According to a new report published by Allied Market Research, titled, "Asia-Pacific Histology and Cytology Market by Type of Examination, Product, Test Type, Application and End User: Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023–2032," The Asia-Pacific histology and cytology market was valued at $1.8 billion in 2022 and is estimated to reach $5.8 billion by 2032, exhibiting a CAGR of 12.4% from 2023 to 2032.

Histology and cytology are branches of pathology that involve the study of tissues and cells, respectively, to diagnose diseases and understand their underlying mechanisms. The market encompasses a wide range of products and services, including instruments, consumables, and software used in histopathology and cytopathology laboratories.

The key factors that contribute toward the market growth include growing pharmaceutical industry in the Asia-Pacific region, and rise in geriatric populations, and high adoption of histological and cytological analysis in the clinical diagnosis.

The Asia-Pacific region has witnessed a remarkable surge in the pharmaceutical industry, emerging as a major driver for the histology and cytology market in the region. The exponential growth of the pharmaceutical sector can be attributed to several factors, including rising healthcare needs, increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, and a growing emphasis on research and development. For instance, according to 2023 report by National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency, it was reported that the pharmaceutical industry in India was valued at $50 billion. India is a major exporter of pharmaceuticals, with over 200+ countries served by Indian pharma exports. As pharmaceutical companies in the Asia-Pacific region continue to expand and diversify their product portfolios, the demand for advanced histology and cytology technologies has experienced a significant surge. Histology and cytology play pivotal roles in drug discovery, disease diagnosis, and personalized medicine, aligning with the evolving needs of the pharmaceutical industry.

The heightened focus on precision medicine and targeted therapies has further propelled the adoption of histology and cytology techniques, fostering collaboration between pharmaceutical companies and diagnostic laboratories. For instance, Dr. Lal PathLabs, and Ibex Medical Analytics announced the first deployment in India of an AI platform that supports pathologists during routine cancer diagnosis and helps improve the quality and turnaround time of cancer tests. Galen is a clinical-grade, multi-tissue platform that helps pathologists detect and grade breast, prostate, and gastric cancer, along with more than a hundred other clinically relevant features. This collaborative approach aims to enhance the understanding of disease mechanisms, optimize treatment strategies, and ensure the safety and efficacy of pharmaceutical products. In addition, the Asia-Pacific region's commitment to advancements in healthcare infrastructure and technology has created a favorable environment for the growth of the histology and cytology market in the region.

In addition, the Asia-Pacific histology and cytology market has witnessed a significant surge in adoption, primarily attributed to the widespread use of histological and cytological analysis in clinical diagnosis. Histological analysis involves the examination of tissue specimens under a microscope, providing detailed insights into the cellular architecture and identifying abnormalities that may indicate various diseases, including cancer. Similarly, cytological analysis involves the study of individual cells, often obtained through minimally invasive procedures such as fine-needle aspiration, enabling the early detection of abnormalities. The high adoption of histological and cytological analysis in the Asia-Pacific region can be attributed to their accuracy in identifying diseases at an early stage, and its ability to guide clinicians in formulating precise treatment plans. According to 2022 report by National Library of Medicine, it was estimated that in 2022, there will be approximately 4,820,000 new cancer cases in China.

The increasing prevalence of cancer and other complex diseases in the region has surged the demand for accurate diagnostic tools, further driving the demand for histology and cytology in the region. The Asia-Pacific histology and cytology market is segmented on the basis of type of examination, product, test type, application, end user, and country.

On the basis of type of examination, the market is bifurcated into histology and cytology. On the basis of product, the market is bifurcated into instruments and analysis software system and consumable and reagents. On the basis of test type, the market is divided into microscopy methods, flow cytometry, and molecular genetic methods. On the basis of application, the market is divided into drug discovery and designing, clinical diagnostics, and academic research.

On the basis of end user, the market is segmented into pharma and biotech companies, CDMO, diagnostic laboratories, and others. Others include hospital and academic research. Country wise, the market is analyzed across Japan, China, India, Australia, South Korea, and rest of Asia-Pacific. Major key players that operate in the Asia-Pacific histology and cytology market are Hologic, Inc, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Abbott, Becton, Dickinson, Danaher, Merck KGaA, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc, Sysmex Corporation, Trivitron Healthcare, and Koninklijke Philips N.V.

On the basis of type of examination, the cytology segment was the largest revenue contributor in 2022, and is expected to remain dominant during the forecast period. This is attributed to high adoption of the cytological analysis for of various cancer cells in cancer diagnosis.

On the basis of product, the consumable and reagents segment was the largest revenue contributor in 2022, owing to high use of consumables such as stanning agents and other reagents in almost every histological and cytological examination. However, instruments and analysis software system segment is expected to register highest CAGR in the forecast period. This is attributed to the growing trend towards laboratory automation.

On the basis of test type, the microscopy methods segment was the major revenue contributor in 2022, owing to high adoption of the microscopic method of examination by large number of small scale and medium scale laboratories owing to limited budget. However, flow cytometry is expected to register highest CAGR in the forecast. This is attributed to the high throughput capacity of the flow cytometer and thus is used majorly by the pharmaceutical and biotech companies for research and development purpose.

On the basis of application, the drug discovery and designing segment was the largest revenue contributor in 2022, owing to the fact that histology and cytological analysis is a crucial stage in the preclinical trial of the drug candidate. Thus, all the pharmaceutical and biotech companies uses histological and cytological analysis to evaluate efficacy of its new drug candidate. However, the clinical Diagnostics segment is expected to register highest CAGR in the forecast. This is attributed to rise in prevalence of chronic diseases such as cancer and infectious diseases.

On the basis of end user, the pharma and biotech companies’ segment were the largest revenue contributor in 2022, owing to the fact that high adoption of the histological and cytological analysis in drug development procedures. However, CDMO segment is expected to register highest CAGR in the forecast. This is attributed to growing trend towards outsourcing clinical trials and drug development procedures.

Key Findings of the Study

• By type of examination, the cytology segment was the highest contributor to the market in 2022.
• By product, the consumable and reagents segment was the highest contributor to the market in 2022. However, instruments and analysis software system segment is expected to register highest CAGR during the forecast period.
• By test type, the microscopy methods segment dominated the market in 2022. However, flow cytometry segment is expected to register highest CAGR during the forecast period.
• By application, the drug discovery and designing segment dominated the market in 2022. However, clinical diagnostics segment is expected to register highest CAGR during the forecast period.
• By end user, the pharma and biotech companies segment dominated the market in 2022. However, CDMO segment is expected to register highest CAGR during the forecast period.