mRNA Synthesis Raw Materials Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Type (Capping Agents, Nucleotides, Plasmid DNA), By Application, By End-user, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2023 - 2030

Report Overview

The global mRNA synthesis raw materials market size was valued at USD 3,072.1 million in 2022 and is anticipated to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.1% by 2030. mRNA is synthesized by the process of transcription in the nucleus by using a template made up of a DNA nucleotide sequence. It includes various steps such as initiation, elongation, editing, and termination. mRNA synthesis has a broad range of applications in drug discovery, vaccine development, and the manufacturing of therapeutics. RNA-based vaccines have better immunogenicity, higher efficiency, and require short production time. The key factors driving the market growth include the growing academic and industrial interest in mRNA technology, the advantages of mRNA vaccines, and increasing funding for research.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created new opportunities for mRNA technology platforms with the introduction and widespread use of vaccines. Government agencies from several nations, research institutions, and numerous biotech and pharmaceutical companies are focusing on efficient and quick methods for the rapid detection of COVID-19. mRNA vaccines are a safe and efficient method for preventing COVID-19. In addition, the advantages associated with the mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines have sparked the attention of pharmaceutical businesses in delivering vaccines swiftly across the globe. For instance, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and Moderna, Inc. mutually developed the mRNA-1273 (NIAID) in March 2020. It shows 94.1% efficacy in symptomatic prevention from COVID-19 and in December 2020, received emergency use authorization from the US Food & Drug Administration (US FDA) for widespread immunization of people. As a result, the usage of mRNA vaccines increased exponentially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recently, RNA centers have been established at numerous institutions to promote therapeutic uses of RNA, particularly in vitro transcribed (IVT) mRNA. These facilities include the Yale Center for RNA Science and Medicine, the RNA Institute at the University of Albany, the State University of New York, and the RNA Therapeutic Institute at the University of Massachusetts in the United States. Additionally, university spin-off businesses funded by significant venture capital infusions such as Argos Medicines, Factor Bioscience, CureVac, Ethris, BioNTech, Moderna, eTheRNA, and Onkaido have advanced the preclinical and clinical development of mRNA-based therapeutics. Hence, growing academic and industrial interest in mRNA technology is anticipated to increase the need for mRNA synthesis raw materials, thereby boosting market growth.

Furthermore, the simplicity to manufacture the mRNA vaccine is a key reason for the development of these vaccines. For instance, it is essential for DNA to enter the nucleus, and then it can be transcribed into mRNA. However, mRNA does not need to enter the nucleus to function as it initiates protein translation in the cytoplasm. Hence, this process makes the mRNA vaccine more efficient and simple to manufacture. In contrast to viral vectors and DNA, mRNAs do not insert into the genome but express the encoded protein instantaneously. Typical cellular processes can eliminate the mRNA since it doesn’t integrate into the host genome, thus eliminating any chance of infection or insertion mutation. In addition, the In Vitro Transcription (IVT) process readily synthesizes mRNA. The process is relatively inexpensive and can be quickly applied to a variety of therapies. Such advantages of mRNA vaccines are anticipated to drive the market during the study period.

Moreover, several operating players in the market and various research institutes are receiving funding for the development of novel mRNA therapeutics. For instance, in October 2022, the University of Columbia received USD 11.1 million in funding from the government of Canada to advance the mRNA vaccine technology. This funding aims to improve their efficacy, reduce the potential side effects of vaccines, and allow for a smaller vaccine dosage. Similarly, in December 2022, ExPLoRNA Therapeutics received USD 813,578 in funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to further develop its mRNA technology. Therefore, rising funding for research is expected to increase the need for mRNA synthesis raw materials and fuel the market growth during the forecast period.

Additionally, the growing prevalence of chronic and infectious diseases is increasing the therapeutic application of mRNA technology. For instance, according to WHO, cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, causing almost one in six deaths, while cardiovascular diseases lead to an estimated 17.9 million deaths each year. In addition, according to WHO, about 10 million people worldwide contracted tuberculosis in 2020 (1.1 million children, 5.6 million men, & 3.3 million women). Hence, scientists in industries and universities worldwide are finding novel and innovative ways to develop therapeutics using mRNA technology to prevent and treat disease. For instance, researchers at Penn Medicine are using the mRNA platform to create vaccines for several conditions such as cancer, treatment for food and environmental allergies, genetic diseases, and heart attack and stroke, among others.

Type Insights

In 2022, the capping agents segment dominated the global industry, accounting for 40.65% of total revenue. Capping and tailing are important steps in the production of active mRNA for use in functional studies. In eukaryotes, these steps prevent degradation and facilitate translation. Capping agents function as binding molecules or stabilizers, preventing steric hindrance or agglomeration. Hence, the key functions of capping agents in mRNA synthesis are driving segment growth.

