Unit Dose Manufacturing Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Sourcing (In-house, Outsourcing), By Product (Liquid Unit Dose, Solid Unit Dose), By End Use, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028

Report Overview

The global unit dose manufacturing market size was valued at USD 16.0 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.2% from 2021 to 2028. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the market in the year 2020. But the market is expected to grow due to the increased adoption of unit doses as they help in reducing medication errors. However, COVID-19 has long-term as well as short-term effects on the market. The short-term effects include induced demand and panic buying, shortages of active pharmaceutical ingredients, and changes in research and development. The long-term changes include delays in the approval of the products not related to COVID-19, ethical issues, consumption changes in health-related products, and reaching self-sufficiency in the pharmaceutical product supply chain.

The advantages of unit dose dispensing are that the drug is fully identifiable and the integrity of the dosage form is protected until the actual moment of administration. If the drug is not used and the container is intact, the drug may be retrieved without compromising its formulations. Besides, unit dose-packed oral solid medications are subjected to FDA action.

Unit dose repacking is one more method that has gained momentum as unit doses need to be packed in containers for hospitals for their further use. As their use has grown, a concern has arisen about their stability, formulation contamination, and the expiration of the product. For unit dose repackaged products assigned and labeled with an expiration date not exceeding the shorter of 6 months from the date of repackaging or 25% of the time between the repackaging date and the original expiration date, the FDA does not intend to take action regarding nonconformance with expiration dating determined by stability studies.

In conclusion, unit dosages improved patient and staff safety standards. They aid in the elimination of the possibility of erroneous dosing. They enable quick and efficient monitoring through the use of electronic documents. It's easy to spot any damaged containers when the liquid unit doses are used. Furthermore, unit doses reduce the expense of unneeded medication for patients.

Sourcing Insights

The outsourcing segment dominated the market with a revenue share of over 55.0% in 2020. The market is estimated to become 3.55 times of itself by 2028. This segment is also expected to grow at the fastest rate over the forecasted period. This is due to cost efficiency, specialized facilities provided, and a large amount of time saved by CDMOs.

Pharmaceutical companies that manufacture unit dosages are included in the in-house segment. The in-house segment is projected to exhibit gradual growth over the forecasted period due to increasing outsourcing activity. The main reasons are that medium-sized pharmaceutical businesses lack the money and infrastructure to support their business. Also, for new businesses, it is difficult to acquire experienced and competent full-time staff. Hence, in these cases, outsourcing is preferred.

Product Insights

The solid unit dose segment dominated the market and accounted for over 45.0% share of the global revenue in 2020. This growth is due to the formulations having a better shelf life. Besides, they are cost-effective, efficient, and simple to use. The solid dose is well understood, and it is accepted globally.

The solid unit dose is expected to witness rapid expansion in the coming years. This is due to fixed-dose combinations, controlled-release dosage forms, and reformulations of existing drugs, which are some of the factors that are driving the contract manufacturing of solid dosage formulations.

End-use Insights

The independent pharmacies segment accounted for the largest revenue share of over 30.0% in 2020. It is estimated to become 4.01 times of itself by 2028. The segment is also anticipated to register the fastest growth rate over the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to patient preference, different types of products offered by the establishment, and high patient footfall.

The hospitals segment accounted for the second-largest revenue share in 2020. Unit dose packaging is extremely beneficial in hospitals. In hospitals and long-term care institutions, small improvements make it safer and more efficient for patients and health personnel. Unit dose packaging was created to develop safety while cutting down on time and effort required to make a pharmaceutical medication. Furthermore, a single-dose container has its own barcode. This makes it quick and easy for medical personnel to keep track of any medication given to a patient.

Regional Insights

The North American market held the largest revenue share of over 35.0% in 2020. A patient-centric drug development approach is adopted by most drug product manufacturers, big pharma companies, generics, and nutraceutical segments. To meet patient needs, they introduce products with innovative packaging technologies and delivery solutions.

The growth of unit dose manufacturing in North America is due to high healthcare expenditure, well-established healthcare infrastructure, the presence of dominant market players, and the flourishing pharmaceutical industry in the region. Moreover, the growing geriatric population and rising prevalence of chronic diseases in the region will boost market growth during the forecast period.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The key players apply many strategies such as the launch of new products and their upgradation, collaborations, partnerships, and mergers and acquisitions to strengthen their presence in the market.  For instance, in August 2020, Unither Pharmaceuticals acquired Nanjing Ruinian Best Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. This acquisition was expected to expand its operations in China and provide them with expertise in drug development and single-dose sterile preservative-free pharmaceuticals. Some prominent players in the global unit dose manufacturing market include:

• Catalent Inc.

• Patheon (Thermo fisher)

• Unither

• Tapemark

• Mikart

• Renaissance Lakewood, LLC

• Medical packaging, Inc.

• CordenPharma

• American Health Packaging

Unit Dose Manufacturing 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 2016 to 2028. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global unit dose manufacturing market report on the basis of sourcing, product, end-use, and region:

• Sourcing Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

  • In-house

  • Outsourcing

• Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

  • Liquid Unit Dose

  • Solid Unit Dose

  • Others

• End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

  • Independent Pharmacies

  • Long Term Care Facility

  • Hospitals

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

  • Europe

    • U.K.

    • Germany

    • France

    • Italy

    • Spain

  • Asia Pacific

    • India

    • Japan

    • China

  • Latin America

    • Brazil

    • Mexico

    • Argentina

  • Middle East & Africa

    • South Africa

    • Saudi Arabia

    • UAE