Biopharmaceutical Processing Equipment and Consumables Market Size, Share, Forecast, & Trends Analysis by Product Type (Filtration, Chromatography, Bioreactors, Cell Culture Media, Shakers, Services), Application (Vaccine, mAb, R&D) - Global Forecast to 2031

The growth of this market is driven by the growing biopharmaceuticals market, biopharmaceutical plant capacity expansions, and the rising adoption of single-use bioprocessing equipment. Furthermore, emerging economies, the shift toward bioprocessing 4.0, and the rising adoption of personalized medicines are expected to generate growth opportunities for the stakeholders in this market.

Growing Adoption of Single-use Bioprocessing Equipment for Commercial Production

For many years, the biopharmaceutical processing industry has been dominated by stainless-steel/reusable equipment. The majority of biopharmaceutical manufacturing facilities contain fixed mixers, bioprocessing vessels, and bioreactors made of stainless steel. However, in recent years, the tendency has shifted in favor of single-use/disposable equipment adoption. This is explained by the equipment's many benefits over traditional stainless-steel equipment, including lower manufacturing costs (due to the elimination of cleaning and validation stages).

Besides reducing the time and labor required, single-use technologies also help reduce capital costs and energy consumption, improving efficiency. Single-use systems have a lower carbon footprint than permanent steel systems, despite producing waste from the burning and disposal of plastic materials. There is significantly more carbon dioxide released during the steam-in-place sterilization of stainless-steel vessels, pipes, and other hardware, and during the steam-generation process for water for injection (WFI) cleaning than there is during the production and disposal of single-use plastic systems.

Thus, incorporating single-use platforms significantly reduces the usage of WFI, steam, and cleaning agents.

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Capacity Expansions of Biopharmaceutical Plants

Biosimilars and biologics are gaining significant importance in oncology, autoimmune diseases, and rare diseases. To meet the growing demand for biopharmaceuticals, several manufacturers are expanding their manufacturing facilities. These capacity expansions from biopharmaceutical manufacturers and CDMOs will generate additional demand for biopharmaceutical manufacturing equipment and consumables and thereby propel market growth. Some of the instances for biopharmaceutical plants capacity include:

• In January 2024, AbbVie Inc. (U.S.)  expanded its biologics manufacturing facility in Singapore with an investment of USD 223 million.
• In November 2023, Eli Lilly and Company (U.S.) opened a new facility, with an investment of USD 2.5 billion for the capacity of the company’s parenteral (injectable) product.

Growing Focus on Continuous Bioprocessing

 The batch/fed-batch method has long dominated the production of biopharmaceuticals. It is not without limits, but as compared to continuous bioprocessing, it has higher operating costs and necessitates additional instruments for feedback control. Unlike batch culture, which produces a specific quantity of product in a discrete volume during the same cycle of manufacture, continuous bioprocessing involves processing the intermediate or final product at a specific location without interruption due to a continuous flow of raw materials into and out of the bioreactor. The procedure is usually broken down into numerous discrete parts, many of which are carried out at various locations. Additionally, continuous processing produces a high-quality final product that is uniform in providing lower capital costs, improving process flow, smaller equipment size, and steady-state operation.

Due to the growing demand for innovative and complex therapies and the increasing competition in the biopharmaceuticals market, biopharmaceutical manufacturers are reconsidering manufacturing methods (shifting from batch to continuous manufacturing). Although batch manufacturing is the most preferred method, continuous manufacturing is increasingly accepted in the pharmaceutical industry due to its commercial advantages.

Strong R&D Pipeline of Biopharmaceuticals

At present, antibody-based biopharmaceuticals are dominating the market. There is a large number of antibody-based biopharmaceuticals present in the clinical pipeline of various biopharmaceutical companies. Twenty-one experimental antibody treatments are undergoing regulatory review in the United States and the European Union as of January 10, 2021, according to statistics given by The Antibody Society, an international non-profit research and development organization focused on antibodies. In the United States or the European Union, thirteen antibody medicines received initial approvals between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021. Moreover, fifty-five innovative medications and biological products were approved by the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) in 2023.

Thus, with more biopharmaceuticals entering a commercial stage, the demand for bioprocessing equipment and consumables used in their production is expected to grow.

Shift Towards Bioprocessing 4.0

The rapid development in emerging economies, progressing research in biologics, and the growing penetration of biopharmaceuticals have created tremendous opportunities for biopharmaceutical manufacturers, boosting the demand for biopharmaceutical processing equipment and consumables. The manufacturing of biologics has grown over the last few years. The industry is shifting towards Bioprocessing 4.0, a term derived from Industry 4.0, which is a national strategic initiative launched by the German government in 2010. The era of biomanufacturing 4.0 is still young. An end-to-end connected bioprocess, or bioprocessing 4.0, is characterized by all systems and equipment being digitally connected to form the Industrial Internet of Things (IoT), which allows the process to be run, controlled, and improved through artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

By Product Type: In 2024, the Filtration Segment is Expected to Dominate the Biopharmaceutical Processing Equipment and Consumables Market

Based on product type, the global biopharmaceutical processing equipment and consumables market is segmented into filtration systems, chromatography equipment and consumables, bioreactors, cell culture products, mixers/mixing systems, bioprocessing containers, sterilizers, centrifuges, incubators, shakers, biosafety cabinets, and other consumables and accessories. In 2024, the filtration systems segment is estimated to account for the largest share of 22.3% of the global biopharmaceutical processing equipment and consumables market. The large share of this segment is attributed to the recurring use of filtration at every step in bioprocessing and technological advancements in filtration technologies.

