The microcarriers market size is estimated to be USD 1,581.5 million in 2022 and is expected to witness a CAGR of 11.84% during the forecast period 2023-2033.  Growing demands for cell-based vaccines and therapeutics, the rising prevalence of various diseases and disorders such as diabetes, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, haemophilia, and others, large investments in the creation of cutting-edge therapies, and continuous technological advancements in cell biology research are some of the factors contributing to the market growth. Furthermore, increasing need for cell-based vaccinations and advancements in the cell therapy sector and high customer demand for biopharmaceutical products are other factors supporting the market growth. However, high price of cell biology research and lack of accessible, affordable serum-free media is expected to hinder the growth.

Increasing need for cell-based vaccinations is expected to propel the market growth during the projected period. Earlier vaccinations were produced in eggs, harvested, and then made, which required a lot of time and labour. The development of vaccines in cell cultures has been made possible by technological advancements, allowing for the rapid and mass manufacture of vaccines that even provide superior protection. Flucelvax Quadrivalent, a cell culture-based flu vaccine for use in people 6 months and older, has been given FDA approval, according to the CDC.

High customer demand for biopharmaceutical products is projected to drive the market growth during the forecast period. These small beads are widely used in stem cell therapy as microcarriers are the matrices that support the proliferation of adherent cells. The need for stem cell treatment for treating uncommon diseases has increased due to the potential therapeutic effects of mesenchymal stem cells and pluripotent stem cells. Large-scale manufacture of cell treatments requires a huge quantity of microcarrier consumables as these stem cells are adherent.

Segmentation

By Consumables

The market is categorized into microcarrier beads, media & reagents, and others. In 2022, the microcarrier beads segment accounted for the highest revenue share due to the constant use of microcarrier beads in cell culture. The substantial market growth is due to increasing cell biology research, rising regenerative medicine and biopharmaceutical demand, and the availability of numerous microcarrier beads that can be used for various applications. Numerous products offer by major market participants and ongoing advancements in microcarrier technology have produced significant revenue opportunities and the introduction of innovative products. For adherent cell culture, companies such as Sartorius AG offer both animal protein-coated microcarrier beads and beads without any animal components. As a result, microcarrier beads can be widely used in a variety of procedures and for research reasons, which boosts the segment’s revenue generation.

By Application

The market is categorized into regenerative medicine, and biopharmaceutical production. In the global market, the biopharmaceutical production segment accounted for the largest revenue share in 2022 owing to growing demand for generating safe & effective medications or treatments, coupled with the rising frequency of infectious diseases and genetic abnormalities. Biopharmaceutical companies are increasing their production capabilities and product offers to keep up with the escalating demand. For instance, the Korean pharmaceutical company Celltrion Inc. reported in August 2022 that the European Commission had approved the use of its bevacizumab biosimilar, Vegzelma, in the treatment of certain cancers. The market for microcarriers is also being supported by regulatory support and growing therapeutic biopharmaceutical usage. For instance, the US FDA has approved 39 biosimilars through September 2022. By providing a variety of drug options at possibly lower prices, these approvals have shown that safe and effective biosimilars can gain market share and enhance access to care.

By End User

The market is segmented into academic & research institutes, pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies, and contract research organizations & contract manufacturing organizations. In 2022, the segment accounted for the largest revenue share owing to the number of drug development programmes, the expanding cell therapy market, rising R&D spending, and favourable government regulations.   Additionally, the manufacturing of biologics by these companies is being fuelled by the growing understanding of the advantages of cell-based products, which is leading to a global expansion of capabilities. For instance, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. announced in August 2022 that it had expanded its Grand Island, New York, facility. Furthermore, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are aiming to meet the demand for cell-based products by continuously improving their bioprocessing skills and purchasing cutting-edge machinery.  The use of microcarriers during cell culture will grow due to ongoing research advancements, academic institute collaborations, and outsourcing to CROs and CMOs for faster market launch.

Regional Markets

In 2022, North America region accounted for the highest revenue in the microcarriers market and is expected to maintain its dominance during the forecast period. This is attributed to the growing knowledge of personalised medications, improved healthcare infrastructure and reimbursement models, the existence of significant market players, and intensive research and development activities. New cell-based therapeutics are also being driven to the market by regulatory support for biopharmaceuticals and regenerative medicines. For instance, the U.S. FDA projects that by 2025, based on current trial success rates and the product pipeline, it will be approving 10 to 20 cell and gene therapy products annually. The market is anticipated to grow at the fastest rate in Asia Pacific over the anticipated period. Numerous research settings are driven by the region’s low operation and personnel expenses and government incentives for vaccine manufacture. The Asia Pacific region also has the largest elderly population and is driven by domestic demand for biologics and expanding economies.

Competitor Insights

Some of the key players operating in the microcarriers market are Merck KGaA, Sartorius AG, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Danaher Corporation, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Eppendorf SE, Corning Incorporated, HiMedia Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., and denovoMATRIX GmbH.

To achieve a competitive edge, these companies are implementing a variety of growth strategies. Strategic partnerships, alliances, and agreements with different businesses and research institutions are seen to be the main strategies used by companies in this sector.

• For instance, the German manufacturer of cell and gene therapies denovoMATRIX GmbH announced the release of a new product named beadMATRIX in May 2022. The new product, which enables high-quality & rapid stem cell proliferation, is a unique microcarrier bead for 3D culture of MSCs.

This comprehensive research report focuses on the global and regional market size and forecasts of diverse segments including consumables, application, and end user from 2023 to 2033.

Report Scope:

Segmentation: Microcarriers Market Report 2022 – 2033

Consumables (Revenue, USD Million), 2022 – 2033

• Microcarrier Beads
• Media & Reagents
• Others

Application (Revenue, USD Million), 2022 – 2033

• Regenerative Medicine
• Biopharmaceutical Production

End user (Revenue, USD Million), 2022 – 2033

• Academic & Research Institutes
• Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies
• Contract Research Organizations & Contract Manufacturing Organizations

By Region (Revenue, USD Million), 2022 – 2033

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • Germany
  • France
  • UK
  • Spain
  • Italy
  • Rest of Europe
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • Japan
  • India
  • Australia
  • South Korea
  • Rest of APAC
• Latin America
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
  • Argentina
  • Rest of LATAM
• Middle East & Africa
  • South Africa
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Rest of MEA