AST market to reach $6.01B by 2030 as rapid diagnostics gain ground

The antimicrobial susceptibility testing market is projected to grow from $4.65 billion in 2025 to $6.01 billion by 2030, driven by infectious disease prevalence, antimicrobial resistance surveillance and demand for faster diagnostics. North America led the market in 2025, while Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region.

Why it matters: - Antimicrobial susceptibility testing helps clinicians identify which antimicrobial drugs are likely to work for individual patients. - Faster and more precise AST can support treatment decisions as infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance continue to strain health systems. - The market’s growth points to rising demand for lab tools that improve diagnosis, surveillance and precision antimicrobial therapy.

What happened: - The antimicrobial susceptibility testing market is expected to rise from $4.65 billion in 2025 to $4.93 billion in 2026. - The market is forecast to reach $6.01 billion by 2030. - The report projects a 6.0% CAGR for 2025-2026 and a 5.1% CAGR through 2030. - North America held the largest share of the market in 2025. - Asia-Pacific is projected to be the fastest-growing region over the forecast period. - The report covers Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East and Africa.

The details: - Growth in 2025-2026 was driven by more infectious disease cases, greater awareness of antimicrobial resistance, more clinical microbiology labs, higher hospital testing volumes and the availability of standardized AST protocols. - Future growth is expected to be supported by investment in rapid diagnostic technologies, wider use of AI-assisted lab analysis, expanded antimicrobial resistance surveillance, stronger demand for point-of-care AST and a shift toward precision antimicrobial therapy. - The report highlights five major market trends: more automated AST systems, higher demand for rapid diagnostic testing, integration of molecular and phenotypic testing, broader laboratory automation and closer monitoring of antimicrobial resistance. - The market includes sales of laboratory-based AST services provided by organizations, sole proprietors and partnerships. - The report describes AST as a laboratory process used by clinical professionals to determine effective antimicrobial agents for individual patients. - The Business Research Company offers a free sample and the full report.

Between the lines: - The report suggests AST demand is increasingly tied to the shift from broad treatment toward more targeted therapy. - AI, automation and molecular testing are emerging as the main levers for faster and more scalable lab workflows. - The CDC reported in March 2024 that 7,259 of 9,573 tuberculosis cases with known birth origin in 2023 were among people born outside the U.S., up 18% from 6,177 cases in 2022. - That tuberculosis trend underscores how infectious disease burden can quickly translate into higher testing demand.

What's next: - The market is likely to keep expanding as hospitals, labs and surveillance programs look for faster ways to identify effective treatments and track resistance. - Regional growth in Asia-Pacific may intensify as healthcare systems invest more heavily in diagnostics and lab automation. - Further adoption of automated systems and combined molecular-phenotypic testing could shape the next phase of AST product development.

The bottom line: - AST is moving from a specialized lab service to a core part of infectious disease care, and the market outlook reflects that shift.