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Market Overview

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In 2021, the global market for NGS library preparation automation was valued at $1,273 million. It is projected to reach $3,803 million by 2029, with a compound annual growth rate of 14.85% during the forecast period from 2022 to 2029. The growth of this market is driven by the increasing demand for next-generation sequencing (NGS), which benefits from the elimination of human error when the system is fully automated. Furthermore, automation saves time and money.

Next-generation sequencing has significantly expanded in recent years and has become a valuable tool in diagnosing various diseases. However, the conversion of native DNA into a barcoded library is a complex and time-consuming process requiring a large amount of materials. Additionally, preparing the library manually is prone to errors, and a single mistake can contaminate the entire testing process. Consequently, many companies have to outsource their NGS testing procedures. This challenge can be overcome by using specialized automation solutions such as liquid handling equipment or integrated microfluidic systems. Automating NGS library preparation not only saves time and money but also reduces errors. The library preparation step is a bottleneck in the overall NGS workflow, despite the decreasing cost of NGS itself. By miniaturizing the automation liquid handlers, cost and throughput challenges can be overcome, allowing researchers to process more samples and generate more data.

There are several advantages to transitioning from manual to automated NGS library preparation. Automated methods are more efficient, faster, and less prone to human error. They are also less susceptible to contamination, making them more reliable and consistent. Moreover, adopting automated devices can improve quality and optimize workflows.

Automated NGS library preparation addresses the risk of human error by requiring minimal hands-on time, thus reducing the chance of manual errors. Fully automated solutions offer high-quality library preparation, improving workflow efficiency. Therefore, NGS library preparation automation greatly enhances laboratory efficiency and produces more consistent results. Automation helps maintain turnaround time and increases sample workload. Leading automation companies like Agilent Technologies, Inc., Hamilton Company, and Tecan Trading AG offer various options for adopting NGS library preparation automation based on specific needs. These fully automated instruments can meet the throughput requirements of laboratories.

The presence of major instrument providers in the NGS library preparation automation market has a significant impact. For example, in March 2021, Integrated DNA Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Danaher, acquired Swift Biosciences, a pioneer in developing NGS library preparation genomics kits for research. This acquisition aims to expand the base of library preparation automation for Integrated DNA Technologies, Inc. and enhance its product line. In February 2022, Agilent Technologies, Inc. partnered with Element Biosciences Inc. to develop new DNA sequencing platforms, allowing a larger number of customers to access Element Biosciences Inc.’s AVITI System integrated with Agilent Technologies Inc.’s SureSelect target enrichment panels. Agilent Technologies, Inc. launched the SureSelect DNA Library Preparation Automation kit in 2013.

In March 2019, the world was hit by the Sars-CoV-2 virus, leading to global shutdowns and widespread testing. To increase the pace of testing as the volume increased, many clinical and diagnostic centers implemented automated library preparation systems. These systems reduced hands-on time and accelerated testing. The process involves extracting RNA samples from patients, reverse transcribing them to cDNA, and amplifying them using PCR. However, before the PCR step, a sample library must be prepared, which is the most time-consuming step. Instruments like the Hamilton NGS STAR 96 can perform the entire NGS library preparation protocol hands-free, contributing to the growing popularity of NGS library preparation automation systems during the emergence of COVID-19.

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Market Segmentation

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The market is segmented based on various factors, including sequencing type, product, application, end user, and region.

Segmentation by Sequencing Type
DNA Sequencing
RNA Sequencing

Segmentation by Product
Library Preparation Automated Kits and Consumables
Automated Instruments

Segmentation by Application
Research
Diagnostics

Segmentation by End User
Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies
Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratories
Academic and Research Institutions
Other End Users (Reference laboratories, Sequencing Laboratories, and Others)

Segmentation by Region
North America
Europe
Asia-Pacific
Latin America
Rest-of-the-World

As of 2021, DNA sequencing dominated the global NGS library preparation automation market (by sequencing type), holding a market share of 65.35%. It is expected that the market share of DNA sequencing will further increase and reach 63.86% by 2029. The growth of the DNA sequencing segment is primarily driven by the expanding therapeutic and diagnostic applications of DNA sequencing and the decreasing cost of genomic sequencing worldwide. DNA sequencing involves determining the order of the four basic building blocks, or bases, in the DNA molecule. This sequence provides valuable information about the genetic content of a specific DNA segment. Scientists can use sequence information to identify genes and regulatory instructions within the DNA, as well as detect gene alterations that may cause disease.

