Singapore, Aug 12, 2010: Japan's Sysmex and US-based Beckman Coulter lead the hematology IVD market, according to healthcare market research publisher Kalorama Information, with aggressive marketing and loyal home-country customers giving the former company a tiny edge in 2009. The two companies made up more than half of the two plus billion dollar market for tests of peripheral blood and bone marrow cells, according to the seventh edition of "The Worldwide Market for In Vitro Diagnostic Tests," published by Kalorama and written by diagnostic industry analyst Ms Shara Rosen.

"They are neck and neck for leadership in the IVD hematology market," said Ms Shara Rosen. "Sysmex's position is reinforced by the company's market strength in Asia and primarily in Japan, while most Beckman sales are to North America. Both companies have innovated to stay competitive."

According to the report, the hematology revenues for Sysmex and Beckman come primarily from instrumentation sales and services. Reagent sales are less significant since the analyses performed -- complete blood count, hemoglobin, reticulocytes, platelets and blood cell differentials -- cost pennies to complete.

While, Beckman Coulter was the leader in 2008 and 2007, aggressive marketing by Sysmex for its XT-Series Automated Hematology Analyzers for low-to-mid volume laboratories has placed the two companies neck and neck for the top spot in hematology. Beckman added to its popular series of top shelf hematology analyzers with the AcT 5diff AL, which features an automated sample loader. The system offers five-part differential analysis and has been very successful in physician office labs and clinics. Beckman also launched the UniCel DxH 800 Coulter Cellular Analysis System, for mid-to-high volume laboratories. This new instrument features high-definition signal processing and multi-angle light scatter, which produce ten times more data than traditional hematology analyzers.

Abbott/Cell-Dyn, Siemens/Bayer Diagnostics and Horiba/ABX also compete in this marketalong with other small companies. The recent expansion of special tests run on hematology analyzers and body fluid applications has given this sector of the IVD market new life. Years of slow growth is one of the main reasons from a market perspective that the new cell-based tests' capabilities are important, according to Ms Rosen.