Small-scale Bioreactors Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Capacity, By Product (Reusable, Single-use), By End-user (CROs & CMOs, Pharma & Biopharma Companies), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2023 - 2030

Report Overview

The global small-scale bioreactors market size was valued at USD 1.69 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.8% from 2023 to 2030. The key drivers responsible for the market growth include the wide-scale product usage in the pharmaceutical industry along with portfolio expansion by major players. Small-scale bioreactors are essential for the development and optimization of processes, therefore they are frequently used in pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical research. These bioprocessing equipment are generally used for small-scale production and range in size from a few milliliters to 5-10 L. The COVID-19 pandemic has witnessed an increased demand as a result of the sudden rise in COVID-19 cases.

The sales of small-scale bioreactors significantly increased in 2020 and 2021 as a result of numerous businesses expanding their facilities to carry out R&D for COVID-19 vaccines. Moreover, the worldwide immunization campaigns around the globe and the rising demand are expected to increase product sales during the forecast period. In addition, heavy investments by government authorities to improve biopharmaceutical research and the development of a vaccine are also influencing the industry’s growth. For instance, the South Korean government allocated USD 250 million in April 2020 to launch the Vaccine Innovative Technology Alliance (VITAL), which will help with vaccine research, production, and use. To make South Korea the fifth-largest vaccine manufacturer throughout the globe by 2025 and reach 80% vaccine self-sufficiency, the nation has spent an additional $2 billion on the K Vaccine program.

Moreover, the rising prevalence of chronic diseases, such as cancer, cardiac disease, diabetes, and hypertension, has led to more focus on the development of innovative biological therapies. Similarly, the demand for monoclonal antibodies as well as personalized medicines has increased bioproduction, accelerating small-scale bioreactor demand. Furthermore, the rising usage of high-end technologies to simplify complex manufacturing will enhance the demand for small-scale bioreactors during the forecast period. In addition, the high investments in research and development activities by key biopharmaceutical companies are expected to drive industry growth. For instance, in august 2021, PBS Biotech, a manufacturer of single-use bioprocessing devices, completed a USD 10 million private financing round with BroadOak Capital Partners.

With the funds, the company will have the opportunity to grow and commercialize its line of single-use bioreactor devices and outsourced process design services. Due to the demand for superior quality and better efficiency in drug manufacturing, the biopharmaceutical industry is quickly shifting toward the use of single-use bioprocessing systems with integrated real-time monitoring and technical analysis that can facilitate automation, enhance data-driven quality control, and continue driving performance. Therefore, it is expected that the shift toward advanced bioprocessing technology devices, such as small-scale bioreactors, will propel the growth of this market.

Capacity Insights

On the basis of capacity, the industry has been further categorized into 5 ML-100 ML, 100 ML-250 ML, 250 ML-500 ML, 500 ML-1 L, 1L-3L, and 3L-5L. The 1L-3L capacity segment dominated the global industry in 2022 and accounted for the maximum share of more than 31.00% of the overall revenue. The segment is projected to expand further at the fastest growth rate retaining its dominant position throughout the forecast period. This is due to the wide-scale availability of bioreactors with a working volume capacity of 1L-3L. Due to the advantages of these systems in laboratories, the majority of key players also offer these products.

While keeping the qualities of a larger-scale bioreactor, the bioreactors with a working volume of 1L-3L allow for the parallel processing and evaluation of numerous experiments. Thus, the demand for these bioreactors is expected to increase significantly in the years to come. The 3L-5L capacity segment is estimated to register the second-fastest growth rate during the forecast period. Products with 3-5L capacity offer numerous benefits for R&D fermentation process development, including quick system implementation, increased size & turnaround flexibility, reduced infrastructure, decreased risk of cross-contamination, and minimal maintenance requirement.

End-user Insights

The CROs & CMOs segment accounted for the largest revenue share of 45.8% in 2022. The segment is projected to expand further at the fastest CAGR retaining its dominant position throughout the forecast period. CMOs and CROs are constantly searching for improved single-use systems for their clients to improve their service offerings. These companies have adopted novel single-use bioreactors much more quickly than therapeutic manufacturers. This is due to the fact that CMOs and CROs remain competitive when they create biologics more successfully and affordably, especially for R&D and clinical trials.

