Antibiotics Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Drug Class (Cephalosporin, Penicillin, Fluoroquinolone, Macrolide, Carbapenem, Aminoglycoside, Sulfonamide, 7-ACA), By Action Mechanism, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028

Report Overview

The global antibiotics market size was valued at USD 40.7 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.5% from 2021 to 2028. The rising prevalence of infectious diseases and supportive government legislation are the major drivers of the market. Moreover, an increase in antibiotic resistance infections due to misuse or overuse of antibiotics is expected to shift the prescription patterns to novel therapies to treat bacterial infections. According to the CDC, the incidence of antibiotic-resistant infections is more than 2.8 million in the U.S. The pathogens such as Enterobacteriaceae, P. aeruginosa, and K. pneumoniae have a high resistance rate of an average of 40% in developed countries.

The increased efforts of pharmaceutical companies in the development of novel therapies to treat infectious diseases are expected to drive the market over the forecast period. According to Pew Charitable Trust, in December 2019, around 41 promising molecules were being investigated for the treatment of serious bacterial infections. Out of these 41 investigational drugs, 17 are in the third phase of the clinical trials or have filed NDA for approval and are expected to be commercialized during the forecast period. In the second half of 2019, four new antibiotic drugs have received U.S. FDA approval. Furthermore, supportive government legislation such as the GAIN Act and REVAMP Act is anticipated to expedite the approval process globally. The launch of new antibiotic drugs is expected to support the growth of the market over the forecast period.

The demand for antibiotics is significantly increasing owing to the increasing incidence of infectious diseases. The high prevalence of infectious diseases, such as lower respiratory infections, pneumonia, malaria, and tuberculosis, is also fueling the market growth. Increasing disease burden is compelling government and non-government bodies to invest in R&D initiatives and boost the development of novel antibiotics and supportive regulatory policies to expedite the approval process and research funding. For instance, BARDA in alliance with the government has extended its support to several companies to aid the development process of new therapies for infectious diseases.

The collaborations for the development of antibiotics are expected to lead to the development of a high number of antibiotic drugs in the foreseeable future. Pharmaceutical companies are collaborating on the development of new therapies to reduce the cost burden of the drug development process. For instance, in July 2019, Nosopharm announced a partnership with Evotec AG for the development of NOSO-502. It is a first-in-class novel antibiotic against Enterobacteriaceae infections. Furthermore, in April 2019, Forge Therapeutics, Inc. and Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. announced a research collaboration and license agreement to develop novel antibiotics.

Moreover, the increasing number of public-private collaborations, wherein funding and innovative R&D approaches are provided by public agencies to firms developing antibiotics, is expected to boost the product pipeline. For instance, in March 2019, the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP) announced a public-private partnership with Evotec AG for the development of first-in-class antibiotics for treating drug-resistant bacterial infections.

Action Mechanism Insights

Cell wall synthesis inhibitors dominated the market in 2020 with a share of 52.1% and are anticipated to maintain their lead throughout the forecast period. High consumption as per prescription patterns and significant government funding are the key factors driving the segment. Cell wall synthesis inhibitors are the most widely used antibiotics as they are characterized by a wide spectrum of action against gram-positive and negative bacteria. Cell wall synthesis inhibitors are expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period owing to an increase in research activities, coupled with government funding. For instance, in February 2019, Bicycle Therapeutics announced the development of a novel cell wall synthesis inhibitor, after receiving a grant of USD 640,000 from the government of the U.K.

The RNA synthesis inhibitors segment is anticipated to witness significant growth over the forecast period due to the increase in the number of product launches and R&D efforts. For instance, in November 2018, Cosmo Pharmaceuticals N.V. introduced Aemcolo (rifamycin) as extended-release tablets for the treatment of Travelers’ Diarrhea in the U.S. Furthermore, the U.S. FDA granted Fast Track designations, Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) designation, and marketing exclusivity till 2028 for the product.

