Global Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI) Testing Market: Analysis By Type (Tuberculin Skin Test LTBI Testing and Interferon Gamma Released Assay (IGRA) LTBI Testing), By Region Size and Trends with Impact of COVID-19 and Forecast up to 2027

The global latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) testing market in 2021 was valued at US$1.75 billion. The market value is expected to reach US$2.47 billion by 2027. Latent Tuberculosis tests diagnose latent tuberculosis which is the type of TB infection where the bacteria remains inactive i.e., bacteria are present in the sleeping state inside the body. This infection can only be manifested through the tuberculin skin test (TST). In spite of this, there is a continuing risk that the latent infection may step up to active TB disease. The risk is increased by other illnesses such as HIV, drug abuse or medications which weakens the immune system.

The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.95% during the forecast period of 2022-2027. Due to the aging population, upsurge in cigarette consumption and growth in pharmaceutical research and development, the market would propel in the forthcoming years. The global LTBI testing market volume reached 83.84 million in 2021.

Market Segmentation Analysis:

By Type: The report provides the bifurcation of the market into three segments based on the type: Tuberculin skin test LTBI testing and interferon gamma released assay (IGRA). In 2021, tuberculin skin test LTBI Testing segment held a major share of more than 60% in the market. On the other hand, the interferon gamma released assay (IGRA) segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR in the forthcoming years owing to the growth in pharmaceutical research and development, surging prevalence of HIV, and growing urbanization.

By Region: The report provides insight into the latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) testing market based on the regions namely North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and Latin America. North America held the major share of above 40% in the market, owing to the high R&D spending and increasing cigarette consumption.

In North America, the US is expected to be the fastest growing region in the forecasted period. The US continues to have one of the lowest TB case rates in the world. However, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is still a significant percentage of people that suffer from TB and the progress toward eliminating TB is relatively slow in the country. Whereas, in the Europe region, Germany held almost 31% share in the market owing to the rising healthcare expenditure, expanding urbanization, and advanced and hybrid technologies.

Market Dynamics:

Growth Drivers: One of the most important factors impacting the global latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) testing market is aging population. Since aged people are highly prone to have latent TB infection as underlying illnesses, age-related diminution in immune function, increased frequency of adverse drug reactions and institutionalization can complicate the overall clinical approach to tuberculosis in elderly patients. As the aging population grows further, the risk of latent tuberculosis prevalence among them also tends to increase, which is expanding the scope for the growth of the global latent tuberculosis infection testing market in coming years. Furthermore, the market has been growing over the past few years, due to factors such as rapid urbanization, surging prevalence of HIV, accelerating TB funding, accelerating construction activities, rise in consumer spending, escalating government initiatives, and many other factors.

Challenges: However, the market has been confronted with some challenges specifically, multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), stringent government regulations, etc.

Trends: The market is projected to grow at a fast pace during the forecast period, due to various latest trends such as increasing healthcare expenditure in emerging markets, line probe assays (LPAs), nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs), expansion of advanced and hybrid technique, etc. The expansion of advanced and hybrid techniques has immensely affected the clinical use of these, resulting in the increase of application of advanced testing techniques in latent tuberculosis diagnosis. Hence, expansion of advanced and hybrid technique is predicted to create growth opportunities for the global LTBI testing market.

Impact Analysis of COVID-19 and Way Forward:

The provision of TB health services (TB diagnosis, care and prevention services), and access to these services, were severely disrupted by COVID-19. TB service providers across many high TB burden contexts have faced difficulties in service provision, due to lack of appropriate equipment and capacity, restrictions to movement (affecting health care workers, commodities and stock) and reallocation of resources.

The COVID-19 pandemic has reversed significant progress that had been made in the global fight against TB, causing many TB reduction targets to be missed. In recent, few studies have proved COVID-19 may have factored into the case of LTBI reactivation. This is consistent with the knowledge that LTBI is reactivated in the setting of immunosuppression. Given its high global prevalence and relatively high lifetime risk of reactivation, estimated to be 5%-10%, it is worth considering screening select populations for LTBI, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Competitive Landscape:

The global LTBI testing market is moderately fragmented, with a large number of small- and medium-sized manufacturers accounting for a major revenue share.

The key players in the global LTBI testing market are:

Roche Holding AG
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.
Abbott Laboratories
Sanofi S.A.
Endo International plc
Becton, Dickinson and Company
PerkinElmer, Inc.
Bio-rad Laboratories, Inc.
BioMerieux SA
Qiagen N.V.
Cyrus Poonawalla Group (Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd.)
Bruker Corporation

Some of the strategies among key players in the market for LTBI market are mergers, acquisitions, and collaborations. For instance, in 2022, Sanofi S.A. announced a collaboration with Innovent Biologics to bring innovative medicines to patients in China with difficult-to-treat cancers. Whereas, Becton, Dickinson & Company announced a collaboration agreement with Labcorp, a global life sciences company, creating a framework to develop, manufacture, market and commercialize flow cytometry-based companion diagnostics (CDx) intended to match patients with life-changing treatments for cancer and other diseases.