AUTOMATED CELL COUNTERS MARKET SIZE AND SHARE ANALYSIS - GROWTH TRENDS AND FORECASTS (2023 - 2030)

Global automated cell counters market size is expected to be valued at US$ 3.75 Bn in 2023, and is expected to reach US$ 6.01 Bn by 2030, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.0% from 2023 to 2030.

Automated cell counters are instruments that are used for counting and analyzing cells in applications such as medical diagnostics, pharmaceutical research and food quality control. These use advanced techniques like flow cytometry and digital imaging to enable high precision and consistent cell analysis. Rising incidence of chronic diseases and growth in biopharma R&D are key factors driving the market growth.

Global automated cell counters market is segmented by product, application, end user, and region. By product, the market is segmented into instruments, software, consumables & accessories. The instruments segment accounted for the largest share in 2021, owing to launch of advanced automated cell analyzers by leading players. 

Global Automated Cell Counters Market- Regional Insights

• North America is expected to be the largest market for automated cell counters market during the forecast period, accounting for over 40.0% of the market share in 2022. North America market growth is attributed to high healthcare expenditure and research funding.
• Europe market is expected to be the second-largest market for automated cell counters market, accounting for over 30.8% of the market share in 2022. Europe market growth is attributed to prevalence of chronic diseases and growing biopharma sector.
• Asia Pacific market is expected to be the fastest-growing market for automated cell counters market, accounting for over 8% of CAGR over the forecast period. Asia Pacific market growth is attributed to improving R&D infrastructure and investments by key players.

Figure 1. Global Automated Cell Counters Market Share (%), By Region, 2023

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Analyst View on Global Automated Cell Counter Market:

• The automated cell counters market is expected to witness steady growth over the forecast period driven by rising prevalence of chronic and infectious diseases. Automated systems offer accuracy, reproducibility and reduce manual counting errors. Moreover, automated cell counters minimize laboratory workflow and enhance productivity. Technological advancements facilitating high-throughput analysis, simplified operation and connectivity with Laboratory Information Systems (LIS) will augment market expansion.
• However, high costs of advanced automated systems compared to traditional hemocytometers could hinder market growth to some extent. Additionally, lack of essential service infrastructure and skilled lab technicians in developing regions poses challenges.
• North America dominates the global market owing to growing geriatric population, favorable reimbursement policies and expanding biopharmaceutical industry. Asia Pacific is poised to be the fastest growing regional market driven by rising healthcare expenditure, increasing R&D investments and developing healthcare infrastructure. Key players are focusing on new product launches, upgradation of existing technologies and strengthening distribution networks across emerging Asian countries to leverage growth opportunities in the region.
• In summary, rising disease incidence, technological innovations and developments in digital pathology are key drivers for the automated cell counters market. Meanwhile, high costs and infrastructure limitations in developing regions remain restraints. Overall, the market is expected to witness steady growth over the next decade.

Global Automated Cell Counters Market- Drivers

• Increasing prevalence of chronic diseases: Rising prevalence of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases is a major factor driving the growth of the automated cell counters market. Chronic diseases require constant monitoring of blood cell counts that boosts adoption of automated cell counters. For instance, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2022, Non-communicable diseases or chronic diseases prevalence is increasing and approximately41 million people die due to NCDs each year, equivalent to 74% of all deaths globally. Automated cell counters improve the efficiency and accuracy of running cell counts in pathology labs, research centers and hospitals. Their high-throughput capabilities allow them to analyze large sample volumes with precision and consistency. This helps in better diagnosis and monitoring of chronic disease patients.
• Technological advancements in cell counting instruments: Ongoing technological advancements in automated cell counting instruments boosts adoption in research and clinical applications. Companies are integrating advanced techniques like digital image processing and flow cytometry methods into automated cell counters. Features like fluorescence capabilities, high resolution imaging and multi-parameter analysis allow these systems to capture morphological details more accurately and enable phenotypic characterization of cells. Integration of AI and deep learning algorithms also enables intelligent analysis and automation of the overall workflow. For instance, in April 2021, CytoSMART Technologies, a Dutch company based developer of for image-based cell monitoring, analyzing, and reporting company, and a part of Axion BioSystems, launched its first fluorescence cell counter ‘CytoSMART Exact FL,’an automated, dual fluorescence cell counter with an expanded field of view and unmatched performance. Such technological enhancements are fueling the uptake of advanced automated cell counters.
• Growing pharmaceutical and biotechnology R&D activities: Growing focus on cell-based research and drug discovery in the biopharma industry boosts demand for automated cell counters. These systems are an indispensable tool in preclinical lab testing of new drug candidates and vaccines. These allow high-throughput viability, proliferation and cytotoxicity screening assays to be performed for evaluating drug efficacy and toxicity. Many leading pharma companies are adopting automated solutions to accelerate their R&D programs and reduce drug development costs and timelines. The market growth is also driven by growth in biotech R&D for novel cell & gene therapies and regenerative medicines that require precision cell counting.
• Increasing government funding for cell-based research: Rising government and private funding for stem cell, cancer and immunology research is positively impacting the automated cell counters market growth. Grant programs aimed at advancing cell biology and genomics research makes use of automated counting tools for applications like phenotypic characterization, cell sorting and single cell analysis. For instance, the National institute of health (NIH) provided over US$ 41 Bn in medical research funding in 2021 to universities and labs across the U.S., a significant portion of which went to cell-based research programs. Availability of such grants and investments allows labs to purchase high-end automated cell analysis platforms.