Drug Class Insights

Penicillin accounted for the largest share of 23.9% in 2020 and is expected to dominate the market over the forecast period due to maximum prescription and the largest number of generic manufacturers in the space. These drugs form the first line of choice in treating infections, such as pharyngitis, skin infections, bronchitis, gonorrhea, and ear infections. Cephalosporin emerged as the second-largest drug class segment after Penicillin and is expected to grow at a significant rate during the forecast period.

The cephalosporin and fluoroquinolone segments are expected to grow at a significant rate from 2021 to 2028. The growth of these segments can be attributed to the commercialization of new drugs during the forecast period. Currently, there are three cephalosporin drugs in the third phase of clinical trials and are anticipated to commercialize in the next 3 to 4 years. Moreover, the U.S. FDA approval of Shionogi’s Fetroja (cefiderocol) in November 2019 is expected to increase the market share. Similarly, the approval of Lasvic (lascufloxacin) by Japan PMDA and the new drug application submission by Wockhardt Ltd. in India is going to propel the growth of the fluoroquinolone segment.

The others segment is expected to grow at the fastest rate in the coming years owing to the presence of novel therapies in the pipeline, which are expected to launch over the forecast period. This segment consists of various existing classes of antibiotics as well as some newly developed antibiotic drugs, such as tetracyclines, lincosamides, imidazoles, amphenicols, oxazolidinone, and combination drugs. The commercialization of iclaprim, gepotidacin, ridinilazole, and zoliflodacin is anticipated to boost market growth during the forecast period.

Regional Insights

Asia Pacific held the largest share of 45.2% in 2020 and is expected to register a significant growth rate over the forecast period. This can be attributed to the high consumption of antibiotics, increase in the prevalence of infectious diseases, and rising government initiatives to develop novel therapies to treat drug-resistant infections. Moreover, the presence of generic players is contributing to the growth of the regional market. India and China are the biggest markets for antibiotics in the region. Unregulated sales and excessive consumption of antibiotics are the key factors supporting the market growth in these nations.

North America emerged as the second-largest regional market for antibiotics in 2020, followed by Europe. North America and Europe collectively held more than 48.0% share in 2020. These markets are highly regulated with well-developed healthcare infrastructure. The rising incidence of infectious diseases and growing healthcare expenditure by the government are among the key factors driving the North American market. The U.S. government is undertaking various measures, including antibiotic stewardship initiatives and promoting the R&D activities of innovative therapies to control infectious diseases.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

Small and medium-sized biotech manufacturers are largely involved in the development of novel therapies and these companies market the products that are specifically targeting bacterial resistance mechanisms, while others include companies holding clinical-stage assets that are expected to enter in the near term. Some prominent players in the global antibiotics market include:

• Merck & Co., Inc.

• Allergan plc (AbbVie)

• GlaxoSmithKline plc.

• Pfizer Inc.

• Melinta Therapeutics

• Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd.

• Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals

• Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

• Nabriva Therapeutics plc

• Spero Therapeutics

Antibiotics Market Report Scope

Segments Covered in the Report

This report forecasts revenue growth at the global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends and opportunities in each of the sub-segments from 2017 to 2028. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global antibiotics market report on the basis of action mechanism, drug class, and region:

• Action Mechanism Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

  • Cell Wall Synthesis Inhibitors

  • Protein Synthesis Inhibitors

  • DNA Synthesis Inhibitors

  • RNA Synthesis Inhibitors

  • Mycolic Acid Inhibitors

  • Others

• Drug Class Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

  • Cephalosporin

  • Penicillin

  • Fluoroquinolone

  • Macrolide

  • Carbapenem

  • Aminoglycoside

  • Sulfonamide

  • 7-ACA

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

  • Europe

    • U.K.

    • Germany

    • France

    • Italy

    • Spain

  • Asia Pacific

    • India

    • China

    • Japan

    • Thailand

    • South Korea

  • Latin America

    • Argentina

    • Brazil

    • Mexico

  • Middle East & Africa

    • Saudi Arabia

    • UAE

    • South Africa