Research and Markets: hERG Screening Has Taken Center Stage Given Its Increasing Significance in Screening Cardiac Side Effects of Drugs

DUBLIN, Ireland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c85069) has announced the addition of hERG Screening to their offering.

This market insight report presents an in depth analysis of hERG Screening. The study emphasizes on both the technology and product segments of hERG Screening in biotechnology and pharmaceutical application areas. The report provides essential information including market data, segmentation, market size, key trends, M&A, product developments, industry forecasts, corporate intelligence, and other relevant information. The report lists 128 companies that are engaged in hERG Screening services and/or production of hERG Screening tools/instruments. Projections and estimates are graphically represented by region. A global perspective is presented along with regional analysis covering the regions of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World. The market is analyzed in US Dollars and includes 32 exclusive exhibits.

Human Ether-a-go-go Related Gene (hERG gene) (KCNH2) is an encoder of the potassium ion channel that repolarizes IKr current in the heart. It consists of 6 transmembrane domains which are serially numbered from S1-S6. The abnormalities resulting in this channel can either lead to Long QT syndrome (LQT2) or Short QTsyndrome causing loss of function mutations and gain of function mutations respectively. Both of these are considered as potentially fatal cardiac arrhythmia caused due to repolarisation disturbances of the cardiac action potential.

Global hERG Screening market is projected to grow at 26.48%, compounded annually from 2005 through 2012. The growth is driven especially by screening of drugs for hERG in early stages of drug discovery and development. hERG which encodes the potassium ion channel is considered responsible for repolarizing IKr current in the cardiac action potential.

hERG screening has taken center stage given its increasing significance in screening cardiac side effects of drugs. Also added is the fact that blocking of hERG potassium channel is connected with LQTS prolongation and Torsades de Pointes. Many drug like molecules have an affinity for the hERG channel, and this is leading to a robust growth in pharmaceutical hERG screening of lead compounds. Pharma companies are rising to the challenge to develop leads and products useful for pharma and biotech applications. hERG screening is either developed inhouse or outsourced. Ionchannel protein complexes are promising therapeutic agents. Drugs modulation ion channel activity are in great demand for application in medication, CNS disorders, cardiovascular disorders, metabolic disorders, and now in oncology too.

Companies Mentioned:

Abcam PLC (UK)

Abnova Corp. (Taiwan)

ABR-Affinity BioReagents, Inc. (USA)

Astrazeneca PLC (UK)

Aureus Pharma (France)

Aurora Biomed, Inc. (Canada)

AutoMate Scientific, Inc. (USA)

AVIVA Biosciences Corporation (USA)

bSys GmbH (Switzerland)

Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. (USA)

Cambridge BioScience Ltd (UK)

Cellular Dynamics International (USA)

Cerep SA (France)

ChanTest Corporation (USA)

Charles River Laboratories, Inc. (USA)

ChemAxon Kft. (Hungary)

CorDynamics (USA)

Covance, Inc. (USA)

CreaCell (France)

Cyprotex plc (UK)

Cytocentrics AG (Germany)

Flyion GmbH (Germany)

Invitrogen, Inc. (USA)

Lifespan Biosciences, Inc. (USA)

MDS, Inc (Canada)

Millipore Corporation (USA)

Molecular Devices Corporation (USA)

Nanion Technologies GmbH (Germany)

Neurion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (USA)

Neurosolutions Ltd. (UK)

Novascreen Biosciences Corporation (USA)

Novus Biologicals, Inc. (USA)

RCC Ltd. (Switzerland)

RDDT (Australia)

Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc. (USA)

Schrodinger, LLC (USA)

Sigma-Aldrich Corporation (USA)

Sophion Bioscience A/S (Denmark)

Strand Life Sciences (India)

Synergia Life sciences (India)

Tetra Q (Australia)

Tocris Bioscience (USA)

Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) (USA)

WuXi PharmaTech Co. Ltd (China)

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c85069.