Global Automated Cell Counters Market- Opportunities

• Emerging markets offering significant growth prospects: Developing countries across Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East represent a major opportunity for growth and expansion for automated cell counter vendors. These regions are witnessing rapid advancements in their healthcare systems, biosciences infrastructure and clinical research capabilities. Rising incidence of chronic and infectious diseases boosts demand for advanced diagnostic technologies like automated cell counters. Many emerging economies have sizeable pharmaceutical production and burgeoning biotech sectors that utilize cell counting systems.
• Adoption of point-of-care devices in decentralized settings: Point-of-care automated cell counters designed for use in patient proximity settings like doctor’s clinics represent a lucrative opportunity. There is trend of healthcare decentralization and point-of-care testing for improving accessibility and patient convenience. Compact, portable cell counting instruments that can be operated by minimally trained personnel are increasingly adopted in frontline care settings. Companies that develop connected, app-enabled POC cell counters compatible with EHR systems can gain first-mover advantage in this space. For instance, according to Healthcare transformers article ‘The shift towards point of care testing for sustainable healthcare’ published in August 2022, in addition to being able to provide better access and cost-efficiency to healthcare, point of care testing will also be valuable in order to plan for future health threats. Emerging infectious diseases are seemingly on the rise due to increased globalization
• Growing demand for cell-based food products: The emerging field of cellular agriculture and cultivation of cell-based meat, dairy, eggs, and others opens up new used cases for automated cell counting tools. Cell culture and proliferation is a critical part of the production process that requires precise monitoring. Companies that develop GMP-grade automated counter solutions tailored for food bio manufacturing facilities can capture value in this niche Partnerships with cellular Agriculture startups and investment in this segment can offer long-term growth opportunities. For instance, in November 2022, Upside Foods (and chickens), the Berkeley, a U.S.-based company that provider of meat, poultry and seafood that is grown directly from animal cells, announced they reieved U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s pre-market consultation for human food made using animal cell culture technology.

