Pharmaceutical Polymers / Medical Polymers Market - Distribution by Type of Polymer (Thermoplastic Polymers, Elastomers, Thermoset Polymers and Others), Area of Application and Key Geographical Regions: Industry Trends and Global Forecasts, 2023-2035

Polymers represent a versatile class of materials, as they are composed of multiple simple chemical units, commonly known as monomers. It is worth highlighting that polymers possess various favorable characteristics, such as high durability, resistance to chemicals, considerable strength, low cost and light-weight nature. As a result, polymers are used in various industries, including automotive, agriculture, construction, electronics, medical and textile. Specifically, in the medical domain, polymers play a crucial role in the development and manufacturing of drug formulations (to enhance the solubilization of poorly soluble drugs, improve stability or drug encapsulation to mask their unpleasant taste), drug delivery systems (to control the release of drug over time or target specific tissues) and medical devices (such as artificial joints, biosensors, dental implants, microfluidic devices (e.g. organ on a chip), orthopedic implants and stents). Pharmaceutical polymers / medical polymers have also played a significant role in the domain of tissue engineering, as they are useful in the creation of scaffolds that can be employed to repair damaged tissues. Further, medical-grade polymers are used in 3D bioprinting to develop hydrogels / bioinks for soft tissue generation, fabrication of temporary structures that will support tissue growth and coat the bioprinted tissues to improve their biocompatibility. Driven by the significant advancements in this domain and rising demand for novel medical therapies and devices, we believe that the pharmaceutical polymers / medical polymers market is likely to witness a steady growth over the coming years.

Key Market Insights

The Pharmaceutical Polymers / Medical Polymers Market - Distribution by Type of Polymer (Thermoplastic Polymers, Elastomers, Thermoset Polymers and Others), Area of Application (Medical Devices, Excipients, Packaging and Others) and Key Geographical Regions (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and North Africa, and Rest of the World): Industry Trends and Global Forecasts, 2023-2035 report features an extensive study of the current market landscape and future opportunity for pharmaceutical polymer / medical polymer manufacturers. Key inclusions of the report are briefly discussed below.

Recent Trends Related to Pharmaceutical Polymers / Medical Polymers

Technological advancements in the pharmaceutical polymer / medical polymer domain have led to the development of novel, functional polymers that are biodegradable in nature. It is worth mentioning that, after fulfilling their function, polymers are resorbed in the body. For instance, fibers of biodegradable polylactic acid and polyglycolic acid are commonly used as sutures to stitch wounds and surgical incisions. Further, smart polymers, with stimuli-responsive (pH, temperature and pressure), self-healing and shape memory behaviors are being explored. In recent years, polymers have also been modified to exhibit antibacterial properties, thereby, promoting their use in catheters and wound dressings (to prevent infections). Another key trend observed in the pharmaceutical polymers / medical polymers industry is recycling of polymer-based products in order to lower the production costs, optimize the usage of resources, reduce the waste generated and create a sustainable environment.

Challenges Associated with the Manufacturing of Pharmaceutical Polymers / Medical Polymers

The primary challenge associated with the manufacturing of pharmaceutical polymers / medical polymers is related to the maintenance of a controlled manufacturing environment in order to prevent contamination. Stringent regulatory guidelines are another challenge faced by pharmaceutical manufacturers as non-compliance with these regulations can lead to legal and financial consequences. Further, batch-to-batch variations amongst the final products can affect the product quality and performance; as a result, manufacturers need to ensure that their processes are reproducible and capable of producing consistent results.

Current Market Landscape of Pharmaceutical Polymer / Medical Polymer Manufacturers

The current landscape of pharmaceutical polymer / medical polymer manufacturers features a mix of close to 150 large, mid-sized and small companies, which have the required expertise to produce polymers for the pharmaceutical / medical industry. Majority of the players are focused on the manufacturing of amino-based polymers, followed by those having the capabilities to produce polysaccharide-based polymers. Further, medical-grade polymers are poised to play a significant role in shaping up the future market landscape, by enabling the development of new therapeutic modalities that were previously considered unattainable. 

Market Size of Pharmaceutical Polymers / Medical Polymers Market

Driven by the indubitably rising need for economical, biodegradable and eco-friendly medical-grade polymers, the pharmaceutical polymers / medical polymers market is anticipated to witness steady growth in the foreseen future. Specifically, in terms of type of polymer, the market is anticipated to be primarily driven by thermoplastic polymers. Further, in the near future, close to 75% of the market is likely to be represented by players based in North America and Europe.

Key Players in the Pharmaceutical Polymers / Medical Polymers Market

Examples of key players (which have also been captured in this report) engaged in this domain include (arranged alphabetically) Americhem, Borealis, Celanese, Corel Pharma Chem, Eastman, Henkel, KRAIBURG TPE, Kuraray, Lubrizol Life Science, LyondellBasell, Phon Tech, SEQENS, Sumitomo Chemical, Solvay and Zylog ElastoComp.

Scope of the Report

The study presents an in-depth analysis of the various firms / organizations that are engaged in this domain, across different segments.

