According to a new BCC Research report, the global market for DNA vaccines is expected to grow to $2.7 billion by 2019, with a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 54.8%. The clinical vaccines category, the largest and fastest-growing segment of this market, is surging at 81.2% CAGR.

Once a stable though unexciting sector of the pharmaceutical industry, vaccines are fast becoming an attractive growth opportunity. DNA vaccines, which target a wide range of traditional pharmaceutical markets such as cancers, allergies and infectious diseases, are an emerging vaccine platform within this changing paradigm.

The report, DNA Vaccines: Technologies and Global Markets, found with biotechnologies and nanotechnologies driving tremendous growth in DNA vaccine development, the clinical vaccines segment, valued at just $78 million in 2013, is expected to grow to $2.4 billion in 2019. Key to this growth is emerging delivery technologies that are demonstrating the higher efficacy in humans required for commercialization of DNA vaccines.

Consequently, research tools and animal health play a vital role in the development of the large, human vaccine applications. This segment is expected to reach $308 million by 2019, registering a significant CAGR of 11.1%.

"The diversity and number of clinical trials points toward initial introduction of products with significant market potential late in the forecast period," said Jon Evans, BCC Research biotechnology analyst. "These products, together with newly introduced therapeutic vaccines already on the market, will transform the future of the vaccine industry."

Human clinical DNA vaccines represent the primary future market opportunity for this industry. The momentum for commercialization of a human DNA vaccine is growing due to the inherent advantages of DNA vaccines over other vaccine formats and an emerging consensus within the vaccine industry that DNA vaccines are safe and efficacious in humans.