Oral Expectorant Global Market Report 2024

An oral expectorant is a type of medication designed to be taken by mouth to aid in clearing mucus and phlegm from the airways, lungs, bronchi, and trachea. These medications function by thinning and loosening the mucus, facilitating its easier expulsion through coughing from the respiratory tract.

The primary categories of oral expectorants include secretion enhancers and mucolytics. Secretion enhancers are medications that boost the production and release of mucus from the respiratory system, assisting in the clearance of respiratory secretions. These medications are available in various dosage forms such as oral solids, oral liquids, and inhalants. They encompass both prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs and are distributed through channels including hospital pharmacies, retail stores, drug stores, and online pharmacies.

The oral expectorant market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides oral expectorant market statistics, including oral expectorant industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with an oral expectorant market share, detailed oral expectorant market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the oral expectorant industry. This oral expectorant 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 oral expectorant market size has grown steadily in recent years. It will grow from $3.99 billion in 2023 to $4.18 billion in 2024 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.6%. The growth observed in the historic period can be attributed to several factors. These include the increasing prevalence of respiratory illnesses, a rising demand for over-the-counter medications, a growing geriatric population, escalating pollution levels, increasing awareness about respiratory health, and the expansion of pharmaceutical distribution channels.

The oral expectorant market size is expected to see steady growth in the next few years. It will grow to $5.03 billion in 2028 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.8%. In the forecast period, growth can be attributed to several key factors. These include increasing investments in research and development, a growing demand for natural and herbal expectorants, regulatory approvals for new products, rising healthcare expenditure, and the adoption of innovative marketing strategies. Major trends anticipated in this period include the integration of digital health platforms for medication management, a shift towards sustainable packaging and manufacturing practices, the development of combination therapies targeting multiple respiratory symptoms, personalized medicine approaches based on genetic profiling, an emphasis on patient-centric care and telemedicine services, and the utilization of artificial intelligence and big data analytics for drug discovery and development.

The oral expectorant market is poised for growth due to the increasing prevalence of respiratory illnesses. These illnesses affect the respiratory system, including the lungs and airways, and are caused by factors such as air pollution, smoking, respiratory infections, and chronic conditions such as asthma and COPD. Oral expectorants play a vital role in alleviating symptoms and improving respiratory health by clearing mucus, easing breathing, and supporting overall recovery. For example, data from the National Center for Health Statistics shows a rise in asthma prevalence among adults in the United States from 8.4% in 2021 to 8.7% in 2022, along with an increase in asthma episodes from 3.3% to 3.7% during the same period. Additionally, The Lancet reported a 9.50% increase in new cases of RSV, a respiratory illness-causing virus, in summer 2021 compared to winter 2020-21, further highlighting the growing demand for oral expectorants.

Key players in the oral expectorant market are responding to consumer preferences for clean ingredients by incorporating organic blueberry flavoring into their products. This approach caters to health-conscious consumers seeking natural remedies. For instance, Genexa Inc. introduced a new cough and chest congestion medicine for adults with natural blueberry flavoring in November 2022. This product, the first maximum-strength cough suppressant and expectorant from Genexa, offers a clean alternative to artificial ingredients commonly found in similar products. The launch aims to provide consumers with better options during cold and flu seasons, addressing concerns about artificial additives in medicines.

In May 2024, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. acquired Taro Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. for $347.73 million. This acquisition strengthens Sun Pharma's position in the pharmaceutical market, particularly in off-patent pharmaceuticals, prescriptions, and over-the-counter products, including oral expectorants.

Major companies operating in the oral expectorant market are Bayer AG, Sanofi S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Abbott Laboratories Ltd, Novartis AG, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) plc, Merck KGaA, Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC, Viatris Inc., Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., AstraZeneca plc, Aurobindo Pharma, Cipla Inc., Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC, C.H. Boehringer Sohn AG And Co. KG, Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Taro Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Perrigo Company plc, Biocon India Private Limited, Cadila Healthcare Ltd., Wockhardt Ltd, Genexa Inc.

North America was the largest region in the oral expectorant market in 2023. The regions covered in the oral expectorant market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.

The countries covered in the oral expectorant market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The oral expectorant market consists of sales of products such as combination expectorants and cough suppressants, natural and homeopathic expectorants, expectorant lozenges and troches, multisymptomatic cold and flu medications containing expectorants, and pediatric expectorants. 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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