Antiviral Drugs Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Drug Class, By Application (HIV, Hepatitis, Herpes, Influenza), By Type (Branded, Generics), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028

Report Overview

The global antiviral drugs market size to be valued at USD 60.0 billion by 2028 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of (-0.6%) during the forecast period. The introduction of the generic version of antiviral medicines and growing awareness about the availability of various vaccines for viral infections is affecting the growth during the forecast period.

However, the increasing prevalence of viral infections such as HIV, Herpes, Influenza, and others are expected to increase the demand for antiviral medicines over the forecast period. For instance, according to UNAIDS, in 2020, more than 37 million individuals were living with HIV across the globe. Out of these, approximately 1.5 million new people acquired HIV infection in 2020. Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased market growth in 2020 whereas, a negative impact of the pandemic has been observed for other applications of antiviral drugs.

The increasing incidence of viral infection across the globe is a major factor driving the demand for antiviral drugs over the forecast period. According to WHO, globally, an estimated 325 million people are living with hepatitis infection and out of these, around 71 million have chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Moreover, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has estimated that 2.4 million people are living with hepatitis C in the United States and around 850,000 individuals in the country have hepatitis B infection. An increasing base of patients is anticipated to increase the demand for antiviral drugs globally.

Increasing approval and expected commercialization of novel medicines for viral infections are anticipated to drive market growth. For instance, in November 2020, the U.S. FDA has approved a supplemental New Drug Application for Roche’s Xofluza for the treatment of influenza in patients 12 years of age and older. Moreover, the major players in the market have launched many novel medicines in 2 to 3 years for the treatment of viral infections. For instance, Gilead Sciences, Inc. has launched Biktarvy, Symtuza, and Veklury for the treatment of viral infections. Furthermore, GlaxoSmithKline plc. has launched Dovato, Cabenuva, and Juluca for the treatment of diseases caused by the virus. An increase in the introduction of novel products in the market will drive growth over the next 2 to 3 years.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased the demand for antiviral medicines globally. The treatment of novel coronavirus has increased the demand for broad-spectrum antiviral drugs to manage the disease. Remdesivir, favipiravir, oseltamivir, and other combination medicines are highly prescribed for the treatment of COVID-19. Moreover, governments are increasing funding to pharmaceutical companies to develop novel therapeutics against COVID-19. For instance, in June 2021, the U.S. government has announced an investment of more than USD 3 billion to fasten the discovery, development, and manufacturing of antiviral medicines for COVID-19 treatment. The rising incidence of disease coupled with increasing R&D will increase the demand for antiviral drugs in the next 2 to 3 years.

Increasing collaborations for the development and manufacturing of antiviral drugs are expected to result in the development of a high number of novel drugs in the coming years. The key players in the market are collaborating for the R&D of new therapies to reduce the burden of viral infection treatment. For instance, in 2020, Gilead Sciences, Inc. has signed licensing agreement with pharmaceutical manufacturers such as Cipla Ltd., Hetero Labs Ltd., Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd., Mylan, and others to expand the supply of remdesivir.

Antiviral Drugs Market Trends

The COVID-19 pandemic has boosted antiviral medicine sales. The market is growing due to a sudden rise in the number of COVID-19 cases and the primary focus of medical facilities on the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Furthermore, several pharmaceutical companies are focusing on new drug development in order to provide more effective treatment and better patient results. For instance, Cipla Inc. teamed with Gilead Sciences in May 2020 to manufacture and distribute remdesivir to treat COVID-19 patients in over 127 countries. As a result, aggressive collaborations and strategic efforts by market competitors to widen their antiviral medication manufacturing capacities in order to serve a large patient base have fueled the global market share.

The global anti-viral medications market share is being pushed by an increase in the reported rate of viral disorders. Furthermore, an increase in R&D activities and the expansion of more recent and updated details, like vaccinations and combined therapy, are expected to drive the antiviral drug market.

The production of a safe, efficient, and targeted antiviral from the structure to the ground requires time and limits the market revenue and profit. Potential viral pandemics emphasize the need for broad-spectrum antiviral medications, such as direct-acting antivirals, that can be rapidly deployed on a large scale to prevent viral spread until adequate vaccines are developed. Increasing infection prevention methods and vaccination accessibility knowledge is also expected to restrict the market of antiviral drugs.

Increased partnerships for antiviral drug development and manufacturing are expected to result in the development of several innovative drugs in the forecast period. The leading competitors in the market are collaborating on the research and development of innovative treatments to reduce the strain of virus antiviral drugs. For instance, In December 2021, Cipla Limited announced the acquisition of approximately 33% of an equity stake in Clean Max Auriga Power Limited Liability Partnership. The agreement is aligned with the business' goal to grow the use of renewable resources in its activities and to achieve the legal standards for just being a captive user under power generation regulations.

