Medical Adhesives Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Resin (Acrylic, Silicone), By Technology, By Application, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2019 - 2025

Industry Insights

The global medical adhesives market size was valued at USD 9.3 billion in 2018 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.0% from 2019 to 2025. Faster operating speed associated with the utilization of medical adhesives over traditional wound closure techniques such as stitches is predicted to drive market growth in the future.

The recent trend indicates market players adopting superior, yet cost-effective solutions with low maintenance & easy handling to gain a competitive advantage over existing competitors in the industry. Technological innovations have led to the development of environment-friendly and biocompatible adhesives for surgical applications.

Medical adhesives are currently used in diverse applications ranging from medical device assembly to internal & external medical applications. For instance, the closing of skin wounds through stitching is now being replaced by special cyanoacrylates. The advantage offered by these products is that the whole wound can be covered. This method suppresses secondary bleeding and thereby reduces the risk of infection.

According to the World Health Organization, the global population is suffering from an epidemic of an unhealthy lifestyles. According to the organization, cardiovascular diseases are directly linked to an unhealthy lifestyle.  As a result, there is a sharp rise in the number of people that are afflicted with cardiovascular diseases. Further, the applications of the product in internal medical applications such as heart surgeries are expanding. For instance, fibrin-based adhesives which act as a key binding agent having a hemostatic effect are witnessing rapid growth in heart surgery.

In addition, the rising global elderly population is a critical factor supporting market growth. According to the United Nations, the global population aged 60 years or over was estimated at 962 million in 2017. According to the United Nations projections, the number of older persons is predicted to double by 2050 and reach 2.1 billion. The elderly population is more susceptible to various diseases than the younger population. This is likely to create a suitable platform for market growth over the coming years.

Resin Insights

Acrylics dominated the market with a revenue share of 44.8% in 2018. It is expected to maintain its dominance over the coming years. The use of acrylics is evident in vivid applications ranging from dental to the assembly of medical devices and equipment. Moreover, they are also utilized in internal as well as exterior medical applications such as skin tissue adhesives.

The demand for silicone-based medical adhesives is driven by their ability to provide adhesion to silicon and other difficult-to adhere substrates. In addition, they are characterized by extreme weather resistance and have longer durability as compared to acrylics. They are generally used in external applications in the form of medical tapes. However, the adoption of these products is restricted by their significantly higher cost as compared to other resins.

The ability of epoxy adhesives to cross-link provides them superior thermal and chemical resistance as compared to other resins. They are widely utilized for deep-section potting of medical components and needle assembly, due to their ability to fill large gaps and bond to a variety of substrates. They are also utilized in the creation of access ports that are embedded underneath the patients’ skin who require multiple infusions.

Other resins include natural products such as plasma & protein-based, chitosan-based, collagen-based, fibrin-based, and albumin-based adhesives. They are extensively utilized for internal medical applications and are predicted to penetrate the market at a significant rate owing to their biocompatibility and hemostatic effect.

Technology Insights

Reactive & other technologies including one component reactive (heat cure, moisture cure, and radiation cure), two-component reactive, and self-cure and dual-cure adhesives dominated the market with a volume share of 83.7% in 2018. Light cure and dual-cure are the major technologies utilized in dental applications. Whereas, in internal medical applications, adhesives are generally bio-based and are based on two components of reactive technology.

Hot melt technology does not require drying, as with water or solvent-based technology, and has excellent adhesion properties. The flexibility offered by hot melts to bond on both smooth and rough surfaces is a significant factor in facilitating the faster growth of this segment. Moreover, hot melts are solvent-free, environment friendly, and have a fast-setting speed. Hot melts are preferred over water-based products in transdermal patches in order to maintain strong adhesion over wet skin.

In water-based technology, water is used as a carrier or diluting medium and is allowed to be set by evaporation, or absorbed by the substrate. These products are typically formulated as acrylic polymer emulsions in water. They deliver excellent adhesion to polar substrates and provide good transparency retention and high resistance to extreme environmental conditions.

In solvent-based technology, organic solvents are used as a carrier or diluting medium as well as for surface preparation and clean-up. The demand for solvent-based adhesives is expected to grow at a minimal rate owing to environment and worker safety regulations and increasing crude oil prices. The use of high-performance medical adhesives as accurate, clean, and fast bonding solutions is a significant factor driving the growth of solvent-based technology.

