Small-Scale Bioreactors Market Report 2025

The small-scale bioreactors market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $2.18 billion in 2024 to $2.49 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.9%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to research and development initiatives, rise in biopharmaceutical production, flexibility in process optimization, shift toward personalized medicine, increased focus on cell culture technologies.

The small-scale bioreactors market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $4.4 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.3%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to growing biopharmaceutical pipeline, rising adoption in regenerative medicine, expansion of contract development and manufacturing organizations (cdmos), advancements in microbial fermentation, increasing demand for flexible manufacturing solutions. Major trends in the forecast period include rising demand for personalized medicine, growing importance of cell and gene therapies, emphasis on flexibility and scalability, integration of advanced monitoring and control systems, rise in outsourcing of bioproduction.

The anticipated growth of the small-scale bioreactors market is expected to be driven by the rising prevalence of chronic diseases. Chronic diseases, characterized by enduring illnesses lasting three months or more, are on the rise, particularly among individuals aged 50 and older in the US. According to the National Library of Medicine's January 2023 report, it is projected that the number of people in this demographic with at least one chronic condition will reach 142.66 million by 2050. Small-scale bioreactors, integral for process development and optimization, play a pivotal role in pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical research, contributing to the treatment and management of various chronic diseases. This growing prevalence of chronic conditions is a key factor propelling the expansion of the small-scale bioreactors market.

The significant increase in investments in biopharmaceutical research and development (R&D) is a major contributor to the growth of the small-scale bioreactors market. These bioreactors serve as crucial tools in the early stages of process development in biopharmaceutical manufacturing, enabling researchers to study and optimize parameters related to cell culture, fermentation, and downstream processing. By doing so, they ensure that the manufacturing process is efficient, cost-effective, and meets stringent quality standards. Notably, governments and biopharmaceutical companies are increasingly allocating substantial budgets to R&D initiatives. For example, the UK government announced an expenditure of $18.9 billion (£15.3 billion) on pharmaceutical R&D in 2020, with a budget allocation of $49.2 billion (£39.8 billion) for the years 2022-2025. Additionally, leading biopharmaceutical companies such as Roche Holding AG and Merck reported significant increases in their R&D expenditures for the year 2022, indicating a broader trend of heightened investments in research and development. These increased investments are driving the growth of the small-scale bioreactors market.

Product innovation stands out as a prominent trend in the small-scale bioreactors market, with major companies focusing on the development of innovative solutions to maintain their market positions. In October 2022, Froilabo, a France-based laboratory equipment manufacturer, introduced a new line of fully automated lab-scale bioreactors. These cutting-edge products cater to various applications, including cell culture research and development, bioprocessing, fermentation, and wastewater treatment. Available in sizes ranging from 1 liter to 100 liters, the bioreactors offer enhanced efficiency, ease of use, and flexibility. The user-friendly bioprocess controller facilitates high process oversight and control, while the novel magnetically connected mixer minimizes the risk of contamination within the vessel.

Major companies in the small-scale bioreactor market are focusing on developing innovative products, such as fixed-bed bioreactors, to enhance bioprocessing efficiency and improve scalability for microbial and cell culture applications. A fixed-bed bioreactor is a type of bioreactor where microorganisms or enzymes are immobilized on a solid support within a stationary bed, facilitating continuous or batch processing of substrates as they flow through the reactor. For example, in October 2024, Univercells Technologies, a biotechnology company based in Belgium, launched the Scale-X™ Nexo bioreactor. This miniaturized system is designed to improve cell culture process development, streamlining and accelerating development timelines for researchers and ultimately reducing costs by up to 60% compared to traditional methods.

In December 2022, Merck KGaA, a Germany-based pharmaceutical company, acquired Erbi Biosystems Inc. for an undisclosed amount. This acquisition is aimed at expanding Merck KGaA's portfolio of small-scale bioreactors, reinforcing its presence in the cell culture research and development market, and meeting the growing demand for cell culture products and services. Erbi Biosystems Inc., based in the US, is recognized for developing and manufacturing innovative small-scale bioreactor systems tailored for cell culture applications.

Major companies operating in the small-scale bioreactors market include Sartorius AG, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Merck KGaA, Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & CO. KG, Solaris Biotechnology Srl, Infors AG, Getinge AB, 2mag AG, Adolf Kuhner AG, Biosan, Esco Micro Private Limited, Hanil Scientific Inc., HiTec Zang GmbH, H.E.L Group, Napro Scientific, Finesse Solutions Inc., Applikon Biotechnology BV, Stemcell Technologies, PBS Biotech Inc., Distek Inc., Bionet, Ori Biotech Limited, Danaher Corporation, Lonza Group, Eppendorf AG, General Electric Company, GEA Group, Labtech Instruments.

North America was the largest region in the small-scale bioreactors market in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the small-scale bioreactors market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the small-scale bioreactors market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

Small-scale bioreactors, also recognized as laboratory-scale or pilot-scale vessels, play a crucial role in the process development and optimization for conducting biological experiments. These specialized vessels are instrumental in cultivating microorganisms, cells, or tissues and studying biological processes under precisely controlled conditions. Engineered to replicate and simulate the requisite environment for the growth and metabolism of biological cultures, small-scale bioreactors are indispensable tools in the field of biotechnology.

The primary categorizations within the small-scale bioreactor product landscape encompass reusable bioreactors and single-use bioreactors. Reusable bioreactors are bioprocessing systems capable of sterilization and repeated utilization for multiple batches of cell culture or fermentation. These systems exhibit capacities ranging from 5 ML to 5 L, with incremental levels including 5 ML-100 ML, 100 ML-250 ML, 250 ML-500 ML, 500 ML-1 L, 1 L-3 L, and 3 L-5 L. Reusable bioreactors find application across diverse molecules such as monoclonal antibodies, stem cells, recombinant proteins, vaccines, and gene therapy. They are extensively utilized by key stakeholders, including pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations (CROs), contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs), as well as academic and research institutes.

The small-scale bioreactors market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides small-scale bioreactors market statistics, including small-scale bioreactors industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a small-scale bioreactors market share, detailed small-scale bioreactors market segments, market trends, and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the small-scale bioreactors industry. This small-scale bioreactors market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

The small-scale bioreactors market consists of the sales of shake flasks, microtiter plates, benchtop bioreactors, bioreactor vessels, gas supply systems, fixed bed bioreactors, fluidized bed bioreactors, photo-bioreactors, single-use bioreactors (SUBs), perfusion bioreactors, hollow fiber bioreactors, spinner flasks, rotary drum bioreactors, and plug-flow bioreactors. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is, the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD, unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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