In terms of product, library preparation automated kits and consumables dominated the global NGS library preparation automation market in 2021, holding a market share of 71.40%. It is expected that this segment will hold 68.88% of the market share by 2029. The growth of library preparation automated kits and consumables is primarily attributed to the availability of various kit types, decreasing sequencing costs, adoption of NGS in different industries (such as drug development, diagnostics, and animal research), and the availability of research grants. Consumables are the most commonly used product type in the NGS workflow, and their demand is expected to significantly increase due to the rising utilization of automated NGS library preparation kits. NGS library preparation involves constructing nucleic acid targets using enzymatic reactions to generate a collection of DNA segments of specific sizes for high-throughput sequencing. Advances in library preparation technologies have also occurred with the application of NGS in areas like transcriptomics and epigenetics. Leading market players, such as Agilent Technologies, Inc., Illumina, Inc., and F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, offer NGS library preparation kits that not only ensure consistency and repeatability but also provide access to new preparation methods and compatibility with the latest NGS instrument technologies.

Regarding application, the research segment dominated the global NGS library preparation automation market in 2021, holding a market share of 79.94%. It is anticipated that this segment will hold 77.23% of the market share by 2029. The growth of the research segment is primarily driven by the identification of novel oncology targets, increased understanding of cancer, and the growing demand for innovative therapeutic approaches in oncology. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is a highly advanced sequencing technique that offers high throughput, scalability, and speed. It is used to determine the order of nucleotides in entire genomes or specific DNA or RNA segments. NGS-detected sequence variants and mutations have extensive applications in disease diagnosis, prognosis, treatment decision-making, and patient follow-up. The parallel sequencing capability of NGS enables personalized precision medicine.

In terms of end users, academic and research institutions dominated the global NGS library preparation automation market in 2021, holding a market share of 42.88%. It is expected that this segment will hold 41.19% of the market share by 2029. The growth of this segment is primarily driven by increased funding for genomic research and the growing demand for affordable NGS tools and supplies. Academic institutions play a significant role in the NGS library preparation automation sector, where various kits and consumables are extensively used for research purposes, including the evaluation of new medical and diagnostic applications. The rise in research activities globally has led to the development of novel procedures and chemistries, as well as increased utilization of library preparation equipment and consumables. Market players are increasingly focusing on providing high-quality industrial-scale services to academic research institutes worldwide. The expanding research on DNA and RNA, along with the growing need for customized kits in applications like whole-genome sequencing, exome sequencing, target sequencing, whole transcriptome analysis, and RNA enrichment, are major factors contributing to market growth.

In 2021, North America accounted for a 45.05% share of the global NGS library preparation automation market. It is projected that the market will reach $3,803 million in 2029, growing from $1,273 million in 2021 at a CAGR of 14.85% during the forecast period. North America is primarily composed of the U.S. and Canada markets, with the U.S. dominating the regional market. This dominance is due to significant government investments in the co-development of targeted therapeutics and molecular diagnostics, the presence of major market players, and substantial R&D expenditures in the region. The presence of prominent market players, increasing adoption of NGS in research, diagnostics, and synthetic biology, rising prevalence of infectious diseases, genetic disorders, and chronic diseases, and the development of novel automation library preparation instruments and kits are key factors driving the growth of the North America NGS library preparation automation market. In North America, established market players are focusing on portfolio expansion through acquisitions and collaborations with service providers and pharmaceutical companies to co-market innovative library preparation consumables and equipment.

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Recent Industry Developments

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In March 2022, Beckman Coulter, Inc. introduced CellMekSPS, a fully automated sample preparation system designed for clinical flow cytometry. This advanced system offers on-demand processing of various sample types, allowing laboratories to expand their testing capabilities.

In June 2022, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. unveiled the SEQuoia Express Stranded RNA Library Prep Kit at the AGBT 2022 event. This kit is highly efficient in preparing RNA sequencing libraries, enabling comprehensive transcriptome profiling.

In April 2022, OPENTRONS launched four new OT-2 workstations suitable for a wide range of applications, including NGS, PCR, and protein purification. The NGS workstation automates multiple steps involved in pre-sequencing, including library preparations. This expansion aims to enhance the accessibility of automation products for customers.

In June 2022, PerkinElmer, Inc. introduced the BioQule NGS System, an automated solution for library preparation in next-generation sequencing (NGS). This system enables researchers to produce high-quality NGS libraries through its optical quantification and robust liquid handling technology.