After two decades of development and despite increased competition from alternative technologies and from more companies developing lab-on-a-chip products, lab-on-a-chip technology finally appears to be making its mark within the MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) industry, according to In-Stat. Revenues of lab-on-a-chip devices are forecast to increase at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 31.2 percent through 2008, with unit shipments nearly quadrupling over the same period. “Key applications include life science research (most notably genomic, pharmacogenomics and proteomics) as well as point-of-care diagnostics,” said Marlene Bourne, In-Stat analyst. “The real application to keep an eye on, however, is the emerging field of clinical diagnostics. Here, lab-on-a-chip will allow physicians to diagnose infectious diseases, or even certain cancers, much more rapidly than they are able to now.” The high tech market research firm has also found that over the next five years, point-of-care applications will continue to dominate total unit shipments of lab-on-a-chip devices, although life science research applications will be the primary driver behind revenue growth. Lab-on-a-chip devices have leveraged the field of microfluidics and the cost advantages of micromachining, allowing for the creation of complex arrays of channels, pumps and valves that have been etched into plastic, glass and/or silicon chips. Less than a dozen companies shipped lab-on-a-chip product for revenue in 2003, with those companies evenly split between those who are focused on point-of-care diagnostics and those who are focused on life science research as end-use markets. The report, “Market Snapshot: Lab-on-a-Chip,” takes a look at the continually evolving lab-on-a-chip sector, including companies developing these devices and the markets they are pursuing. Forecasts of both unit shipments and revenues are provided through 2008. For more information, please visit: http://www.in-stat.com.