Upstream Bioprocessing Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Bioreactors, Cell Culture), By Workflow, By Use Type, By Mode (In House, Outsourced), And Segment Forecasts, 2019 - 2026

Report Overview

The global upstream bioprocessing market size was valued at USD 4.77 billion in 2018 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.90% from 2019 to 2026. One of the key factors that have driven the is the growing implementation of Process Analytical Technology (PAT) strategy as a mechanism to design, analyze, and optimize processes through timely measurements of critical process parameters.

PAT has been leveraged to examine the performance of cell culture production based on parameters such as real-time nutrient analysis and inline monitoring of cell density. This in turn, impacts the Critical Quality Attributes (CQA) of the overall upstream bioprocessing and aids in improving productivity of the process.

Furthermore, increasing productivity of cell lines has significantly improved the performance of upstream processing in terms of capital requirement and process reproducibility, as the high productive cultures involve low operating costs and the use of smaller bioreactors.

Considering viral and bacterial contamination as a constant threat to the process, key vendors engage in the development of novel products to mitigate the contamination risk and to diminish the chances of attrition of the final product. For instance, in February 2018, Merck introduced Viresolve Barrier capsule filters to address the challenge associated with bioreactor and cell culture media contamination.

The paradigm shift from conventional stainless-steel bioreactors to single-use products has provided substantial production advantages for upstream applications. In response to the growing acceptance of single-use technology, Abzena, a biopharmaceutical manufacturer selected Sartorius Stedim Biotech to equip its Bristol-based facilities in single-use (SU) format.

Moreover, the implementation of a high throughput bioreactor system enables the rapid screening of media, feed, and operating conditions for identification of the high titer-producing cell line. This further drives the adoption of the upstream bioprocessing workflows.

Product Insights

Availability of a wide range of bioreactors/fermenters along with the high usage of bioreactors in large as well small-scale bioproduction marks the larger revenue share of the bioreactors. Moreover, the development of automated bioreactors for safe, cost-effective, and regulatory-compliant manufacturing of cell-based products for clinical applications has driven the segment growth.

Rising demand for high titer producing cell cultures can be attributed to the lucrative growth rate of cell culture products. High adoption of recombinant Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell line as a cost-effective option provided by the established companies fuels the segment growth. On the other hand, startup biotech companies outsource the entire CHO cell-based production process for more effective biomanufacturing in terms of time and yield.

The use of patented cell lines offers a high success rate in the cell cultivation process, because the use of patented cell lines have a proven track record concerning minimal regulatory risk and efficient commercial production. Aforementioned advantages positively impact the long-term value propositions for the companies operating in the upstream bioprocessing market.

Workflow Insights

Cell culture step is expected to maintain its dominance in terms of revenue share throughout the forecast period, due to the ongoing technological advancements in cell culture systems, such as, development of micro-bioreactors to facilitate small scale bioproduction.

The developments in biological data analysis and data management fields provide critical quality attributes related to cell cultivation. Constant improvements in the high throughput analytics and development of multi-bioreactor systems have driven the revenue in this segment.

Cell separation workflow accounted for the lowest penetration with respect to revenue share is expected to grow at a significant pace in the forthcoming years. Factors that can be attributed to the projected growth include implementation of flocculants to enhance the throughput in centrifugation and the advent of single-use tubular bowl centrifuges.

Use Type Insights

Multi-use products accounted for the largest share of the market for upstream bioprocessing in 2018 due to the high usage of conventional stainless-steel bioreactors for commercial biomanufacturing. Moreover, these systems impose lower environmental impact as compared to single-use systems and are associated with minimal leakage risk during the cell culture.

On the other hand, the cost-saving advantage of the single-use products is anticipated to drive the adoption of these systems with a notable growth rate. Disposable systems abolish the need for sterilization or cleaning steps, which in turn, reduces the additional expenses incurred during sterilization, process validation, assembly, and maintenance processes, which is mandatory in multi-use assemblies.

Furthermore, growing realization of single-use technology as an operational and economically beneficial trend among contract manufacturers has spurred the adoption of these products. Contract service providers are making significant investments for the expansion of service portfolio in upstream workflows and for capturing major share in the market for upstream bioprocessing.

Mode Insights

In-house segment captured the largest revenue share due to the presence of a substantial number of well-established firms that prefer in-house manufacturing. These firms consider outsourcing as a risk associated with the loss of strategic control over the process and limited management oversight. Moreover, such manufacturers have cross-functional teams for conducting advanced production techniques during biopharmaceutical production.

Furthermore, the inclusion of outsourcing activities as cost-saving efforts has increased the complexity pertaining to the planning and decision-making process for biopharmaceutical manufacturing. As a result, big pharma companies tend to adhere to their in-house facilities for biopharmaceutical manufacturing.

However, expansion of the contract manufacturing service portfolio has contributed to a considerable extent in making bioproduction more efficient and affordable. This is particularly witnessed among smaller and emerging entities that face budget constraints. These entities consider CMOs as a viable solution to address their resource and capital challenges.

Regional Insights

North America accounted for the largest upstream bioprocessing market share in 2018. Initiatives undertaken by U.S.-based public and private entities to provide higher profit margins by the virtue of the expansion of resources in the country has contributed to the largest revenue share of this region.

For instance, in February 2019, Jefferson (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University) announced the establishment of the Jefferson Institute for Bioprocessing to train industry professionals and engineering students for biologics manufacturing. Jefferson collaborated with the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training to implement this initiative.

Asia Pacific is expected to witness the fastest growth throughout the forecast period owing to the increasing number of players entering the Asian biopharmaceutical market. Moreover, Asian countries are envisioned as a lucrative source of revenue, thus resulting in significant investments from global in the Asian economies to mark their business footprint and capture significant share.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

Key players implement multiple endeavors to keep up with the market competition and to enhance their revenue share. For instance, in September 2018, Thermo Fisher signed an agreement with Becton, Dickinson and Company to acquire its advanced bioprocessing business that comprises of cell culture media, feed, and supplements to support the upstream biopharmaceutical manufacturing process. The acquisition of this unit strengthened the Thermo Fisher’s bioproduction offering in the bioprocessing industry. Moreover, rising preferences for single-use technology within the bioprocessing industry has encouraged the vendors to adopt various business models to effectively serve the growing customer base for single-use upstream bioprocessing. Some of the prominent players in the upstream bioprocessing market include:

• Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc

• GE Healthcare

• Merck KGaA

• Corning, Inc.

• Sartorius AG

• Eppendorf AG

• Applikon Biotechnology

• Lonza

• PBS Biotech, Inc.

• CellGenix GmbH

• Boehringer Ingelheim

• Samsung BioLogics

• Patheon

• CMC Biologics

• JM BIOCONNECT

• Danaher Corporation

Upstream Bioprocessing Market Report Scope

Segments Covered in the Report

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 2015 to 2026. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global upstream bioprocessing market report on the basis of product, workflow, use-type, mode, and region:

• Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 - 2026)

  • Bioreactors/Fermenters

  • Cell Culture Products

  • Filters

  • Bioreactors Accessories

  • Bags & Containers

  • Others

• Workflow Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 - 2026)

  • Media Preparation

  • Cell Culture

  • Cell Separation

• Use Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 - 2026)

  • Multi-use

  • Single-use

• Mode Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 - 2026)

  • In-house

  • Outsourced

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 - 2026)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • France

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • India

  • Latin America

    • Brazil

  • Middle East and Africa (MEA)

    • South Africa