Laura Dyrda -

Here are six things to know about nanotechnology in healthcare, based on a market report from Persistence Market Research.

1. Nanotechnology describes technological developments on the 0.1 to 100 nm scale, with nanomedicine as a branch of nanotechnology that involves developing medicine on a molecular scale. In healthcare, it can be used for diagnosis, prevention and treatment of disease in addition to tissue and organ regeneration.

2. Nanomedicine develops over several years and is based on dendrimers, micelles, nanocrystals, fullerenes, virosome nanoparticles, nanopores, liposomes, nanorods, naoemulsions, quantum dots and nanorobots.

3. North America dominated the nanotechnology market in 2013 and is expected to continue its position in the near future. The Asian Pacific market is expected to grow at the fastest rate due to its extensive geriatric population and growing awareness of healthcare.

4. Drivers of the nanomedicine market include:

• Improved regulatory framework

• Increased technological development and research funding

• Rising government support

• Increase in chronic disease

• High unmet medical needs

5. The risks associated with nanomedicine could include toxicity and high cost.

6. The key players in the nanomedicine market include Abbott Laboratories, CombiMatrix Corp., GE Healthcare, Sigma-Tau Pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson, Mallinckrodt, Merck & Company, Nanosphere, Phizer, Celegene, Teva Pharmaceuticals, UCB.

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