Global PAT market expected to exceed $10b in 2032

Demand for process analytical technology (PAT) is being driven by the growing adoption of automation and digitalisation in sectors such as pharmaceutical industry, a report by Market.us has found. With PAT being widely used in pharma, rising R&D expenses are anticipated to boost demand for these technologies.

Growth and limitations in the global PAT market

The PAT market is expected to grow $10.6 billion in 2032, the report suggested. Between 2023 and 2032, this market is estimated to have an compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.8 percent.

A limitation to implementing PAT in pharmaceutical production is that infrastructure such as hardware and software is expensive. Specialist knowledge and thus employee training is required to ensure that PAT systems are properly set up and validated. This could be prohibitive for startups or businesses with limited resources.

Real-time analytics using process analytical technology (PAT)

Specifically, combining AI (artificial intelligence) and machine learning (ML) with PAT allows for real-time analytics and decision-making. This enables more precise and accurate control of industrial processes. Handheld and portable PAT devices make it easier to monitor manufacturing processes in real-time and thus, have grown in popularity.

Also, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasis on real-time analytics and decision-making during that time has meant there is increasing use of AI and machine learning in PAT to provide remote monitoring and management of production processes.

Market opportunities

The research stated that as businesses continue to introduce cutting-edge analytical techniques to optimise production processes and raise product quality, the global PAT market is anticipated to expand.

Small and medium-sized businesses are rapidly implementing PAT technologies as their costs come down to enhance their production procedures and compete with larger businesses.

Cloud-based technologies are gaining popularity because they enable easy access to data and analytics, and are more affordable for small and medium-sized companies.

The pharmaceutical industry’s transition from batch processing to continuous manufacturing is also opening up new possibilities for these technologies to be used in monitoring and regulating production processes in real time.

Which areas of the pharmaceutical industry are generating the highest revenue or growth in the process analytical technology (PAT) market?

The report highlighted that new technologies including portable spectroscopy, multi-dimensional chromatography, and microfluidics are facilitating more applications.

Among technology types, spectroscopy was reported as the most lucrative in the global PAT market in 2022. The total revenue share of spectroscopy process analytical technology was 43.1 percent last year. Chromatography generated the next highest revenue, accounting for 10.3 percent CAGR in 2022.

Large molecules are estimated to be the most dominant application in the global process analytical technology market, the reported noted. For relevance to PAT, developing large-molecule drugs involves complex manufacturing processes. Analysis of these processes requires specialised analytical technologies that can monitor and control critical parameters. PAT tools allow optimisation of these manufacturing processes, reduce costs, and ensure consistent product quality.

The biotechnology manufacturers sector was identified as the fastest growing segment during the forecast period. As the biotechsector continues to expand and create new biologics-based treatments, the use of PAT is anticipated to rise.

Europe is the second largest market for PAT, due to the growth of the biotech and pharmaceutical sectors. Germany, France, and the United Kingdom were reported as the largest markets within Europe.

Additionally, growth of emerging markets in regions like Latin America and Asia-Pacific means that there is great potential for the market to expand, the authors wrote.

Key players in the global PAT market include:

• PerkinElmer Inc.
• Shimadzu Corporation
• Mettler-Toledo International Inc.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.
• Agilent Technologies Inc.
• Bruker Corporation
• Sartorius AG
• Repligen Corporation.