DUBLIN, Sept. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Whole Exome Sequencing Market by Product, by Services, by Technology, by Application - Global Forecast to 2018" report to their offering.

http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130307/600769

Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) is next-generation technology used for strategically sequencing the coding region of the genome, i.e. the exon. The exome, which is the total of all exons of an organism, represents only 1-2% of the total genome and is actually converted into proteins after translation. It is responsible for the occurrence of nearly 85% of genetic diseases. Whole exome sequencing is widely used for identifying and determining genetic variants responsible for various diseases such as Miller Syndrome and Alzheimer's disease.

The applications of whole exome sequencing (WES) technologies have witnessed growth in recent years, which can be primarily attributed to the availability of advanced systems as well as the low cost of conducting exome sequencing, as compared with that of whole genome sequencing. The technological advancement is evident from the number of improved versions of existing sequencers released in recent years. For instance, in January 2014, the leading player in the whole exome sequencing market, Illumina, Inc. (U.S.), launched its NextSeq 500 System, which combines high-throughput performance with an affordable desktop form factor. This system is expected to enable researchers to perform sequencing in less than a day.

The major factors driving the growth of this market include its low cost and high speed, increase in applications areas for exome sequencing technologies, global alliances amongst leading research institutes to boost drug discovery, and the entry of new players in the whole-exome sequencing market. However, the high cost of instruments, the need for skilled professionals and high reliability on grants are hindering the market's growth.

The services segment has the largest share of the global whole exome sequencing market, since it has a variety of applications in all areas, including diagnostics, drug discovery and development, personalized medicine, and agriculture and animal research. Diagnostics emerged as the largest whole exome sequencing application, primarily because of an increase in the usage of exome sequencing technologies in cancer and rare disease research.

In the years to come, the whole exome sequencing market is expected to experience high growth in Asia, particularly in China and India. These countries will serve as new revenue pockets for whole exome sequencing products and services companies. High growth in these regions can be attributed to growth in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry and crop research, increased funding scenarios and collaborations with established market players. U.S. and Europe are witnessing steady growth owing to new applications in diagnostics, applied markets, and technological advancements in these regions. Rest of the world (RoW) includes regions such as Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Pacific countries, which have increased focus on research and gaining funds, thus increasing the potential for whole exome sequencing in these regions.

While the global whole exome sequencing products market witnesses low competitive intensity, competition is strong in the services market, with few big firms and many small companies in the fray offering similar services. These companies adopt various strategies (innovations, acquisitions, and geographic expansions) to increase their market shares and establish a strong foothold in the global market.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Introduction

2 Executive Summary

3 Market Overview

4 Whole Exome Sequencing Market, By Products and Services

5 Global Whole Exome Sequencing Market, By Technology

6 Whole Exome Sequencing Market, By Application

7 Global Wholeexome Sequencing Market, By End User

8 Global Whole Exome Sequencing Market, By Geography

9 Competitive Landscape

10 Company Profiles

Companies Mentioned:

• Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Ambry Genetics
• Beijing Genomics Institute (Bgi)
• Eurofins Genomics, Inc.
• Genewiz, Inc.
• Illumina, Inc.
• Knome, Inc.
• Macrogen, Inc.
• Roche Nimblegen, Inc.
• Sengenics
• Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/9xdzmc/whole_exome

Media Contact: Laura Wood, +353-1-481-1716, press@researchandmarkets.net

SOURCE Research and Markets