S. aptamers industry is characterized by substantial M&A and collaboration activities undertaken by key manufacturers. Numerous players in the country are collaborating with other relevant companies to strengthen their portfolios and expand their reach. For instance, in November 2023, Ajinomoto Co., Inc. and Forge Biologics announced an agreement under which Ajinomoto Co. planned to acquire Forge, a company operating in genetic medicines, for USD 620 million. The acquisition aimed to extend global capabilities in AAV & plasmid gene therapy manufacturing for Ajinomoto, Co. Inc.

Aptamer-based therapeutics, which include RNA & DNA-based drugs, are subject to stringent regulatory requirements. Industry participants must ensure compliance with regulatory standards. The characteristics of cell & gene therapies pose unique challenges for quality control compared to traditional biopharmaceuticals. In contrast to conventional medicines, the production of cell & gene therapies often involves smaller batch sizes. 

Type Insights

In 2023, nucleic acid aptamer had the highest market share of 78.6% and is projected to grow fastest during the forecast period. Several companies are currently analyzing the mechanism of action for nucleic acid-based aptamers to treat various disorders, including AMD. IVERIC BIO received FDA approval in June 2021 to design the GATHER2 phase 3 clinical trial of Zimura under Special Protocol Assessment (SPA). Zimura has been developed to treat patients with geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to AMD. These efforts are expected to drive the growth of the segment.

The peptide aptamer segment will witness lucrative market growth during the forecast period. This growth can be attributable to the wide application areas of peptide aptamer for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. For instance, in August 2021, the Engineering Center for Microtechnology and Diagnostics launched an advanced biosensor for multiparametric express testing for cardiovascular disease preclinical diagnostics.

Application Insights

The R&D segment held the largest market share of 31.8% in 2023. Numerous strategic initiatives undertaken by leading market players, such as partnerships, collaborations, & agreements, for R&D of advanced aptamers-based therapeutic and diagnostic products are driving the segment growth. For instance, in June 2021, Ixaka Ltd and SomaLogic entered an R&D collaboration to support the discovery and production of aptamers-based bispecific therapeutics. This deal evaluated the efficacy and safety of antigen specific SOMAmer reagents.

The therapeutics segment is expected to exhibit lucrative market growth over the forecast period. The increasing prevalence of genetic disorders is significantly driving the segment growth. For most therapeutic purposes, aptamers are condensed to lessen the synthesis costs. Also, they are modified to increase nuclease resistance and reduce renal filtration rates.

Key U.S. Aptamers Company Insights

Key U.S. aptamers companies include Aptamer Group, SomaLogic, and Aptadel Therapeutics. Leading players are adopting strategies including approval of new products, product innovation, and mergers & acquisitions to attain a higher market share. For instance, in January 2023, Aptamer Group entered into a strategic collaboration with BaseCure Therapeutics to develop Optimer-targeted therapies. Such initiatives are opportunistic for the growth of aptamers in therapeutics.

Recent Developments

• In March 2024, Aptamer Group entered into partnership with Unilever plc. The deal was intended to enable key innovations in life sciences and support Unilever with Optimer binder technology.

• In May 2023, Life Edit Therapeutics, Inc. and Novo Nordisk announced a research & development collaboration to discover & develop gene editing therapies against a set of therapeutic targets.

U.S. Aptamers Market Report Scope

U.S. Aptamers Market Report Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth and provides an analysis of the market trends in each of the sub-markets from 2018 to 2030. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the U.S. aptamers market based on type and application:

• Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Nucleic Acid Aptamer

  • Peptide Aptamer

• Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Diagnostics

  • Therapeutics

  • Research and Development

  • Others