Kalorama: Emergency Approval of Ebola Test Points to Opportunity For Test Makers

NEW YORK, Sept. 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The emergency approval of a real time PCR testing product for Ebola demonstrates the scope of concern about the recent epidemic and possible opportunity for test makers.  Kalorama said the world market for infectious disease tests is estimated at $15.3 billion in 2013 and should grow at a slightly higher rate than the rest of the diagnostics market.  The scourge of expanding infectious disease threats is part of the factor driving growth of tests.  The finding was made in the company's biennial study of the microbiology test product market, The World Market for Infectious Disease Diagnostic Tests.

The report can be obtained at: http://www.kaloramainformation.com/redirect.asp?progid=86680&productid=7841652.

Kalorama released its 2013 infectious disease market estimates as the United States government announced emergency approval of a TaqMan® - based test used by the Department of Defense (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-09-17/html/2014-22086.htm).   The test was made by the Department of Defense, but the test runs on instruments from Thermo Fisher Scientific, originally from Carlsbad-based Life Technologies. Thermo Fisher bought the company in February. Results of the test, which analyzes blood samples, are available in two hours according to the company.  Other tests take days for results, according to Kalorama.

This rare type of Emergency authorization by the FDA bypasses the agency's usual approval process.  Usually this type of approval is issued during crises, like the Ebola outbreak that has killed nearly a thousand people in West Africa this year. 

"Infectious disease is not an area where governments feel comfortable waiting for test results," said Bruce Carlson, Publisher of Kalorama Information.  "It's an opportunity for innovative technologies, and testmakers who develop solutions in infectious diseases can benefit from the high priority placed on them by healthcare systems."

Ebola is a relatively rare but high profile virus that causes Ebola virus disease (EVD), previously called Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF).  Symptoms of the disease start after two to three weeks of contracting the virus and can develop into internal and external bleeding.  Party due to the nature of the illness and the high mortality rate, Ebola outbreaks can earn international attention from the healthcare community, and for good reason.  The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that EVD outbreaks have a mortality rate of up to 90%.  Also there are no approved Ebola-specific therapies or vaccines commercially available, leaving possible treatment options to unproven experimental vaccines or drugs.    

Kalorama's The World Market for Infectious Disease Diagnostic Tests covers standard tests for infectious disease.  The report has breakouts for test technologies and disease categories.  Significant company efforts in microbiology are detailed in company profiles. Find this report in addition to other industry leading research from Kalorama Information at: http://www.kaloramainformation.com/.  

About Kalorama Information -- Kalorama Information, a division of MarketResearch.com, supplies the latest in independent medical market research in diagnostics, biotech, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and healthcare; as well as a full range of custom research services. We routinely assist the media with healthcare topics. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and our blog.

Contact:
Bruce Carlson
(212) 807-2622
[email protected]

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SOURCE Kalorama Information