Rat Model Market - By Rat Type (Inbred, Outbred, Knockout, Hybrid), By Technology (CRISPR, Microinjection, Embryonic Stem Cell Injection, Nuclear Transfer), By Application, By Use, By End-use & Forecast, 2022-2028

Rat Model Market Size

Rat Model Market was valued at over USD 1.4 billion in 2021 and is estimated to witness 7.6% CAGR by the end of 2028. Growing consumption of personalized medicine and increasing number of clinical trials is expected to augment the market growth during the estimated timeframe.
 

Rat models mimic human disease owing to certain similarities in their pathology to disease conditions that are similar in humans. Under specific conditions, the recurrence and progression of rat diseases are identical to that of humans. The notable anatomical and physiological similarities between rats and humans have encouraged researchers to investigate a broad spectrum of mechanisms and evaluate novel therapies in these research models.
 

For instance, in oncology research, the rat model-based research assists in understanding the genetic basis of cancer and the role of different genes & gene mutations in the development and progression of cancer that further facilitates the development of antineoplastic medications. These models are employed to study diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and muscular dystrophy among other diseases. Thus, the similarities between rats and humans increase their acceptance in disease studies, further fuelling the rat model market growth.
 

Rat model can be defined as a non-human and living, a genetic-engineered animal that is used for the scientific research purpose and investigation of human diseases. Also, these rat models are used for the purpose of better understanding of the human disease process without harming an actual human.
 

However, several regulatory bodies are highlighting concerns regarding rat testing that in turn has led to the development of guidelines for optimal rat welfare and usage during biomedical research. The regulatory bodies were established after the pressure from several animal protection organizations and enacted several laws to facilitate the care and usage of laboratory rat testing.
 

Furthermore, animal organizations such as People for The Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Cruelty Free International, and others are opposing the use of rat models in research. Also, this opposition has led to the establishment of animal welfare acts including the Cruelty to Animals Act that aids in the prevention of unnecessary animal pain and suffering. Thus, the growing opposition to the use of rat testing in biomedical research may reduce the usage of rats.
 

The emergence of COVID-19 is an unprecedented public health concern that has positively impacted the rat model market share. The coronavirus outbreak has affected the healthcare industry through financial adversities on the health facilities as well. The healthcare sector was also largely affected by the increasing prevalence of COVID-19 cases. Although, heavy investments in research activities related to COVID-19 and the increased funding towards R&D activities to innovate novel therapeutics have promoted the use of rat testing despite the pandemic.
 

Several pharmaceuticals, biotechnology companies and clinical research organizations revised their R&D spending for clinical trials in comparison to earlier spending, demonstrating the magnitude of disruption caused by the pandemic. While the clinical trials concerning COVID-19 were booming, rapid recovery was observed due to the proliferation of new clinical trial approaches to promote antiviral drug and vaccine development.
 

Furthermore, to minimize the adverse effect of the pandemic, the organizations that operate traditionally have enabled themselves for collaboration opportunities to expand the capability to support hybrid models. These developments helped to continue clinical research & development activities, ensuring the inflow and the use of rat models, further facilitating the rat model market growth.
 

Rat Model Market Analysis

The increasing number of pharmaceutical research and development activities is anticipated to drive the rat model market in the coming years. Innovative medications serving to meet the unmet therapeutic requirements are amongst the significant value drivers of research-based pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies.
 

The pharmaceutical sector develops several innovative medicines that deliver valuable clinical advantages. The growing number of investments by government as well as private players are amongst the key factors boosting the number of pharmaceutical R&D activities. For instance, the Congressional Budget Office evaluates trends in expenditure for drug research and development (R&D) and the commercialization of novel molecules.
 

According to the Congressional Budget Office, in 2019, the pharmaceutical sector spent USD 83 billion on R&D activities. Those expenditures encompass a comprehensive spectrum of activities, such as discovering & testing novel medications, developing incremental improvements including product extensions, and testing for safety-parameters or regulatory purposes. This amount associated with pharmaceutical R&D activities is approximately 10-fold times higher as compared to the industry spending in the 1980s, further highlighting the increased R&D volume and investments. As a result, the rising research volume and investments in pharmaceutical R&D are set to drive the adoption of rat models in these activities.
 

Based on rat type, the market is segmented into inbred, outbred, knockout, hybrid, and others. The inbred segment held a dominant market share in 2021 and was valued at USD 368 million due to their surging application in the study of a broad variety of human diseases comprising neurodegenerative disorders, cancer research, etc. The use of inbred rat testing is significantly surging as these models are observed to be more progressive in terms of cognition and memory. This is further driving the use of the inbred model in a wide variety of applications.
 

The use of these inbred models in pharmaceutical sectors is rising to enhance drug discovery processes. Several academic and research Institutes are significantly employing inbred models in genetic mapping, transplantation research, aging research, etc. Moreover, leading market players comprising Charles River is focusing to manage the health & genetics of inbred rat strains under the International Genetic Standardization (IGS) program. This is ensuring the easy worldwide availability of standardized inbred rat strains, thereby propelling the demand for unique inbred and mutant models.
 

Based on technology, the market is segmented into CRISPR, microinjection, embryonic stem cell injection, nuclear transfer, and others.  The CRISPR segment held a majority market share in 2021 and was valued at more than USD 447 million. The CRISPR-Cas9 technology has accelerated the development of transgenic rats, demonstrating unprecedented safety, efficiency, and easy applicability, thereby limiting the time and expenses for genome editing.
 

