As spring hits many countries this month, it ushers in warmer weather and seasonal allergies for millions around the world. Pollen levels have been shown to have increased across regions due to climate, vegetation, and urbanization. As precision medicine and personalized medical approaches progress, so does understanding what exactly is causing an allergic reaction and what treatment will work best for patients. With 20 in vitro diagnostic (IVD) devices in the pipeline, and two undergoing clinical trials, the future for the allergy testing market looks bright, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
According to GlobalData’s Product Databases, there are currently 58 Immunoglobulin E (IgE) allergy blood in vitro diagnostic (IVD) devices on the market. Some of the products on the market are large multi-parameter tests that can cover over 200 different allergens. These types of tests are incredibly efficient, minimally invasive, and most importantly give patients information on what is causing their allergies.
Selena Yu, Senior Medical Analyst, at GlobalData, comments: “Seasonal allergies are one group of allergies that we commonly see. The others are food and environmental. Since COVID-19, people are more interested and proactive in their healthcare plans, so providing an extra tool like allergy tests can provide additional understanding to patients. Scientists speculate that the incidence of allergies has increased over the past 200 years and will continue to increase as changes are made to our diets and environment.”
For example, Thermo Fisher Scientific’s ImmunoCAP IgE allergy test offers more than 500 allergens and allergen mixes for healthcare professionals to test from. These large tests, which track hundreds of allergens, save the patient and health care system time and money, as additional testing might not be needed, and specific treatment can be employed faster. Additionally, since these tests require a blood sample, they are minimally invasive and do not cause a reaction in the patient, unlike the traditional prick test, which exposes the patient’s skin to the allergen.
Yu concludes: “These minimally invasive, blood-based tests are becoming more popular not just in allergy testing but also in other diseases like cancer. When testing becomes more accessible and easier for patients, they are more likely to follow through with testing. Traditionally, allergy tests were done with a prick test, which can be very uncomfortable for patients with severe allergy reactions. Children are more likely to have allergies compared to adults due to their immature immune systems. Thus, IgE allergy blood tests can be implemented in these populations to limit patient discomfort and encourage testing.”
