Pharmaceutical Excipients Market By Type (Fillers & Diluents, Binders, Disintegrants, Lubricants & Glidants, Solubilizers, Preservatives, Colorants, Others), By Functionality (Diluents & Bulking Agents, Binding & Compression Aids, Disintegration & Dissolution Enhancers, Lubrication & Flow Aids, Stabilizers, Solubilizers & Bioavailability Enhancers, Release Modifiers, Taste Masking & Organoleptic Enhancers), By Dosage Form (Tablets, Capsules, Powders & Granules, Injectables, Topical, Ophthalmic, Others), By Source (Synthetic, Natural, Mineral, Animal-derived, Semi-synthetic, Biotechnological), By Route of Administration (Oral, Parenteral, Topical, Ophthalmic, Nasal, Pulmonary, Others), and By End-User (Pharmaceutical Manufacturers, Biotech Companies, Contract Development & Manufacturing Organizations, Contract Research Organization, OTC & Nutraceutical Manufacturers, Veterinary Pharmaceutical Companies, Others), Global Market Size, Segmental Analysis, Regional Overview, Company Share Analysis, Leading Company Profiles and Market Forecast, 2025 – 2035.

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What trends will shape the Pharmaceutical Excipients Market in the coming years?

The Pharmaceutical Excipients Market accounted for USD 8.94 Billion in 2024 and USD 9.48 Billion in 2025 is expected to reach USD 17.06 Billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of around 6.05% between 2025 and 2035. The pharmaceutical excipients market will experience a high growth rate due to the increased demand for superior formulation of drugs and patient-centered medicines. The growing use of biologics and biosimilars will also raise the demand for special excipients, including solubilizers and stabilizers. The increasing popularity of orally disintegrating tablets, controlled-release formulations, and taste-masked products will transform the trend of product innovation. The move to natural and multifunctional excipients is becoming more popular as clean-label preferences continue to grow.

Excipients are also becoming popular that have a proven safety and compliance record under regulatory scrutiny. Growth in generics and OTC drugs will also drive the need to seek cost-effective excipients. The novel and co-processed excipients will improve efficiency in formulation as a result of technological advancement. Furthermore, high growth in the upcoming markets will open up new prospects to the incipient manufacturing companies in all parts of the world.

What do industry experts say about the Pharmaceutical Excipients market trends?

“I am pleased and honored to take the position of CEO of Roquette. In my new role, I am committed to creating even more value for our employees, shareholders, customers, and society at large.”

• Thierry Fournier, CEO, Roquette.

“In Pharma, biopharma markets are improving… we are accelerating our actions to grow earnings and improve returns, driving sales growth by leveraging our intimacy with smaller customers, stepping up innovation, and driving returns from recent investments.”

• Steve Foots, CEO, Croda International.

Which segments and geographies does the report analyze?

What are the key drivers and challenges shaping the Pharmaceutical Excipients market?

How does increasing demand for advanced drug formulations accelerate the pharmaceutical excipients market growth?

The Pharmaceutical Excipients Market around the world is expanding at an unbelievable pace due to the increasing use of complex drug forms. Some of the factors that have led to this increase are the increasing rate of chronic disease, the aging of the population, and the increasing need to use personalized medicine. With the increased complexity of drug formulations comes the increased need to seek out specialized excipients that improve drug stability, solubility, and bioavailability. These excipients play a crucial role in the safety, efficacy, and consistency of modern therapeutics. Market expansion is further propelled by the adoption of new drug delivery systems such as sustained release, targeted delivery, and orally disintegrating formulations.

The excipients capable of accommodating fragile and complex molecules are necessitated by the fact that biologics and biosimilars have replaced small molecules. The market also grows due to regulatory improvements, high-quality expectations, and higher pharmaceutical R&D expenditures. Government facilitation and good local production have already placed the pharmaceutical sector in India on the growth curve. Overall, the growth of drug formulations and their growing complexity and innovativeness are among the primary drivers of the pharmaceutical excipients market, offering enormous opportunities to producers and players in the industry.

