Chicago, Oct. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global preclinical imaging market was valued at US$ 2,040.6 million in 2024 and is expected to reach US$ 3,33.2 million by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 5.6% during the forecast period.
The bedrock of the current market expansion is the sheer volume of therapeutic candidates advancing through discovery and preclinical stages. In 2024, the antibacterial pipeline alone features 244 therapeutics in preclinical development, signaling a robust need for imaging to track efficacy and mechanism of action. A significant portion of this activity is concentrated in Europe, which is responsible for the development of 134 of these potential new drugs. Notably, small and medium-sized enterprises are a major innovation engine, accounting for 179 of the preclinical antibacterial agents currently under investigation.
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Furthermore, this trend extends across all major therapeutic areas, creating a broad and sustained need for advanced imaging solutions. The Americas contribute a substantial 85 preclinical antibacterial products to the global pipeline. Beyond infectious diseases, the global oncology pipeline includes over 2,000 assets currently in the preclinical stage, while more than 600 preclinical assets are in development for central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Even in rapidly evolving fields like vaccinology, at least 15 novel COVID-19 vaccine candidates are undergoing preclinical evaluation in 2024, each requiring detailed in-vivo characterization.
Key Findings in Preclinical Imaging Market
| Market Forecast (2033) | US$ 3,333.2 million |
| CAGR | 5.6% |
| Largest Region (2024) | North America (43.2%) |
| By Type | Products (67.8%) |
| By Product | Ultrasound Imaging (25%) |
| By Application | R&D (58.90%) |
| By End Users | Biotech Companies (45.30%) |
| By Distribution Channel | Offline (82.7%) |
| Top Drivers |
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| Top Trends |
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| Top Challenges |
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Strategic Corporate Acquisitions and Alliances Actively Reshape a Dynamic Competitive Landscape
The competitive landscape of the preclinical imaging market is being actively redefined by strategic corporate maneuvers. In a landmark 2024 move, Bruker Corporation completed its acquisition of Spectral Instruments Imaging, instantly expanding its market presence by integrating an installed base of more than 200 preclinical systems. This consolidation reflects a broader trend of market leaders strengthening their portfolios and customer networks. Similarly, strategic partnerships are becoming crucial for growth; Charles River Laboratories, a leading CRO, expanded its collaboration with German biotech firm Captain T Cell in 2024 to accelerate preclinical development.
Global expansion is another key strategic pillar for the preclinical imaging market, with Asia emerging as a critical hub for research and development. In 2024, 8 major international pharmaceutical corporations established new R&D facilities in Beijing, a clear indicator of the region's growing importance. Moreover, Shanghai is now home to the operational bases of 18 of the top 20 leading pharmaceutical companies worldwide. The market is also seeing new entrants, such as Verisix, a preclinical imaging CRO launched in Paris in 2024 with 2 initial research platforms. Overall, more than 12 significant partnerships between imaging technology providers and CROs were announced in 2024, fostering a more interconnected ecosystem.
Groundbreaking Product Launches Propel the Market with Unprecedented Automation and Throughput
Technological innovation remains a primary catalyst for growth, with 2024 marking a year of significant product introductions that enhance research efficiency and data quality. PerkinElmer, Inc. launched the Vega® system, an automated ultrasound platform that dramatically streamlines workflows by reducing hands-on time for whole-body mouse imaging to as few as 3 minutes. The company also introduced the Nexcelom® K2™ cell counter, supporting the upstream cell-based assays crucial for preclinical studies. Meanwhile, Bruker launched its NeuraLight 3D Ultra™ module, a revolutionary tool for advanced neuroscience that supports up to 4096 channels for large-scale brain imaging.
The pace of innovation is accelerating across all modalities in the preclinical imaging market. In 2024, MILabs introduced its new E-class systems, achieving a remarkable PET resolution of 0.3 mm. The industry also saw the release of at least 5 major new preclinical imaging software updates designed to incorporate powerful AI-driven analysis tools. In a move toward greater operational efficiency and accessibility, 3 new models of cryogen-free preclinical MRI systems entered the market in 2024, reducing the complexity and cost of ownership for research institutions.
