HLA Typing Market (2022-2029)

The increasing number of organ transplants, increasing prevalence of chronic and infectious diseases, and technological advancements in the molecular assays used for HLA typing are expected to propel the global HLA typing market. The availability of funding for HLA typing research is also expected to positively impact the HLA typing market. Furthermore, the increasing awareness amongst people regarding organ donations offers an opportunity for the growth of the HLA typing market.

However, the high costs associated with molecular assays related to HLA typing and the huge gap between organ donations and organs required for transplantation pose a major challenge for the HLA typing market.

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules are expressed in almost all nucleated cells. These molecules trigger an immune response responsible for the rejection of transplanted grafts. The ideal condition for a successful transplant is that the HLA genes in both the donor and recipient match as closely as possible. Hence, HLA matching is an essential test to ensure a successful transplant and reduce the possibility of graft rejection. The demand for organ transplants has increased over the last decade. For instance, in 2021, organ transplants increased to 33.25 per million people from 20.49 transplants in 2019 (Source: Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation).

This demand can be attributed to the increasing incidence of organ failure and the high success rate of transplants due to new immunosuppressants, robot-assisted organ transplantation, organ-specific solutions (reagents) for preservation, and logistics management in organ procurement. As HLA matching is an essential aspect of transplant diagnostics in checking the compatibility between the donor’s and recipient’s HLA genes, the need for high organ transplantation success rates is expected to drive the global HLA typing market.

Before 1990, serotyping was critical in HLA typing for organ transplants. However, most of the HLA antisera are polyclonal in nature and result in cross-reactions, making it complicated to differentiate antigens with subtle differences, which may result in incorrect identification. In addition, numerous factors, such as the time required to transport blood samples and the excessive number of immature cells, affect the serotyping results. These limitations of serotyping for HLA drove the adoption of molecular assays.

Molecular technologies have substituted conventionally used serological assays. Molecular technologies provide higher resolution, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity in HLA typing. Non-molecular techniques utilize polyclonal antisera that lead to cross-reactions, which makes it difficult to differentiate antigens with subtle differences, leading to inaccuracy. Serological methods are used only for low-resolution typing, whereas molecular methods are used for high-resolution typing.