HERG Screening Market Report 2025

The HERG screening market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $1.62 billion in 2024 to $1.84 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.7%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to increasing drug development activities, regulatory requirements, increasing awareness of cardiac safety, rising incidence of cardiac disorders.

The HERG screening market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $2.88 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.9%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to expansion of personalized medicine, increasing outsourcing of drug development activities, emerging markets and research, focus on non-cardiac safety assessments. Major trends in the forecast period include advanced in vitro models, integration of genomic and proteomic data, advancements in computational approaches, focus on pediatric drug safety, collaborations for data sharing and standardization.

The forecast of 11.9% growth over the next five years reflects a slight reduction of 0.2% from the previous projection. This reduction is primarily due to the impact of tariffs between the US and other countries. Trade restrictions could hinder U.S. drug safety testing by inflating prices of human ether-à-go-go-related gene channel assays and automated patch clamp systems sourced from the UK and Japan, delaying cardiac toxicity assessments and raising preclinical development costs. The effect will also be felt more widely due to reciprocal tariffs and the negative effect on the global economy and trade due to increased trade tensions and restrictions.

The increasing number of patients with heart disorders is expected to drive the expansion of the HERG screening market in the coming years. Heart disorders, also referred to as cardiovascular diseases, encompass a range of conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels. These issues can impair the heart's functionality and may result in serious health complications. Factors contributing to these disorders include unhealthy lifestyles, aging populations, genetic predispositions, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. HERG screening plays a critical role in identifying potential drug candidates, reducing the risk of adverse cardiac events like life-threatening arrhythmias, particularly torsade de pointes (TdP), and enhancing patient outcomes. For example, a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in May 2023 revealed that 1 in 20 adults aged 20 and above in the United States have cardiovascular diseases, with 695,000 people affected and 375,476 deaths due to these conditions. Similarly, data from the Office for National Statistics in the UK, published in March 2022, indicated that 20,061 people died of heart attacks, an increase from the previous year. Thus, the growing prevalence of heart disorders is contributing to the expanding HERG screening market.

Key companies in the HERG screening market are actively focusing on innovative solutions, including GLP-certified HERG screening services, to enhance cardiac safety assessments during drug development processes. GLP-certified HERG screening involves screening the human ether-à-go-go related gene (hERG) using the conventional whole-cell patch-clamp technique, ensuring compliance with regulatory guidelines such as ICH S7A and ICH S7B. These guidelines are critical for safety pharmacology studies in drug development. For example, in August 2023, Metrion Biosciences Ltd., a UK-based pharmaceutical company, introduced the GLP-certified hERG screening service. This service is designed to support small-molecule therapeutic development, complement the existing cardiac safety service portfolio, and employ the conventional whole-cell patch-clamp technique to assess potential cardiac liabilities before entering Phase 1 clinical trials. It provides regulatory guidance for safety pharmacology studies and offers high-quality biology services for ion channel targets.

In January 2022, the Tox21 research program was established through a partnership among several US-based agencies, including the National Toxicology Program, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Center for Advancing Translational Science, and the Food and Drug Administration. This collaboration aims to enhance the methods used for chemical toxicity testing. The agencies work together to rapidly and efficiently assess the safety of various chemicals, including those found in everyday products. Specifically for HERG screening, their objective is to analyze the molecular mechanisms of these chemicals, prioritize those requiring further investigation, and develop predictive models to evaluate their effects on living organisms.

Major companies operating in the HERG screening market are Eurofins-Cerep SA., Aviva Biosciences Inc., AstraZeneca Public Limited Company, Merck KGaA, Charles River Laboratories Inc., Abcam Public Limited Company, Molecular Devices LLC, Caliper Life Sciences Inc., Crprotex Limited, ChanTest Corporation, Creative bioarray Inc., Cellular Dynamics International Inc., Nanion Technologies, Essen Bioscience, ABR-Affinity BioReagents Inc., ACEA Biosciences Inc., Metrion biosciences Inc., Aurora Biomed Inc., Aureus Sciences, RedShift BioAnalytics, B'SYS GmbH, Cambridge Bioscience Ltd., Sophion Bioscience Inc., Fluxion Biosciences Inc., ChemAxon Ltd.

North America was the largest region in the HERG screening market in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the herg screening market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the herg screening market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The HERG screening market includes revenues earned by entities by providing services such as in vitro HERG assays, patch clamp electrophysiology, data analysis and interpretation, consultation and regulatory support, and customized assay development. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report’s Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

The sudden escalation of U.S. tariffs and the resulting trade tensions in spring 2025 are having a significant impact on the pharmaceutical sector. Companies are grappling with higher costs on imported active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), glass vials, and laboratory equipment - many of which have limited alternative sources. Generic drug manufacturers, already operating with minimal profit margins, are particularly affected, with some scaling back production of low-margin medications. Biotech firms are also experiencing delays in clinical trials due to shortages of specialized reagents linked to tariffs. In response, the industry is shifting API production to regions like India and Europe, building up inventory reserves, and advocating for tariff exemptions on essential medicines.

The HERG screening market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides HERG screening market statistics, including HERG screening industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a HERG screening market share, detailed HERG screening market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the HERG screening industry. This HERG screening market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

Human Ether-à-go-go-related gene (HERG) screening is a crucial step in evaluating the potential cardiotoxic effects of a drug or compound. This screening process plays a vital role in preclinical safety assessment within the drug discovery and development phases, serving to guarantee the safety and effectiveness of newly developed therapeutic agents.

HERG screening encompasses two primary categories, gene KCNH2 and mutant KCNH2. The KCNH2 gene, also recognized as the human ether-à-go-go-related gene (hERG) or hERG gene, encodes the alpha subunit of a potassium ion channel pivotal in the regulation of the heart's electrical activity. This gene encompasses diverse ion channels, including both voltage-gated and ligand-gated variations. Its applications span across various therapeutic domains, including antiarrhythmics, antipsychotics, antibiotics, and others, underscoring its critical role in multiple medical contexts.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD, unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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