Pharmaceutical Gelatin Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (2023-2028)

The pharmaceutical gelatin market is expected to register a CAGR of 5.5% over the forecast period.

COVID-19 had a significant impact on gelatin production and the supply chain since the import and export of capsules and gelatin-based products were halted due to pandemic restrictions. Gelatin was found to be important in the COVID-19 treatment. For instance, according to the study published in May 2022 by PubMed, the addition of gelatin to the drug delivery significantly stabilizes the proteins and enhances the fractions of active proteins after nebulization, minimizing the medication dosage. In the post-pandemic scenarios, the market is anticipated to witness growth owing to the rise in product launches, the rise in demand for pharmaceutical-grade gelatin, and research and development in gelatin-based products.

The factors driving the growth of the pharmaceutical gelatin market include rising demand for pharmaceutical-grade gelatin, the increasing burden of chronic disease, the rise in the geriatric population, and the growing advancements of gelatin nanoparticles in drugs and vaccines, among others. The rising application of gelatin in cosmetic applications, intrinsic activities, and biomedical applications in wound dressing and wound healing, gene therapy, tissue engineering, implants, and bone substitutes is driving market growth. For instance, according to the study published in March 2021 in PubMed, pharmaceutical gelatin has wide applications in the manufacturing of capsules, coating of microparticles or oils, coating of tablets, stabilization of emulsions, and drug delivery (microspheres, nanospheres, scaffolds, microneedles, and hydrogels). Furthermore, according to the same source, gelatin obtained from fish is immunologically safe, protects against the possibility of transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy and foot-and-mouth diseases, and has economic and environmental benefits. Such added benefits of gelatin in the pharmaceutical industry are likely to drive market growth.

In addition, the rise in the advancement of gelatin in drug delivery is likely to drive the market growth of pharmaceutical gelatin over the forecast period. For instance, according to the study published in November 2021 in Springer Link, gelatin is a natural, biodegradable, and biocompatible material that can be used to deliver drugs for tumor therapy, including resveratrol, cycloheximide, and doxorubicin. Due to their low cost, biocompatibility, biodegradability, limited antigenicity, and use in a variety of formulations, gelatin nanoparticles have been proposed as a choice for parenteral formulations. This is anticipated to boost the adoption of gelatin in parenteral drug delivery systems, thereby driving market growth.

Therefore, due to the rise in the advancements offered by gelatin and the increase in demand for pharmaceutical-grade gelatin, the pharmaceutical gelatin market is anticipated to witness growth over the forecast period. However, the rising trend in veganism and cultural restrictions, as well as side effects associated with animal-derived gelatin in humans, among others, are expected to hinder market growth.

Pharmaceutical Gelatin Market Trends

Capsules Segment is Anticipated to Witness a Growth in the Market Over the Forecast Period

Hard and soft capsules' shells are commonly made of gelatin, which effectively shields the contents from airborne contaminants, microbial growth, light, oxygen, contamination, taste, and odor. The factors driving the growth of this capsule segment include the rise in consumption of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, the rise in chronic diseases, and the rise in initiatives from the key market players for the manufacture of innovative gelatin capsule shells, among others. For instance, in May 2021, etectRx, Inc., a digital health startup, launched a study to track antiretroviral therapy adherence among prescription opioid users living with HIV. The 'MyTPill' trial evaluates patient adherence using the ID-Cap System, which involves a hard gelatin capsule with an embedded ingestible wireless sensor and a wearable reader. Such initiatives are likely to increase the adoption of gelatin to produce hard gelatin capsules (ID-Cap), driving this segment's growth.

Furthermore, in August 2021, Advent International acquired a majority ownership interest in Shanxi Guangsheng Medicinal Capsule Co., Ltd., a domestic capsule provider in China. GS Capsule produces gelatin capsules for pharmaceutical and healthcare product companies across China and exports them to international markets in North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia. Such mergers and acquisitions will lead to the implementation of strategies by the key market players in capsule manufacturing, driving this segment’s growth.

The elderly population takes more prescription drugs and vitamin supplements, which typically come in the form of hard gelatin capsules, to enhance their health conditions. Thus, the rise in the geriatric population and chronic diseases is projected to boost market expansion. For instance, as per the WPP 2022 report, in 2022, there were 771 million people aged 65 or over globally. The older population is projected to reach 994 million by 2030 and 1.6 billion by 2050. Therefore, due to the rise in chronic disease, rising demand for pharmaceutical-grade gelatin, and increasing burden of chronic disease, along with the rising geriatric population, the studied segment is anticipated to witness growth over the forecast period.

North America is Anticipated to Witness a Growth in the Pharmaceutical Gelatin Market Over the Forecast Period

Among the factors responsible for North America's dominant position in the pharmaceutical gelatin market are the abundant availability of raw materials such as porcine and bovine, the strong foothold of key market players, and developed healthcare infrastructure.For instance, in February 2022, Canadian investment company CULT Food Science Corp. completed a strategic investment in Jellatech Inc., a cell-based collagen and gelatin ingredient company.

The advancements in technology and the rise in the incidence of chronic diseases are driving factors for pharmaceutical gelatin in North America. For instance, according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) updated in November 2021, the North America and Caribbean (NAC) region had the second highest diabetes prevalence among IDF regions at 14% of the total population. IDF projects that the number of people with diabetes in the NAC region is likely to increase by 24%, reaching 63 million by 2045. Such a high prevalence of chronic diseases is likely to lead to increased adoption of medication for diabetes, thereby leading to high adoption of pharmaceutical gelatin by capsule manufacturers and driving market growth in this region.

Furthermore, rising gelatin capsule manufacturing services in North America are also expected to drive market growth in this region. For instance, in March 2021, CapsCanada, a company in capsule technology, introduced a new service for the production of liquid-filled hard capsules. The goal of CapsCanada was to support the complete manufacturing process, from product discovery and formulation to full-scale production. Such initiatives are likely to lead to increased adoption of pharmaceutical gelatin for capsule filling in formulation development, driving market growth in this region.

Furthermore, the increased launch of new gelatin brands is expected to drive market growth in this region.For instance, in May 2021, GelDAT was launched by Darling Ingredients' Rousselot Brand. It launched X-Pure - GelDAT as an alternative for GelTYR - Gelatin Tyramine by considering the limitations, irreproducibility, and lack of a scalable production process of GelTYR. Such launches of innovative products will further drive market growth due to the rise in adoption of their improved properties.

Therefore, owing to factors such as the rise in chronic diseases and the rise in capsule manufacturing services, North America is expected to witness growth in the studied market over the forecast period.

Pharmaceutical Gelatin Market Competitor Analysis

The pharmaceutical gelatin market is moderately competitive, with several players across the world. In terms of market share, a few of the major players currently dominate the market. With the high prevalence of chronic diseases and gelatin being used as gelatin nanoparticles in drug delivery systems and vaccines, many global players are expected to be a part of the pharmaceutical gelatin market over the forecast period. Some of the major players in the market are Darling Ingredients Inc., NITTA GELATIN, INC., Gelita AG, Tessenderlo Group (PB Leiner), and Weishardt, among others.

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