Pharmacogenomics and pharmacogenetics will have a major impact on the future of health care. Pharmacogenetics is the study of the genetic basis for individuals? variable drug responses, and is being applied with increasing frequency at the clinical level. These efforts rely on pharmacogenomics, the genome-wide analysis of the genetic determinants of drug efficacy and toxicity. The cornerstone is the ability to identify genetic variations (polymorphisms) that alter an individual?s response to a drug.

This BCC report presents a comprehensive analysis of the current market for pharmacogenomics and its future direction. Currently, the field remains immature. This leaves enormous room for growth. This growth potential over a five-year period to 2009 is assessed. Of particular interest are the markets for SNP identification, genotyping and diagnostics.

Also of interest is the market for specific drugs developed through the use of pharmacogenomics. Only a handful of such therapeutics have entered clinical use as of 2005. In each case, there is an examination of the drug development process, major challenges and achievements and where applicable, the projected market for each of these drugs through 2009.

SCOPE OF STUDY

The report contains:

• Detailed descriptions and analyses of the SNP identification process, genotyping technologies and pharmacogenomics-related diagnostic tools
• Determinations of the major players and current market status
• Analysis of how pharmacogenomics is translating into new medical therapies for specific disease targets
• Growth forecasts through 2009
• Emphasis on scientific challenges and advances, including the latest trends
• Examination of government regulations, major collaborations and recent patents.

METHODOLOGY

The market assessments provided have been assembled based on publicly available information from January 2001 up to and including January 2005. The base year for this report is 2004 and forecast data are provided through 2009. In cases where year-end data for 2004 were not available, figures were extrapolated from 2003 statistics and historical trends between 2001 and 2003. Market figures are based on current dollars and inflation is not computed into the projection figures. Interviews were also used to adjust market size estimates, as well as to formulate market projections.

The pharmacogenomics field is still immature and the reader is cautioned to use the report data as a guide to assess trends, developments and challenges that the industry faces. The report seeks to use the quantitative data to explore the potential of a variety of technologies and therapeutic applications.

INFORMATION SOURCES

The information contained in this report has been assembled from primary and secondary data. Primary research was conducted via telephone interviews with selected industry professionals, research scientists, and laboratory heads to discover the most recent developments in their fields of interest. Secondary data was collected via a comprehensive search of the scientific, peer-reviewed literature, industry trade media, company websites, annual reports and industry press releases.

AUTHOR'S CREDENTIALS

Amy Brock, Ph.D. has over 10 years of research experience working at the interface of the biological sciences, bioengineering and biophysics. Trained at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, she holds a B.S. and Ph.D. in biomedical science.