Why is the rising prevalence of chronic diseases driving the consumption of multifunctional excipients worldwide?

The world pharmaceutical excipients market is expanding at an incredible rate due to the rising cases of chronic diseases in the world. Non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, and others, cause a high percentage of morbidity and mortality; hence, the need to treat them using drugs effectively.  This has led to the desire to have improved formulations of drugs that guarantee a high degree of stability and solubility as well as bioavailability. These complex formulations are demanding multifunctional excipients that can function as binders, disintegrants, stabilizers, and solubilizers at the same time. This change towards individual medicine only increases the demand for patient-specific excipients to meet the requirements of patient-specific drug delivery.

Due to these high-level formulation requirements, pharmaceutical firms are making greater investments in R&D to create excipients that could support these higher need levels. Excipients are also indirectly stimulated by government programs on chronic disease treatment and health care infrastructure. Moreover, there is an ever-increasing need for oral, injectable, and sustained-release formulations as a result of the prevalence of chronic diseases. The coordination of the pharmaceutical and excipient manufacturers results in the optimization of the work of drugs and the adherence of the patients. On the whole, the growing load of chronic illnesses is a critical multifunctional excipient demand driver, widening opportunities in the pharmaceutical excipients market.

How does regulatory complexity hinder new excipient approvals across the global pharmaceutical markets?

Regulatory complexity presents a challenge to the global pharmaceutical excipients market and may greatly delay the process of approving new excipients. Various nations have different rules regarding safety, quality, and efficacy, and in order to achieve these, a lot of testing and paperwork is needed. Excipients that are targets of new drug delivery systems or biologics are often subjected to greater scrutiny because of their effect on stability and bioavailability. The time-to-market and development are longer because of the long approval process of pharmaceutical companies.

There are also various regulatory agencies that manufacturers have to answer to and address, such as the FDA, EMA, and national health governments, among others, and each agency has its own requirements. Weaknesses in the pharmacopeial standards also make international registration and commercialization quite difficult. Safety, toxicology, and manufacturing practices have also added further layers of validation. Smaller firms might not be able to satisfy these strict requirements and may not enter the market. Small formulation modifications may lead to reconsideration and re-filing in order to slow the product launches. Overall, regulatory complexity represents an obstacle to innovation and delays the implementation of innovative excipients across international pharmaceutical markets.

How can growing biologics and biosimilars adoption create lucrative excipient market expansion opportunities?

The adoption of biologics and biosimilars is facing tremendous growth in the global pharmaceutical excipients market. The biosimilars industry in India constitutes almost a quarter of the entire pharmaceutical industry, as there is an increased need for affordable medical treatments. The increasing burden of chronic disease and the aging population is creating a need to advance biologic therapy. Since biologics and biosimilars are complex molecules, they need special excipients to maintain solubility, stability, and controlled release. The formulation and efficacy of these therapies depend on the development of multifunctional excipients.

Government incentives such as the Production Linked Incentive Scheme are strengthening domestic manufacturing and are contributing to the development of excipients through innovation. This will minimize dependency on importation and promote self-sufficiency in the manufacture of drugs. There should be synergy between suppliers of excipients and pharmaceutical companies to address the changing demands of biologic formulations. Greater attention to research and development enhances the innovation of the excipients used in complex biologics and biosimilars. In general, the increasing use of biologics and biosimilars is a significant factor in the pharmaceutical excipients market, which provides profitable opportunities to manufacturers.

Why will personalized medicine demand boost innovative excipient development supporting patient-centric therapies?

The Pharmaceutical Excipients Market is showing tremendous growth owing to the rising demand for personalized medicine that demands new excipients to facilitate patient-centric treatment. Under the GenomeIndia project, the Department of Biotechnology has already sequenced more than 10,000 genomes to generate a treasure trove of information on genetic variations that they can use to inform precision medicine. Genetic information can be utilized to create excipients that optimize drug stability, dissolubility, and bioavailability in individuals with a given genetic profile. 3D printing and artificial intelligence present technological possibilities to design patient-specific dosage forms that meet their individual treatment needs. Individualized treatments require excipients to administer full doses, optimum efficacies, and the lowest possible responses.