Application Insights

Internal medical applications dominated the global medical adhesives market in 2018. It is also estimated to grow the fastest with a CAGR of 8.6% from 2019 to 2025, in terms of revenue. Bioadhesives are typically used for internal medical applications and are primarily utilized in intracorporal conditions which require direct contact with organs, tissues, and body fluids. These products are primarily used for reducing bleeding complications inside the body.

External medical applications include wound dressing, skin tissue adhesives, transdermal patches, bandages, surgical drapes, electrodes, and ostomy care. Adhesives in this category are replacing traditional closure methods such as wires, sutures, and staples owing to several limitations of this technique.

Products in dental applications include adhesive resins and self-adhesive resins. These products act as a glue to hold together the casting to the tooth structure. They are generally based on acrylic, methyl acrylate, or diacrylate polymers combined with adhesive monomers that have strong bonding capabilities to metal substrates. They may require separate primers to bond to metal, ceramic, and tooth substrates.

In medical devices & equipment, adhesives are used for anesthesia-mask bonding, hearing-aid molding, needle assembly, polycarbonate component assembly (e.g. heat exchangers, blood oxygenators, and surgical pumps), and bonding of other medical devices. The substrate versatility, strong thermal & chemical resistance, low shrinkage, high gap filling, high peel, and rapid cure offered by the product are the significant factors driving their growth in medical devices & equipment.

Regional Insights

North America dominated the market with a revenue share of 32.7% in 2018. Increased patient awareness levels regarding wound infections and diseases and the rapidly increasing geriatric population in this region, especially in the U.S. are the major factors contributing to market growth. The shift of the market player’s focus toward advanced wound dressings compared to the traditional staple and suture methods is the major trend witnessed in this region.

Europe was the second-largest market in 2018. Europe has the most technologically advanced healthcare industry in the world after North America. As a result, the European market has witnessed tremendous product innovations and new product developments for internal medical applications. According to the European Heart Network, cardiovascular disease accounts for 45% of all deaths in Europe, which is a significant factor in the large consumption of the product.

In terms of revenue, Asia Pacific is estimated to be the fastest-growing market with a CAGR of 9.6% from 2019 to 2025. According to United Nations Populations Funds (UNFPA), Asia Pacific represents 60% of the global population. The high growth rate of the already wide population base in the Asia Pacific coupled with increasing healthcare spending in the region is the primary factors stimulating the product demand in the Asia Pacific.

The exponential increase in the number of ambulatory surgical centers in China is expected to influence product consumption. This growing number of ambulatory surgical centers may be attributed to the various advantages which include lesser chances of infection, and the surgeries being more economical. Medical adhesives are now being developed that are economical and offer maximum protection from infection, while simultaneously reducing skin irritation for patients.

Medical Adhesives Market Share Insights

The global medical adhesives market is characterized by the presence of numerous big and small players. The major market players include 3M, Baxter International, Stryker, Dentsply, Bostik SA, H.B. Fuller Company, and Henkel AG & Co. KGaA. Since the market is highly competitive in nature, the players are engaged in increasing their competitive share by means of strategic initiatives such as new product developments, and mergers & acquisitions.

New product development is a significant strategy adopted by major players in the industry. For instance, in April 2017, Baxter International, the leader in manufacturing surgical adhesives, unveiled new designs to enhance the company’s FLOSEAL and TISSEEL hemostatic products.

Report Scope

Segments covered in the report

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional & country levels and provides an analysis on the industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2014 to 2025. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global medical adhesives market report on the basis of resin, technology, application, and region:

• Resin Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, Volume, Kilotons, 2014 - 2025)

  • Acrylic

  • Polyurethane

  • Epoxy

  • Silicone

  • Others

• Technology Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, Volume, Kilotons, 2014 - 2025)

  • Water based

  • Solvent based

  • Hot melt

  • Reactive & others

• Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, Volume, Kilotons 2014 - 2025)

  • Dental

  • Medical device & equipment

  • Internal medical application

  • External medical application

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, Volume, Kilotons, 2014 - 2025)

  • North America

    • The U.S.

    • Canada

    • Mexico

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • The UK

    • France

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • India

    • Japan

  • South & Central America

    • Brazil

  • Middle East and Africa

    • South Africa