Academic and Institutional Investment Surges for Next-Generation Preclinical Imaging Cores in the Preclinical Imaging Market
Leading academic and research institutions are making substantial investments to upgrade and expand their preclinical imaging capabilities. In a landmark development for 2025, Florida Atlantic University became the first institution globally to integrate advanced 7T MRI with high-frequency focused ultrasound for both preclinical and clinical research. Government funding bodies are also playing a crucial role; the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded the creation of the GE Spinlab Hyperpolarization Unit for Preclinical Imaging at a major US university in 2024.
These investments are equipping research centers with state-of-the-art technology. In 2024, the University of Arizona installed a new MILabs U-CTUHR microCT scanner capable of achieving resolutions down to 2.8 microns. The trend in the preclinical imaging market is widespread, with at least 10 top-tier universities announcing major upgrades to their preclinical imaging cores during the year. The acquisition of Spectral Instruments Imaging added over 200 system installations to Bruker's extensive academic and research network. A 2024 European initiative further bolstered regional capabilities with the placement of 5 new high-field MRI systems across key research consortia, while new players like Verisix started with 1 advanced MRI system and 1 optical imaging platform.
Oncology Research Dominates Study Volume with Increasingly Sophisticated Imaging Protocols
Oncology continues to be the largest application segment, driving a massive volume of studies within the preclinical imaging market. Researchers initiated over 3,500 preclinical studies utilizing in-vivo imaging for oncology in 2024 alone. These studies are also growing in scale; the average preclinical oncology study using optical imaging now involves between 20 to 30 animal models. Leading service providers are witnessing this surge firsthand, with Syngene International conducting over 400 in vivo cancer models studies in its 2024 fiscal year.
The sophistication of these studies is also increasing, demanding more advanced and multimodal imaging approaches. PET imaging was the modality of choice for more than 1,000 of the oncology-focused preclinical studies initiated in 2024 across the global preclinical imaging market. The use of bioluminescence imaging in preclinical oncology studies saw a notable increase of 150 study initiations from the previous year. Furthermore, researchers validated at least 25 new patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models for rare cancers using micro-CT imaging in 2024. Reflecting a push for more comprehensive data, longitudinal studies in preclinical oncology now average 6 imaging time points per study.
Neuroscience Imaging Advances with Deeper Functional Insight and Broader Capabilities
The field of neuroscience research represents a rapidly growing and technically demanding segment of the preclinical imaging market. Advanced tools are enabling deeper insights into complex neurological processes. Bruker's NeuraLight 3D Ultra™ module allows for comprehensive imaging across more than 100 square millimeters of brain tissue. Functional MRI (fMRI) proved indispensable in 2024, being used in over 600 preclinical studies focused on Alzheimer's disease. These complex investigations often require significant time, with the average duration of a preclinical neuro-imaging study now standing at 90 days.
The research landscape is marked by innovative applications and large-scale data initiatives. At least 50 preclinical studies in 2024 investigated the opening of the blood-brain barrier using focused ultrasound and microbubble contrast agents. In a move to foster collaborative research, the Allen Institute for Brain Science released a new dataset in 2024 containing imaging data from over 1,000 preclinical models. The synergy between imaging and other techniques is also evident, with over 300 peer-reviewed preclinical papers published in 2024 on the combination of optogenetics and in-vivo imaging. Meanwhile, studies on preclinical models of Parkinson's disease frequently require at least 4 PET imaging sessions per subject to track disease progression accurately.
CRO Study Volume Explodes as Service Providers Expand Capacity and Capabilities in Preclinical Imaging Market
The trend of outsourcing preclinical research to specialized CROs has accelerated dramatically, making them a pivotal part of the ecosystem. Leading CROs are managing a historic volume of work; Charles River Laboratories alone conducted over 3,000 GLP-compliant preclinical safety studies in 2024, many of which involved critical imaging endpoints. Collectively, the top 5 global preclinical CROs managed a combined portfolio of over 10,000 active preclinical studies during the year. This demand is met with increasing efficiency, as the average turnaround time for a standard preclinical imaging study at a major CRO was reduced to just 21 days in 2024.