This technology has further enabled the production of rat models with more comprehensive genetic modifications as compared to conventional gene-targeting methods. The genome editing approach based on the CRISPR-Cas9 system enables the accurate introduction of mutations at target DNA sequences. This technology has fuelled the generation of rat models and significantly contributed to their increased adoption for research purposes. Thus, the accelerated development of research models using CRISPR is anticipated to drive the rat model market share.
 

Based on application, the market is segmented into research & development, production and quality control, academics, and others. The research & development segment held the largest market share in 2021 and is expected to grow at a notable pace to reach over USD 1,648 million by 2028 owing to the increasing number of research & development projects, rise in the investment to innovate novel therapeutics, etc. Rat models are developed to feature some of the earliest developments related to the disease and to detect potential drug targets.
 

Furthermore, the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic experiments are conducted for evaluating gastrointestinal absorption, distribution, metabolism, and drug excretion (ADME) parameters for every candidate drug. Rat model-based research is extensively employed in these ADME studies that aid in screening these lead candidates to move forward to the next step in safety and efficacy studies. This assists to eliminate some candidate drugs, further helping in substantial costs savings. Thus, the increased use of rat models in R&D is expected to drive the rat model market growth.
 

Based on use, the market is segmented into human and veterinary. The human segment held a dominant revenue share in 2021 and was valued at more than USD 1,127 million due to the increasing prevalence of chronic disorders, rise in the demand for personalized medicine, etc. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2020, cancer is among the critical conditions inflicting a substantial disease burden, accounting for approximately 10 million deaths.
 

Furthermore, as per the Cancer Statistics, in 2020, around 1,806,590 new cancer cases were diagnosed in the U.S. and around 606,520 individuals were estimated to die from the disease. The rise in the prevalence of such chronic human ailments is set to drive the demand for novel therapeutics and effective drugs. This surged demand is expected to push the use of rat model-based research in drug research & development.
 

Based on end-use, the market is segmented into companies, organizations, academic and research institutes, and contract research organizations (CRO). The companies segment held a dominant market share in 2021 and was valued at over USD 862 million. This majority revenue share of the segment is attributed to heavy investment in research and development by pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies and the surged usage of rat models in these activities.
 

According to a recently published report, in 2019, the R&D spending surged by 5% and the major 11 pharma companies accounted for a total of USD 77.6 billion. These R&D investments in new drug therapeutics are also increasing. Rat testing is considered as an essential tool to aid in making the decision to develop potential therapies from preclinical studies to human trials. The rise in investment and increased demand for effective therapeutics is set to drive the acceptance of rat models.
 

U.S. dominated the North American market in 2021 and is anticipated to expand at a significant pace to reach over USD 1,589 million by 2028 owing to the growing demand for personalized medication, the increasing research activities concerning drug development, and rising healthcare expenditure in the region. According to the latest research study, the U.S. accounts for the use of more than 100 million rat & mice models for research every year.
 

The increased use of rat testing is set to positively influence market growth. Further, the constantly rising number of registered clinical trials is anticipated to drive regional growth. For instance, as per the Clinical Trials.gov, the number of registered clinical trials in the U.S. surged from 29,188 in 2017 to 32,253 in 2019. Thus, the rising number of clinical trials and significant investments into these studies are expected to boost the regional rat model industry growth.
 

Rat Model Market Share

Some of the major market players operating in the rat model industry are:

• Charles River
• Envigo
• genOway
• Biomere
• Janvier Labs
• Taconic Biosciences, Inc

Major players are adopting strategic formulations such as forward integration, new product development, geographical expansion, and research collaborations in order to garner maximum revenue share and promote company growth.
 

Recent industry developments:

• In March 2022, Charles River signed an agreement with Hera Biolabs to breed, distribute, market, and sell Hera BioLabs' SRG rat to the global preclinical research community. This strategic move helped the company to diversify their product portfolio thereby increasing their geographical presence.
   
• In November 2019, Envigo announced to acquire the assets of the research model business unit of Horizon Discovery Group plc to enable access to CRISPR-edited research models for screening and other applications to all its customers. This strategic acquisition assisted the company in enhancing their customer base and strengthening their industrial position.
   

Rat model market research report includes an in-depth coverage of the industry with estimates & forecast in terms of revenue in USD from 2017 to 2028, for the following segments:

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By Rat Type

• Inbred
• Outbred
• Knockout
• Hybrid
• Others

By Technology

• CRISPR
• Microinjection
• Embryonic Stem Cell Injection
• Nuclear Transfer
• Others

By Application

• Research & Development 
  • Infectious Disease
  • Immunological Diseases
  • Cancer
  • Cardiovascular Diseases
  • Diabetes
  • Genetic Diseases
  • Neurological Diseases
  • Others 
• Production and Quality Control
• Academics
• Others

By Use

• Human
• Veterinary

By End-use

• Companies 
  • Pharmaceutical
  • Biotechnology
  • Cosmetics
  • Others 
• Organizations
  • Government
  • Non-government 
• Academic and Research Institutes
• Contract Research Organizations (CRO)

The above information is provided for the following regions and countries:

By Region

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • Germany
  • UK
  • France
  • Spain
  • Italy
  • Switzerland
  • Netherlands
  • Czech Republic
  • Poland
  • Belgium
  • Finland
  • Hungary
  • Denmark
  • Ireland
  • Sweden
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • Japan
  • Australia
  • South Korea
  • New Zealand
  • Taiwan
• Latin America
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
  • Argentina
• Middle East & Africa
  • South Africa
  • Saudi Arabia
  • UAE
  • Israel