The academic & research institutes segment is also estimated to have significant growth during the forecast period since the small-scale bioreactors are adopted for different procedures at a higher rate in academic and research institutes. Furthermore, the strong government support and high extent of research funding available in developed countries are boosting segment growth. For instance, in August 2022, The University of California, U.S. attracted over USD 1.07 billion in external research funding for the fiscal year 2021-22. Furthermore, the high market penetration of small-scale bioreactors among established academic research institutions will contribute to segment growth.

Product Insights

On the basis of products, the industry has been further categorized into single-use and reusable bioreactors. The reusable bioreactors segment dominated the industry in 2022 and accounted for the largest share of more than 80.05% of the overall revenue as there is a higher need for reusable bioreactors in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries due to the fact that reusable bioreactors can produce larger quantities of products. The reusable bioreactor has several other benefits, such as low costs, a long lifespan, flexible accessory configuration, and simple handling owing to its rigid design.

These benefits have resulted in high market penetration of the reusable product segment. The single-use bioreactors product segment is expected to register the fastest growth rate during the forecast period as these single-use bioreactors have recently been used more frequently in novel biotech processes. This is mainly due to their exceptional ability to improve flexibility, lower investment, and reduce operational expenses. Such advantages of single-use products over other small-scale bioreactors are expected to drive segment growth.

Regional Insights

North America dominated the market in 2022 with a share of 43.64% owing to the presence of key players in manufacturing advanced small-scale and single-use bioreactors. The rising investments in biopharmaceutical research, owing to the growing incidences of chronic disease & increased demand for novel biologic drugs as well as advanced equipment including small-scale bioreactors, will drive the industry growth. For instance, in January 2022, Erbi Biosystems, a developer of cutting-edge, compact, automatic, and high-performance cell culture systems, completed a $4 million private funding round. With this most recent round of funding, the company is planning to increase operations to keep up with the rising sales for its Breez perfusion bioreactor and develop modifications to improve cell therapy applications.

Asia Pacific is expected to register the fastest CAGR during the forecast period due to it being the home to some of the world’s most rapidly expanding biotechnological industries and economies. To assist in rising biotech and pharmaceutical markets in the region, some of the leading players are also expanding their operations in developing countries like India. For instance, in January 2022, H.E.L Group, an international developer & manufacturer of cutting-edge laboratory tools for safety, process optimization, & scale-up, expanded its operations in India with a stronger emphasis on the biotech industries’ rapid development. H.E.L. will establish a specialized regional hub to offer local assistance to clients to support the country’s biotech and pharmaceutical markets. These factors are expected to boost product adoption, thereby supporting market growth.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The global industry is highly competitive with key players accounting for a majority of the market share. Companies are adopting various strategies, such as the launch of innovative products, partnerships & collaborations, and mergers & acquisitions to maintain their industry presence. For instance, in October 2021, Thermo Fisher Scientific collaborated with 3M to improve process effectiveness and versatility in commercial therapeutic manufacturing, by combining Thermo Scientific’s HyPerforma Single-Use Bioreactor Systems with 3M’s Harvest RC Chromatographic Clarifier. Some of the key players in the global small-scale bioreactors market include:

• Sartorius AG

• Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

• Merck KGaA

• Danaher Corporation

• Lonza Group

• Eppendorf AG

• Miltenyi Biotec

• Getinge AB

• Solaris Biotechnology Srl

• Infors AG

Small-scale Bioreactors Market Report Scope

Global Small-scale Bioreactors Market Report Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2018 to 2030. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global small-scale bioreactors market report based on product, capacity, end-user, and region:

• Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Reusable Bioreactors

    • Stainless Steel Bioreactors

    • Glass Bioreactors

  • Single-use Bioreactors

• Capacity Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • 5 ML -100 ML

  • 100 ML-250 ML

  • 250 ML -500 ML

  • 500 ML-1 L

  • 1L-3L

  • 3L-5L

• End-user Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Pharmaceutical & Biopharmaceutical Companies

  • CROs & CMOs

  • Academic & Research Institutes

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

  • Europe

    • U.K.

    • Germany

    • France

    • Italy

    • Spain

    • Denmark

    • Sweden

    • Norway

  • Asia Pacific

    • Japan

    • China

    • India

    • Australia

    • Thailand

    • South Korea

  • Latin America

    • Brazil

    • Mexico

    • Argentina

  • Middle East and Africa (MEA)

    • South Africa

    • Saudi Arabia

    • UAE

    • Kuwait