Research and development of such specialized excipients is accelerated by government support of biotechnology and precision medicine. To address these new formulation demands, pharmaceutical firms are turning to excipient manufacturers to collaborate in developing solutions to these demands. The increase in the use of specific therapeutics and companion diagnostics also proves the necessity of novel excipients. Comprehensively, the pharmaceutical excipients market is driving growth due to the convergence of genomic research, emerging technologies, and enabling policies. As a solution to the needs of modern healthcare, patient-specific formulations are gaining momentum in the market.

What are the key market segments in the Pharmaceutical Excipients industry?

Based on the type, the Pharmaceutical Excipients Market is classified into Fillers & Diluents, Binders, Disintegrants, Lubricants & Glidants, Solubilizers, Preservatives, Colorants, and Others. Fillers and diluents dominate the category because they are widely used to provide bulk and to improve the consistency of the formula. Binders are important to bind ingredients and provide integrity and durability to the pill. The presence of disintegrants is a significant contributor to increasing the dissolution of the drugs and thus rapid absorption and therapeutic action.

Glidants and lubricants allow easy compression of pills and ensure sticking does not occur during production. Solubilizers also increase the solubility and bioavailability of the drug, especially poorly soluble compounds. Preservatives help to increase the shelf life, as they help to prevent microbial proliferation and contamination of formulations. Colorants and other specialty excipients improve the product's appearance, patient compliance, and general differentiation in the market.

Based on the dosage form, the Pharmaceutical Excipients Market is classified into Tablets, Capsules, Powders & Granules, Injectables, Topical, Ophthalmic, and Others. The most popular type is still tablets; they require various excipients to be bound, to disintegrate, and to be coated. Capsules enjoy the advantage of excipients that enhance flowability, stability, and dissolution characteristics. Powders and granules contain binders and fillers to enable homogeneity and the convenience of handling during the production process.

Injectables require excipients that are highly purified to ensure solubility and stability and to prevent contamination by microbes. Topical preparations are based on excipients with improved spreadability, absorption, and patient comfort. Ophthalmic drugs need excipients that are isotonic, control viscosity, and protect tender eyes. Inhalation and transdermal systems are other well-developed dosage forms, but they are on the rise, leading to the need to use specialized excipients that enable new delivery technologies.

Which regions are leading the Pharmaceutical Excipients market, and why?

The North American Pharmaceutical Excipients Market is leading due to the existence of a strong pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. The region is dominated by the United States because of heavy investment in R&D, advanced production technologies, and sound regulatory systems. Canada makes its contribution by expanding generic drug manufacturing and adopting more innovative excipients in the manufacture of biopharmaceutical formulations.

The presence of large market players and contract manufacturing agencies contributes to the effectiveness of the supply chain and product innovations. Growth in demand for oral, injectable, and topical dosage forms drives the consumption of excipients in many treatment categories. There are also technological advancements that improve market growth, like using multifunctional and natural excipients. North America also has strict assurance of quality, so goods are very safe and non-conforming. In general, this area is still a center of excipient innovation, as it occupies a large portion of the world market.

The Asia Pacific Pharmaceutical Excipients Market is growing due to the high rate of industrialization and growing pharmaceutical manufacturing capacities. Countries such as China, India, and Japan are also experiencing tremendous growth with the growing popularity of generic drugs and affordable excipient solutions. The increasing healthcare awareness, an increasing number of people in the middle class, and government efforts to enhance the production of drugs all lead to the expansion of the market. There is a high supply of skilled labor, and production costs are lower in the region than in the developed market.