Drug Class Insights

The reverse transcriptase inhibitors segment dominated the market for antiviral drugs and accounted for the largest revenue share of 49.0% in 2020. The segment is anticipated to maintain its dominance over the forecast period. The high share of reverse transcriptase inhibitors can be attributed to the increasing diagnosis and treatment rate of HIV, as these medicines are mainly used to treat HIV infection and the high effectiveness of these drugs against viral infections. Moreover, the presence of reverse transcriptase inhibitors in the pipeline will fuel the demand for these drugs in the coming years. The drug class includes Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs) and Non-nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTIs).

The protease inhibitors segment held the second-largest revenue share in 2020 and is anticipated to witness a CAGR of -1.4% over the forecast period. The decline in the segment growth can be attributed to increasing vaccination against viral infections and reduced R&D activities in the development of protease inhibitors.

Type Insights

The branded segment dominated the market and accounted for the largest revenue share of 57.2% in 2020. The segment is expected to maintain its dominance over the forecast period. Branded antiviral medicines such as Biktarvy, Genvoya, Triumeq, Mavyret, and Prezista hold a significant share of the market. The high adoption rate of branded drugs in the North American and European markets and the high cost of drugs are expected to drive the segment.

Increasing demand for the generic version of antiviral drugs in developing countries due to its cost-effectiveness is driving the generics segment. The generic antiviral drugs segment is highly competitive and price-sensitive. The presence of a large number of generic pharmaceutical manufacturers such as Cipla Inc., Aurobindo Pharma, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd., Mylan, and others make the market highly competitive for generic antiviral drugs.

Application Insights

The HIV segment dominated the market and held the largest revenue share of 44.1% in 2020. The segment is expected to witness the fastest growth rate over the forecast period. The high prevalence of HIV infection coupled with a high treatment rate, presence of branded drugs, and government initiatives to increase the treatment rate is estimated to drive the market at a higher growth rate. For instance, in 2019, the U.S. government announced the Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) plan to end the HIV epidemic in the country by 2030. The initiative seeks to reduce HIV infections and improve the diagnosis and treatment rate in the U.S. Moreover, the presence of strong pipeline drugs for HIV infection will also fuel market growth over the forecast period.

The hepatitis segment held the second-largest revenue share in 2020. Increasing vaccination against hepatitis A and B is affecting the growth adversely. Moreover, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased the growth of the others segment in 2020. Due to COVID-19, the others segment share increased from 6.3% to 23.5% from 2019 to 2020.

Regional Insights

North America dominated the market and accounted for the largest revenue share in 2020. The region is expected to witness a CAGR of -1.8% over the forecast period. The market decline can be attributed to the loss of market exclusivity of branded drugs, increasing vaccination rate against viral infections, and government initiatives to reduce the incidence of viral infections. For instance, the U.S. government is undertaking various measures including investment in infectious diseases programs and promoting the R&D activities of innovative therapies to manage viral infections.

In Asia Pacific, the market for antiviral drugs is anticipated to witness the fastest growth rate during the forecast period. The high growth of the market can be attributed to the increasing prevalence and treatment rate of viral infections, developing healthcare infrastructure in the region, and increasing awareness among people regarding infectious diseases. Moreover, the strong presence of generic pharmaceutical manufacturing companies in India, China, and other South Asian countries and the increasing geriatric population in the region are some of the key factors driving the segment growth.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

A number of generic pharmaceutical companies are involved in the manufacturing and distribution of antiviral drugs making the global market highly competitive. However, Gilead Sciences, Inc. and GlaxoSmithKline plc. helda significant market share in 2020 and these companies also have potential pipeline drugs expected to be commercialized over the forecast period.

Recent Developments

• In May 2022, Cipla Limited, in partnership with Genes2Me Pvt. Ltd., announced the commercialization of the 'RT-Direct' multiplex COVID-19 RT PCR Test kit in India. Cipla is increasing its diagnostics portfolio in an attempt to take more innovative and innovative solutions to the market.

• In March 2022, Scripps Research, a non-profit research and technology and drug discovery organization, and AbbVie Inc. established a strategic collaboration to investigate novel, immediate antiviral treatments for COVID-19.

Some of the prominent players in the antiviral drugs market include:

• F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.

• GlaxoSmithKline plc

• AbbVie

• Merck & Co., Inc.

• Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc.

• Bristol-Myers Squibb Company

• Cipla Inc.

• Aurobindo Pharma

• Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd.

Antiviral Drugs Market Report Scope

Global Antiviral Drugs Market 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 2017 to 2028. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global antiviral drugs market report on the basis of drug class, type, application, and region.

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

  • DNA Polymerase Inhibitors

  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors

  • Protease Inhibitors

  • Neuraminidase Inhibitors

  • Others

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

  • Branded

  • Generics

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

  • HIV

  • Hepatitis

  • Herpes

  • Influenza

  • 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

    • Australia

    • South Korea

  • Latin America

    • Argentina

    • Brazil

    • Mexico

    • Colombia

  • Middle East & Africa

    • Saudi Arabia

    • UAE

    • South Africa