Global Automated Cell Counters Market- Trends

• Shift towards image-based analysis techniques: Automated cell counters are increasingly adopting advanced imaging-based techniques like fluorescence microscopy, holographic imaging and high content screening. Image cytometers capture multi-channel images of cells and analyze parameters like size, shape, texture besides counting. These provide morphological insights and allow complex population characterization and rare cell detection. Players like Lumenera, Logos Biosystems and Agilent offer sophisticated imaging-powered solutions. Imaging also makes automation and AI-powered analysis easier. This shift towards imaging is a key trend. For instance, according to article titled ‘Automated Cell Counting using Image Processing’ published by International Journal of Computing in January 2023, manual cell counting using Hemocytometer is commonly used to quantify cells, as it is an inexpensive and versatile method. However, it is labour-intensive, tedious, and time-consuming. On the other hand, most automated cell counting methods are expensive and require experts to operate. Thus, the use of image analysis software allows one to access low-cost but robust automated cell counting.
• Demand for combinational instruments: The market is witnessing rising demand for automated cell counters and analyzers that combine multiple analytical modalities. Combination of capabilities like cell counting, viability testing, flow cytometry and high content imaging allows researchers to extract more data from samples in a single run. Multi-technique instruments improve lab productivity and reduce instrument footprint. Key companies like Danaher, Nexcelom and Sartorius offer bundled automated solutions addressing this trend. It provides a value-added proposition for both vendors and end-users.
• Miniaturization and integration of microfluidic systems: Miniaturized cell counting systems like microfluidic cell counters and lab-on-a-chip devices are gaining increased adoption in research labs. Microfluidic integration allows tiny sample volumes to be precisely analyzed and manipulated on a single chip. Portability, rapid analysis and lower cost are key factors that is driving this trend. Prominent players offering microfluidic automated cell counters include ChemoMetec, Fluidigm and Bruin Biometrics. The shift towards miniaturized all-in-one POC hematology analyzers is accelerating, especially for decentralized testing.
• Demand for smart connectivity and data functionalities: Modern automated cell counters are integrating smart connectivity technologies like WiFi, Bluetooth and USB interfaces for seamless data transfer, storage and analysis. Software platforms allow advanced visualization, statistical analysis, archiving and reporting tools for better data utility. Players are also offering cloud-based and app-based solutions for remote monitoring and networking of instruments. Overall, the trend towards connected instruments with smart data systems for maximizing cell counting insights aligns with lab automation and digitization.

Global Automated Cell Counters Market- Restraints:

• High costs of advanced cell counting systems: Sophisticated high-throughput automated cell analyzers equipped with advanced features are available at extremely costly price points running into six figures. This poses affordability challenges for many academic labs, small biotech startups and diagnostic centers with budget constraints. While such systems provide a superior value proposition, cost is a prohibitive factor limiting their broader uptake. Companies focusing on introducing scaled-down, cost-effective models to make automated cell counting more accessible can gain an edge. For instance, The automated cell counting instruments offered by the key players cost around US$ 3000- 5000 approximately, this price barrier has prevented the automated cell counters market from reaching its true potential and maximizing penetration levels across different end-users.
• Requirement for specialized operators and training: Advanced automated cell counters, especially image-based systems, require skilled personnel and technical expertise for proper instrument operation and maintenance. The need for specialized training is a hindrance for many laboratories facing resource and budget limitations. Lack of qualified personnel who can leverage the full capabilities of the systems is a restraining factor. Players need to focus on simplifying instruments and workflows to minimize user intervention and specialized skill needs. For instance, as per data from the World Health Organization in 2021, more than 50% of clinical laboratories in developing nations are understaffed due to lack of trained technicians and biomedical scientists. This technical skills gap is a notable challenge in optimizing the usage of automated solutions, especially in resource-constrained settings.
• Counterbalance: However rising disease incidence, technological innovations and developments in digital pathology and government initiatives for developing countries are key drivers for the automated cell counters market.  

Global Automated Cell Counters Market- Recent Developments

New product launches

• In January 2022, Agilent Technologies, U.S. based Global scientific instrument company, launched the NovoCyte Advanteon Flow Cytometer for high-speed cell analysis
• In June 2021, DeNovix Inc., U.S. based instrumentation company, launched CellDrop Automated Cell Counters for point-of-care applications
• In May 2020, Logos Biosystems, South Korea based developing simple and smart imaging solutions company, launched Xel OWC, an AI-powered automated cell counter with fluorescence imaging capabilities

Acquisition and partnerships

• In March 2022, Danaher, global life sciences and diagnostics Innovator Company, acquired Aldevron, a biotech company involved in development of cell and gene therapies
• In June 2021, Sartorius, global pharmaceutical and laboratory equipment manufacturing company, acquired CellGenix, a developer of cell culture components, for enhancing its cell analysis portfolio
• In 2020, Agilent, U.S. based Global scientific instrument company partnered with Visiopharm to integrate tissue image analysis tools with pathology scanner series

Figure 2. Global Automated Cell Counters Market Share (%), By Product, 2023

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Top companies in Global Automated Cell Counters Market

• Danaher Corporation
• Thermo Fisher Scientific
• Corning Incorporated
• Merck KGaA
• Logos Biosystems
• Bio-Rad Laboratories
• Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd
• PerkinElmer Inc.
• Agilent Technologies
• Tecan Group

*Definition: Automated cell counters refer to instruments integrated with advanced technologies such as high-resolution microscopy, flow cytometry and image analysis to enable precision counting and examination of cells. These eliminate the need for manual hemocytometry and cell counting under the microscope.

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