The field of gene editing is expanding rapidly. A team of scientists in China recently injected CRISPR-edited cells into a human patient for the first time — potentially setting off a biomedical race between China and the United States, as reported in the international scientific journal Nature.

More significant developments are expected in the years to come. The global CRISPR market is forecast to grow at an astonishing compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 35% from 2016 to 2022, according to Inkwood Research, a market intelligence firm. The number of scientific papers published on CRISPR continues to soar, from below 200 papers in 2012 to more than 1,200 papers in 2015.

Recently, there has been a lot of buzz around a “new” tool that scientists have found to perform genetic manipulation that is referred to as CRISPR/Cas. The ability to edit DNA has been available for quite some time, so what makes this method special? The answer lies in what it is and how well it works.

What Is CRISPR?

CRISPR is an acronym that stands for “clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats.” It is not actually a technology; it is a natural DNA sequence found in bacteria. So why do we care about bacterial DNA? What scientists have discovered is that there is a part of the bacterial DNA where DNA sequences would show up over and over and, in between those duplicate sequences, there were more unique sequences that matched the viruses that the bacteria had run into in the past. The bacteria use those unique sequences to identify the viruses that are a threat so they can defend themselves much like an immune system.

To compete in the global cord blood banking marketplace, you need to be informed about major market forces, including clinical trial data supporting applications for hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from cord blood and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from cord tissue. Within this rapidly evolving industry, those who choose to commit to understanding current conditions will be positioned for a substantial strategic advantage.

Because the global cord blood banking industry has matured substantially over the past few years, new market forces have created both serious threats and novel opportunities. Read on to learn more.

Market Variation within the Global Cord Blood Industry

Cord blood banks now exist within nearly every developed country, as well within most developing nations. However, there is still significant variation within the industry. First, there is the divide between private and public cord blood banking, in which private companies serve individual families, while public banks serve the broader population. Additionally, some cord blood banks receive only units from nearby hospitals and birthing centers, while others allow mail-in units from a diverse geographic region.

Because induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were discovered in 2006, the global market for iPSC products celebrated its 10^th year of existence this year in 2015. Therefore, it is valuable to consider market conditions that have emerged over the previous 10 years, as well as new trends and projections that will affect the industry over the coming five years.

Telemedicine is increasingly gaining popularity due to its high potential for cost savings and increased efficiency in healthcare. Expert medical care through telemedicine can significantly improve the healthcare facilities at rural and remote locations. Advanced wireless and networking technologies coupled with recent advances in biotechnology, biosensors and software engineering has enabled the promising growth in telemedicine healthcare systems.

The cord blood banking market has matured substantially over the past few years, creating new threats for market participants, as well as novel investment opportunities. Serious threats to the industry include new accreditation requirements that have increased the cost structure of cord blood banks, expensive cord blood transplantation procedures, difficulty with educating obstetricians about cellular therapies, and more.

Stem cells are primitive cells found in all multi-cellular organisms and are characterized by self-renewal and the capacity to differentiate into any mature cell type. However, it is this primitive nature that intrinsically makes commercializing stem cells a technical, legal and political minefield.

Healthcare market research publisher Kalorama Information has identified the top five trends in the healthcare field that made an impact in 2014 and will continue to be an influence throughout 2015. Kalorama compiled its list based on news events, growth rates of markets the firm studied in 2014, and information requests the firm receives from industry participants. 

Recently released, the “Complete 2015-16 Global Cord Blood Banking Industry Report” reveals key benchmarks to track and why you should care. Benchmarks are critical to assess, because the global cord blood market has matured substantially over the past few years, creating both serious threats and novel opportunities. 

Therefore, judging individual company performance relative to the broader cord blood marketplace has become substantially more complex.