The global market revenue for prefilled syringes grossed $4.9bn (€4.4bn) in 2018 and is estimated to exceed $9.7bn by 2025, according to a Global Market Insights report.
According to the GMI research the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases such as diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, which need prolonged drug administration in accurate dosage, is supporting the market’s growth.
Prefilled syringes enable patients to inject appropriate and specific amount of dosage, preventing adverse reactions caused by excess drug administration.
The rising prevalence of diabetes is expected to boost the revenues of prefilled syringes containing treatments for this indication to a 10% year-on-year growth, according to the report.
Substantial growth is also anticipated for the segment of rheumatoid arthritis, which was valued at around $1bn in 2018. This, according to GMI, is due to the increasing number of people suffering from autoimmune diseases and the demand on steroidal drugs, which must be administered in precise quantity.
An increasingly preferred method
Prefilled syringes eliminates the complicated process of transferring drugs from container into syringe, offering ease of use especially for elderly patients which, according to the report will serve as a ‘high impact’ rendering factor for the market.
Additionally, the market’s growth is expected to be fueled by the increasing adoption of sensitive biological drugs, indicated for the treatment of chronic diseases.
Prefilled syringes are suitable for biologics as they enable prevention of interaction amongst container and drug substance. However, GMI foresees that the availability of alternative drug delivery methods “may hamper industry growth to certain extent.”
The preference of prefilled syringes is also expected to rise as they offer increased product life span and minimized drug waste compared to conventional methods will be seen.
The North America market is estimated to witness more than 10% CAGR over the forecast timeline, due to demographic trends such as an aging population susceptible to chronic diseases.
Additionally, drugs and biologics approved for treatment of these diseases are required to be administered in prefilled syringes that should support the growth of the sector in North America, according to the report.
The regional market of Asia Pacific with the higher sector revenues in 2025 will be Japan, with China and India following. In 2018, Asia Pacific recorded revenues of $900m. GMI states that “India and China have huge diabetic patient pool, and several remain still undiagnosed”.
The GMI report states, “growing disposable income in the region and developing healthcare infrastructure will boost adoption of preloaded syringes in the coming years.”
Technological advances in manufacturing
The preferred material for manufacturing of prefilled syringes is glass, as it prevents water and oxygen vapour from interacting with drug compounds. According to GMI, glass segment accounted for more than 70% revenue share in 2018, reaching over $1bn and is expected to exceed $2bn in 2025.
Preloaded syringes made out of plastic, on the other side, are only expected to reach $1bn in 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of about 12%.
Polymers show minimal drug adsorption, decreased surface reactivity and excellent compatibility with shifting pH. According to the report, manufacturing advancements such as cyclic olefin copolymers that offer high heat resistance and enhanced visibility should support the segment growth over the forecast period.
Technological advancements will drive the market growth in coming years according to the report. The advancements include enhanced filling procedures, which ensure stability and sterility, as well as the production of bubble free syringes.