Furthermore, the capping agents segment is anticipated to expand at the fastest CAGR of 2.26% during the forecast period. This can be attributed to the development of modern alternatives to the enzymatic capping of mRNA. Key players in the market are developing capping technology for industries to support the development of mRNA therapeutics and vaccines. For instance, TriLink developed CleanCap technology that offers GMP-grade CleanCap reagents. These reagents help to develop 5’ Cap1 mRNA with 95% efficiency in a quick and easiest method. As a result, the continuous advancements of capping technology are anticipated to boost segment growth and fuel the market.

Application Insights

The vaccine production segment held the largest market share of 85.3% in 2022 in terms of revenue. This can be attributed to the rapid production of mRNA vaccines compared to the conventional vaccines that utilize cell-culture-based production paths, which are often prone to failure. Moreover, advancements in mRNA, coupled with the need to ramp up production capacity to meet global demand, are providing opportunities to build flexible vaccine manufacturing facilities globally. For instance, in December 2022, the construction of a large-scale mRNA manufacturing facility commenced in Australia. The facility is expected to be operational in 2024 and aims to produce up to 100 million doses of vaccine annually for respiratory diseases caused by viruses such as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus. Hence, such increasing demand for vaccines is driving the need for raw materials, thereby boosting market growth.

The therapeutics production segment is expected to expand at the fastest CAGR of 2.98% during 2023-2030, due to the increasing prevalence of various chronic and infectious diseases. For instance, according to WHO, about 10.6 million people worldwide contracted tuberculosis in 2021 (1.2 million children, 6 million men, & 3.4 million women). mRNA-based therapeutics not only present promising treatment strategies for several diseases but also helps in prevention. Hence, there is an increase in clinical trials and in vivo models to produce various therapeutics based on mRNA platforms, which is likely to aid revenue generation in this segment.

End-user Insights

The biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical companies segment dominated the market and accounted for the highest revenue share of 49.3% in 2022, due to the high commercial success of biopharmaceuticals and rapid growth in demand for therapeutics. Significant growth in the pharmaceutical industry pipeline has boosted the need for mRNA synthesis raw materials for the discovery of novel therapeutics. For instance, according to data from Informa, Moderna is the company with the most mRNA drugs in the pipeline with 46 drugs, followed by BioNTech with 29, CureVac with 19, Sanofi with 11, Pfizer with 10, GSK with 5, and AstraZeneca with 4.

Moreover, the biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical segment is also expected to expand at a rapid pace during 2023-2030, owing to the increasing approvals of mRNA-based vaccines. For instance, in August 2022, a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine developed by Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech received approval from the FDA for use as a booster dose. Thus, increasing focus on pipeline and government approvals by biopharmaceutical & pharmaceutical companies is significantly increasing the demand for these raw materials and contributing to segment growth.

Regional Insights

North America captured the largest market share of 35.5% in 2022, owing to the presence of an established biopharmaceutical and CRO industry in the region, as well as a high extent of R&D activities. In addition, the local presence of operating players such as BOC Sciences, Maravai LifeSciences, and New England Biolabs, among others, is expected to further drive the market in the region.

Furthermore, the North American region is also projected to expand at the fastest CAGR by 2030. This can be attributed to the increasing number of clinical trials, availability of research funding, and expanding federal programs toward RNA-based medicines in the region due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has positively affected the market in North America.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The market is growing at a rapid pace due to the various strategic initiatives adopted by key companies involved. For instance, in February 2022, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. and Moderna entered into a 15-year strategic collaboration for large-scale manufacturing of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine, Spikevax, in the U.S. and other investigational mRNA medicines in its pipeline. Some of the prominent players in the global mRNA synthesis raw materials market include:

• F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. 

• Jena Bioscience GmbH

• Merck KGaA

• Yeasen Biotechnology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. 

• BOC Sciences

• Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.

• Maravai LifeSciences

• New England Biolabs

• Creative Biogene

• HONGENE

mRNA Synthesis Raw Materials Market Report Scope

Global mRNA Synthesis Raw Materials 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 2018 to 2030. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global mRNA synthesis raw materials market report on the basis of type, application, end-user, and region:

• Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Capping Agents

  • Nucleotides

  • Plasmid DNA

  • Others

• Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Therapeutics Production

  • Vaccine Production

  • Others

• End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Biopharmaceutical & Pharmaceutical Companies

  • CROs & CMOs

  • Academic & Research Institutions

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • U.K.

    • France

    • Italy

    • Spain

    • Denmark

    • Sweden

    • Norway

  • Asia Pacific

    • Japan

    • China

    • India

    • South Korea

    • Australia

    • Thailand

  • Latin America

    • Brazil

    • Mexico

    • Argentina

  • Middle East and Africa (MEA)

    • South Africa

    • Saudi Arabia

    • UAE

    • Kuwait