In response to this demand, CROs across the preclinical imaging market are aggressively expanding their infrastructure and workforce. More than 500 biotechnology companies fully outsourced their entire preclinical imaging workflow to CROs in 2024. This fueled a 200-study increase in the demand for specialized radio-TNP (Therapeutic Nuclear Payload) imaging services. To manage the workload, preclinical CROs reported hiring more than 1,500 new technicians and scientists for their imaging departments in 2024. Consequently, at least 6 major CROs expanded their vivarium capacity in 2024 to handle the increased imaging study volume, while adopting technology like AI-powered software, which can reduce image-processing time by up to 180 minutes per study.
Emerging Therapeutic Applications Showcase the Versatility of Advanced Imaging Modalities
The utility of the preclinical imaging market is expanding into novel and complex therapeutic areas, particularly cell and gene therapies. The number of preclinical studies using imaging for these advanced therapies exceeded 800 in 2024. Within this area, there were 45 active preclinical programs using imaging to specifically track CAR-T cell trafficking in solid tumors. The application in metabolic diseases is also growing, with imaging used in over 500 studies for MASH (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis). This diversification highlights the adaptability of modern imaging platforms.
Modality performance is a key enabler of these new applications. New PET detectors introduced in 2024 offer a 2-fold increase in sensitivity over previous models, which is crucial for tracking molecular agents. High-frequency ultrasound systems launched in the same year can now resolve blood vessels as small as 30 micrometers in diameter. In musculoskeletal research, the use of SPECT imaging to assess bone remodeling increased by 150 studies in 2024. Additionally, at least 30 preclinical studies used advanced imaging to monitor the efficacy of mRNA-based therapies for rare genetic disorders, while cardiovascular research saw over 600 studies initiated. Development of new tools continues, with 2 new preclinical imaging agents for detecting bacterial biofilms under development as of late 2024.
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Supportive Regulations and Performance Leaps Drive Preclinical Imaging Market Innovation
A favorable regulatory environment and robust government funding are creating powerful incentives for innovation across the preclinical imaging market. In the U.S., the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) initiative provides grants of up to $1.8 million for imaging technology development. The NIH’s BRAIN Initiative funded over 20 new projects involving novel preclinical neuroimaging techniques in 2024. Regulatory bodies are also adapting, with the FDA issuing 3 new guidance documents in 2024 that reference the use of imaging biomarkers in preclinical safety assessments.
This supportive framework is complemented by international efforts and continuous performance improvements. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) updated its guidelines for nonclinical testing, impacting at least 15 protocols involving imaging. Over 40 grant applications successfully funded by the NIH in 2024 specifically mentioned the use of multimodal preclinical imaging. In the UK preclinical imaging market, the Medical Research Council (MRC) allocated funds for 8 new preclinical imaging facilities. A new U.S. federal mandate requires the reduction of 10 specific animal testing protocols by 2025, further boosting demand for non-invasive imaging. This is supported by technology where temporal resolution for some optical imaging systems reached 10 frames per second and the total scan time for a full-body mouse PET/CT was reduced to under 10 minutes.
Key Companies:
- Agilent Technologies
- Bruker Corporation
- Canon
- Fujifilm Corporation
- General Electric (GE)
- Hitachi
- Hologic
- Konica Minolta, Inc.
- Koninklijke Philips
- Mediso Limited
- MILabs B.V.
- Molecubes
- MR Solutions
- PerkinElmer, Incorporated
- Siemens Healthineers
- TriFoil Imaging
- Varex Imaging
- Other Prominent Players
Market Segmentation Overview:
By Type
- Products
- Instruments
- Reagents
- Software Tools
- Imaging Services
By Product
- CT Imaging
- Optical Imaging
- Ultrasound Imaging
- MRI Imaging
- PET/SPECT Imaging
- Others
By Application
- Research and Development
- Drug Discovery
By End User
- Biotech Companies
- Research Institutes
- Pharmaceutical Companies
By Distribution Channel
- Online
- Offline
By Region
- North America
- Europe
- Asia Pacific
- Middle East & Africa (MEA)
- South America
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