Filtration is a basic requisite across all stages of bioproduction. It is commonly used in biopharmaceutical processing to separate components. It is also used in various downstream operations, such as clarification, filtration of intermediates, critical final filling applications, or upstream processing for sterilizing-grade filtration of cell culture media.

However, the bioreactors segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR of 17.1% during the forecast period of 2024 to 2031. The accelerated development of biopharmaceuticals for therapeutic indications like cancer, rare diseases, and infectious diseases; new product developments; and the growing deployment of single-use bioprocessing technologies are the factors driving the growth of the bioreactors segment.

Bioreactors, also called fermenters, are containers that provide an ideal environment for enzymes or whole cells to transform biochemicals into products. Bioreactors are used for many applications, including cell growth, enzyme production, biocatalysis, tissue engineering, algae production, protein synthesis, and anaerobic digestion. According to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) (U.S.), currently, there are over 8,000 medicines in development, out of which 74% are potential first-in-class indicators for cancer, cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and rare diseases. As bioreactors are essential for the manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals, the growing development of biologics and biosimilars drives the segment growth during the forecast period.

By Application: In 2024, the Commercial Bioproduction Segment is Expected to Dominate the Biopharmaceutical Processing Equipment and Consumables Market

Based on application, the global biopharmaceutical processing equipment and consumables market is segmented into commercial bioproduction and research bioproduction. In 2024, The commercial bioproduction segment is estimated to account for the larger share of 77.5% of the global biopharmaceutical processing equipment and consumables market.

Growing initiatives supporting the adoption of biopharmaceuticals, rising biopharmaceutical manufacturing outsourcing, and accelerated developments in personalized therapies are likely to enhance the demand for bioprocessing equipment and consumables for the commercial bioproduction of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), vaccines, gene therapies, and recombinant protein-based therapies.

A large number of pharmaceutical companies and contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs) involved in the manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals are witnessing high demand to produce biopharmaceuticals. In order to cater to the increasing demand, they are expanding their present manufacturing capacities, which would further increase the demand for biopharmaceutical equipment and consumables for commercial bioproduction during the forecast period. Besides this, the growing prevalence of various chronic & infectious diseases and regulatory reforms favoring the adoption of biosimilars are expected to drive the growth of the commercial bioproduction segment at the highest CAGR of 10.1% during the forecast period of 2024 to 2031.

By End User: In 2024, the Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Companies Segment is Expected to Account for the Largest Share of the Biopharmaceutical Processing Equipment and Consumables Market

Based on end-user, the global biopharmaceutical processing equipment and consumables market is categorized into pharmaceutical & biopharmaceutical companies, contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs), and academic & research institutes. In 2024, the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies segment is estimated to account for the largest share of the market.

The largest market share is attributable to the capacity expansion of biopharmaceutical manufacturers and the growing adoption of biopharmaceutical processing equipment for bioproduction. Biopharmaceuticals account for nearly 25% of the pharmaceutical market, and the development and manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals are gaining pace. Thus, the growing manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals by biopharmaceutical companies contributes to the large segment share.

However, the contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMO) segment is expected to grow with the highest CAGR during the forecast period of 2024 to 2031. The growth of the segment is attributed to the growing preference of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies to outsource development and manufacturing to CDMOs due to the cost, operational, and regulatory advantages offered by CDMOs.

Biopharmaceutical Processing Equipment and Consumables Market Geographical Analysis

In 2024, Europe is estimated to account for the largest share of 33.5% of the global biopharmaceutical processing equipment and consumables market. The large share of Europe in the biopharmaceutical processing equipment and consumables market is primarily attributed to the presence of leading biopharmaceutical manufacturers in the region, growing exports from Switzerland and Denmark, and the expansion of biopharmaceutical companies. Additionally, rising production capacities of the vaccine manufacturing plants, to meet the growing demand for COVID-19 vaccines has also contributed to the largest market.

However, Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at the highest CAGR of 12.6% during the forecast period. This market's growth is attributed to factors like the increasing outsourcing of biopharmaceutical manufacturing in countries like China, India, Singapore, and South Korea; rising public & private initiatives to boost biotechnology research for the development of novel treatments for chronic diseases; and growing initiatives supporting the adoption of biopharmaceuticals. Furthermore, growing awareness of personalized medicines and the development of biotechnology incubators are also accelerating the market growth.

The report includes a competitive landscape based on an extensive assessment of the key strategic developments that led market participants to adopt over the past three years. The key players profiled in the global biopharmaceutical processing equipment and consumables market report are 3M Company (U.S.), Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (U.S.), Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (U.S.), Danaher Corporation (U.S.), Agilent Technologies, Inc (U.S.), Repligen Corporation (U.S.), Sartorius AG (Germany), Merck KGaA (Germany), Eppendorf AG (Germany), and Solaris Biotechnology Srl (Italy).

Biopharmaceutical Processing Equipment and Consumables Industry Overview: Latest Developments from Key Industry Players

• In April 2023, Cytiva (U.S.) launched X-platform bioreactors to streamline the single-use upstream bioprocessing operations.
• In May 2024, Waters Corporation (U.S.) introduced the next-generation Alliance iS Bio HPLC System to increase the efficiency of quality control biopharmaceutical labs and reduce errors.
• In September 2023, Getinge AB (Sweden) launched AppliFlex ST GMP, a single-use bioreactor, to increase the efficiency of research and clinical production in cell and gene therapy and mRNA production.