The study presents detailed information on current market landscape and future opportunity of various stakeholders engaged in this domain. Amongst other elements, the report includes:

• An executive summary of the insights captured during our research. It offers a high-level view on the current state of pharmaceutical polymers / medical polymers market and its likely evolution in the mid-long term.
• A general overview of polymers, their historical background and properties, such as physical, chemical and mechanical, along with information on different types of polymers (based on a variety of parameters) and their applications in the pharmaceutical / medical domain.
• A detailed assessment of the overall landscape of pharmaceutical polymer / medical manufacturers, based on several relevant parameters, such as year of establishment, company size (based on the number of employees), location of headquarters, source of polymer (natural, semi-synthetic and synthetic), composition of polymer (amino-based polymer, polysaccharide-based polymer, polyester, cellulose-based polymer, polyolefin, polyether, acrylic polymer, vinyl-based polymer, styrene-based polymer, plastic, siloxane-based polymer, sulphur-based polymer, rubber, amide-based polymer, imine-based polymer, fluorocarbon-based polymer, anhydride-based polymer, oxazoline-based polymer and other polymers), type of polymer (thermoplastic polymers, elastomers, thermoset polymers and fibers), and area of application (excipients, drug delivery devices / drug delivery device components, packaging, diagnostic devices / reagents / equipments, surgical instruments / solutions / equipments, connected devices, wound dressing, dental devices, implants, tissue regeneration, medical device coating, fluid handling system, purification and others). 
• A comprehensive competitiveness analysis of pharmaceutical polymer / medical polymer manufacturers based in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific and Rest of world, presenting a comparison based on supplier power (in terms of number of years of experience), service portfolio strength (in terms of source of polymer, number of types of polymers, number of application area and biodegradability of polymers) and number of unique compositions of polymer.
• Elaborate profiles of key players engaged in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical polymers / medical polymers (shortlisted based on proprietary criteria), across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific and rest of world, featuring a brief overview of the company, details related to its portfolio for pharmaceutical polymers / medical polymers, recent developments and an informed future outlook.
• An analysis of partnerships and collaborations, inked between pharmaceutical polymers / medical polymers manufacturers, since 2019, based on several relevant parameters, such as year of partnership, type of partnership, composition of polymer, type of polymer, area of application, type of partner, most active players (in terms of number of partnerships) and region. 
• An insightful analysis of leading pharmaceutical polymer / medical polymer manufacturers, by considering affiliated factors, key drivers and challenges under the DELT framework, thereby, highlighting the relative effect of each factor of DELT parameter on pharmaceutical polymer / medical polymer manufacturers market.
• A case study on recent and emerging trends related to pharmaceutical polymers / medical polymers, highlighting information on novel polymers (such as biodegradable polymers and smart polymers) and polymer recycling initiatives adopted by manufacturers for maintaining a sustainable environment.

One of the key objectives of the report was to understand the primary growth drivers and estimate the future opportunity within the market. We have provided informed estimates on the likely evolution of the market in the mid to long term, for the period 2023-2035. Our year-wise projections of the current and future opportunity have further been segmented based on relevant parameters, such as type of polymer (thermoplastic polymers, elastomers, thermoset polymers and others), area of application (medical devices, excipients, packaging and others) and key geographical regions (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and North Africa, and rest of the world). In order to account for future uncertainties associated with some of the key parameters and to add robustness to our model, we have provided three market forecast scenarios, namely conservative, base and optimistic scenarios, representing different tracks of the industry’s evolution.

The opinions and insights presented in the report were influenced by discussions held with senior stakeholders in the industry.

The report features detailed transcripts of interviews held with the following industry stakeholders:

• Thomas A. Harlan (Chief Executive Officer, Cassion Biotech and Paul L. Deangelis, Chief Scientist)
• Michael Joachim Sefkow (Business Development Officer, Celares)
• Risako Tanaka (Head of Marketing and Business Strategy, Daikyo Seiko)

All actual figures have been sourced and analyzed from publicly available information forums and primary research discussions. Financial figures mentioned in this report are in USD, unless otherwise specified.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: What are the uses of pharmaceutical polymers / medical polymers? 

Answer: Pharmaceutical polymers / medical polymers are commonly used as binders, disintegrants, coatings, drug carriers, stabilizers, taste masking agents and release controlling agents. 

Question 2: Which are most commonly used polymers in the pharmaceutical domain? 

Answer: Some commonly used polymers in the pharmaceutical / medical sector include polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, polyglycolic acid, dextran and gelatin.

Question 3: How many players are engaged in manufacturing pharmaceutical polymers / medical polymers?

Answer: At present, close to 150 companies claim to manufacture different compositions of polymers, for a wide range of pharmaceutical / medical applications.

Question 4: What is the likely CAGR of pharmaceutical polymers / medical polymers market?

Answer: The global pharmaceutical polymers / medical polymers market is expected to grow at a CAGR of ~9% from 2023 to 2035. Specifically, in terms of type of polymer, majority share of the market is likely to be captured by thermoplastic polymers.

Question 5: Which region captures the largest share of the pharmaceutical polymers / medical polymers market?

Answer: At present, North America captures around 50% of the global pharmaceutical polymers / medical polymers. However, the pharmaceutical polymers / medical polymers market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to grow at a relatively faster pace (~10%), in the long term. 

Question 6: Which segment is likely to have the largest share in the pharmaceutical polymers / medical polymers?

Answer: Currently, the medical devices segment dominates the pharmaceutical polymers / medical polymers market. However, the market is anticipated to be driven by polymers used as excipients in drug formulations, in the foreseen future. 

Question 7: What are the partnership trends observed related to pharmaceutical polymers / medical polymers?

Answer: Product development agreements, acquisitions and distribution agreements are the most common types of partnerships inked by stakeholders in the pharmaceutical polymer / medical polymer domain.