Excipient consumption is supported by rapid conversion to new dosage forms, e.g., oral disintegrating tablets and biologics. Transfer of technology and supply chain is supported by multinational investments in the production factories in the country. Market credibility and safety compliance are being strengthened through regulatory change and quality standardization. Overall, Asia has a titanic prospect of excipient manufacturers who want to expand and venture into the market in the long term.

What does the competitive landscape of the Pharmaceutical Excipients market look like?

The Pharmaceutical Excipients Market across the world is typified by a combination of established market giants and new market players. Some of these prominent participants are Roquette Frères S.A., Evonik Industries AG, Ashland Global Holdings Inc., Croda International Plc, and BASF SE. These companies are supported by competitive advantages that enable them to stay in the game, provided that they have deep R&D bases, international production systems, and alliances. Another major development in the industry is that Roquette has acquired the Pharma Solutions unit of IFF at a total cost of up to $2.85 billion, including the debt. The relocation will make Roquette a competitive player in cellulose-based and methylcellulose excipients as more functional and sustainable ingredients continue to rise in popularity.

The acquisition also increases the international presence of Roquette by 10 research and manufacturing facilities and around 1,100 workers. Firms are now placing great emphasis on excipients that facilitate further drug delivery systems, including lipid-based systems and bioavailability enhancers. Strategic mergers and acquisitions that have continued to occur in the competitive environment are facilitating innovation and consolidation. Another area that market players are focusing on is the diversification of their portfolios to address the changing demands of the pharmaceutical industry. In general, the industry is experiencing faster growth due to the development of technology, specialization, and strategic alliances.

Pharmaceutical Excipients Market, Company Shares Analysis, 2024

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Which recent mergers, acquisitions, or product launches are shaping the Pharmaceutical Excipients industry?

• In May 2025, Roquette completed the acquisition of International Flavors & Fragrances' (IFF) Pharma Solutions business for a total enterprise value of up to $2.85 billion.
• In January 2025, GELITA launched its Endotoxin Controlled Excipients (ECE) portfolio, a new line of medical-grade gelatin and collagen peptides designed for high-precision bioscience applications, including vaccine stabilization, the creation of medical devices, and 3D bioprinting.

Report Coverage:

By Type

• Fillers & Diluents
• Binders
• Disintegrants
• Lubricants & Glidants
• Solubilizers
• Preservatives
• Colorants
• Others

By Functionality

• Diluents & Bulking Agents
• Binding & Compression Aids
• Disintegration & Dissolution Enhancers
• Lubrication & Flow Aids
• Stabilizers
• Solubilizers & Bioavailability Enhancers
• Release Modifiers
• Taste Masking & Organoleptic Enhancers

By Dosage Form

• Tablets
• Capsules
• Powders & Granules
• Injectables
• Topical
• Ophthalmic
• Others

By Source

• Synthetic
• Natural
• Mineral
• Animal-derived
• Semi-synthetic
• Biotechnological

By Route of Administration

• Oral
• Parenteral
• Topical
• Ophthalmic
• Nasal
• Pulmonary
• Others

By End-User

• Pharmaceutical Manufacturers
• Biotech Companies
• Contract Development & Manufacturing Organizations
• Contract Research Organization
• OTC & Nutraceutical Manufacturers
• Veterinary Pharmaceutical Companies
• Others

By Region

North America

• U.S.
• Canada

Europe

• U.K.
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Spain
• Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

• China
• Japan
• India
• Australia
• South Korea
• Singapore
• Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America

• Brazil
• Argentina
• Mexico
• Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa

• GCC Countries
• South Africa
• Rest of the Middle East & Africa

List of Companies:

• Roquette Frères S.A.
• Evonik Industries AG
• Ashland Global Holdings Inc.
• Croda International Plc
• BASF SE
• DFE Pharma GmbH & Co.KG
• Associated British Foods plc
• The Lubrizol Corporation
• Kerry Group plc
• Ingredion Incorporated
• MEGGLE GmbH & Co. KG
• Colorcon, Inc.
• FMC Corporation
• JRS Pharma GmbH & Co. KG
• Peter Greven GmbH & Co. KG

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