Asia and Africa Lateral Flow Assay Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Regional Analysis By Product Type (Kits & Reagents and Lateral Flow Readers), Application (Clinical Testing, Veterinary Diagnostics, Food Safety & Environment Testing, and Drug Development & Quality Testing), Technology (Sandwich Assay, Competitive Assays, and Multiplex Detection Assay), and End User (Hospitals & Clinics, Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies, Diagnostics Laboratories, Homecare, Veterinary Clinics, and Others)

The Asia and Africa lateral flow assay market size was valued at US$ 1,509.08 million in 2022 and is projected to reach US$ 2,159.62 million by 2028; it is estimated to grow at a CAGR 6.6% during 2023-2028.

The increasing geriatric population favors the Asia and Africa lateral flow assay market growth.

Lateral flow assay (LFA), known as lateral flow immunochromatographic assay, is a simple paper-based device intended for detecting the presence or absence of a target analyte in a liquid sample (matrix) without the need for specialized or costly equipment. The lateral flow assay is used in medical diagnostics, home testing, point-of-care testing, and other laboratory applications. The projected growth of the Asia and Africa lateral flow assay market is attributed to the growing use of at-home diagnostic devices based on lateral flow assays and the growing demand for point-of-care testing. However, inconsistent assay results due to procedural limitations hamper the Asia and Africa lateral flow assay market growth.   

Lateral flow assays (LFA) are paper-based tests designed for the detection of analytes (condition-specific biomolecules) in complex mixtures (biological samples), wherein samples are placed in a designated spot in a test device. These tests provide results within 5–30 minutes. Lateral flow assay kits exhibit stability over various environmental conditions and prolonged shelf life. Home tests based on lateral flow assays permit users to test self-collected samples and obtain results without the assistance of a trained medical professional. These tests are generally sold over the counter. A pregnancy test kit is one of the most familiar examples of home-based lateral flow assays. Further, these assays are designed for the diagnosis of infectious diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and stigmatized diseases such as HIV. Therefore, the rising prevalence of these diseases and the increasing adoption of lateral flow assay testing in home healthcare drive the lateral flow assay market growth. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies introduced at-home products based on lateral flow assays for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection due to people’s reluctance to visit hospitals or diagnostic labs for testing.

• In October 2020, Siemens Healthineers launched the CLINITEST Rapid COVID-19 Antigen Self-Test that helps detect the infection in 15 minutes so that the infected individuals can be isolated sooner to avoid the disease spread.
• In July 2020, BD Launched a portable, rapid point-of-care antigen test to detect SARS-CoV-2 infection in 15 minutes.
• In August 2020, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Emergency Use Authorization for Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card, a rapid test to detect the disease. BinaxNOW uses Abbott’s proven lateral flow technology, making it a friendly and reliable method for frequent mass testing among healthcare providers.
• In September 2020, Roche launched a SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen test for markets accepting the CE Mark.

Many market players and research institutes operating in the Asia and Africa lateral flow assay market are developing advanced technologies to expand their product portfolios and increase their market shares. Rising immunodeficiency disease prevalence, product approvals, and collaborations are among the factors driving the Asia and Africa lateral flow assay market size.

A few of the recent developments related to Asia and Africa Lateral Flow Assay Market are mentioned below:

• In March 2023, Roche announced the FDA approval of the Ventana PD-L1 (SP263) assay to identify patients with non-small cell lung cancer, determining if they are eligible for treatment with Libtayo, a PD-1 inhibitor developed by Regeneron.

• In December 2022, Roche announced FDA 510(k) clearance for its Elecsys Beta-Amyloid (1-42) CSF II (Abeta42) and Elecsys Phospho-Tau (181P) CSF (pTau181) assays. The assays measure beta-amyloid (1-42) and phospho-tau (181P) concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid of adults (age 55 and above), who are being tested for Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of cognitive impairment to generate a pTau181/Abeta42 ratio value. The assays can detect Alzheimer’s pathology in earlier disease stages when changes in the levels of these biomarkers occur.

• In June 2021, Thermo Fisher Scientific launched its CE-IVD-marked TaqPath COVID-19 Fast PCR Combo Kit 2.0. The first-generation TaqPath COVID-19 CE-IVD RT-PCR Kit and the TaqPath COVID-19 Combo Kit, using a different assay design, received CE-IVD certification and emergency use authorization, respectively, in March 2020.

• In April 2021, Hologic acquired Mobidiag Oy, a privately held French developer of molecular diagnostic tests and instrumentation, for ~US$ 795 million. Hologic intends to invest in assay development to drive the growth of the Novodiag platform.

Asia and Africa Lateral Flow Assay Market, By Product Type-Based Insights

The Asia and Africa lateral flow assay market, based on product type, is bifurcated into kits & reagents and lateral flow readers. In 2022, the kits & reagents segment held a larger share of the market. However, the lateral flow reader segment is expected to register a higher CAGR during the forecast period.

Asia and Africa Lateral Flow Assay Market, By Application-Based Insights

The Asia and Africa lateral flow assay market, by application, is segmented into clinical testing, veterinary diagnostics, food safety & environment testing, and drug development & quality testing. In 2022, the clinical testing segment held the largest share of the Asia and Africa lateral flow assay market. Further, the food safety & environment testing segment is expected to register the fastest CAGR during the forecast period.

Asia and Africa Lateral Flow Assay Market, By Technology-Based Insights

Based on technology, Asia and Africa lateral flow assay market is segmented into sandwich assays, competitive assays, and multiplex detection assays. In 2022, the sandwich assays segment held the largest share of the market. The market for the multiplex detection assays segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period.

Asia and Africa Lateral Flow Assay Market, By End User-Based Insights

Based on End User, the Asia and Africa lateral flow assay market is segmented into hospitals & clinics, pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies, diagnostic laboratories, home care, veterinary clinics, and others. In 2022, the hospitals & clinics segment held the largest share of the Asia and Africa lateral flow assay market. The others segment is further expected to register the highest CAGR during the projected period. 

1. F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd
2. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc
3. Abbott Laboratories
4. Merck KGaA
5. Hologic Inc
6. Qiagen NV
7. bioMerieux SA
8. Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc
9. Access Bio Inc
10. Danaher Corp

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