DOWNSTREAM PROCESSING MARKET SIZE AND SHARE ANALYSIS - GROWTH TRENDS AND FORECASTS (2024-2031)

Market Size and Trends

The Global Downstream Processing Market is estimated to be valued at USD 205.1 Mn in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 246.2 Mn by 2031, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.6% from 2024 to 2031.

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The downstream processing market is expected to witness rapid growth owing to increasing demand for biopharmaceutical products such as monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, and recombinant proteins. The need for developing large-scale manufacturing capacities and lowering the costs involved in production while maintaining quality standards will further aid the revenue generation in the downstream processing industry. The rising demand for biotherapeutics along with an increasing amount of funds being invested in research and development are some of the key factors driving the market growth. Additionally, the rapid uptake of single-use technologies to improve process flexibility and productivity is expected to support the market growth during the forecast period.

Rising government funding and investment in biopharmaceutical industries

Increasing government funding and investments in biopharmaceutical industries have significantly boosted the global downstream processing market growth in recent years. As governments across the world look to strengthen healthcare infrastructures and increase universal access to critical medicines, there has been a coordinated push to bolster domestic production of vaccines and biologics. Advanced economies like the US, UK, Germany have announced massive funding packages, while emerging markets like India, China have provided lucrative production-linked incentives. This surge in public support for indigenous drug manufacturing has cascaded into increased demand for downstream processing equipment, consumables and services. Bioprocessing facilities catering to government-backed projects require sophisticated downstream processing setups to meet stringent quality standards for large-scale production. For instance, in July 2021, the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) was granted a total of USD 153 million from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) under the United States Department of Commerce. Additionally, as a component of the American Rescue Plan, NIIMBL received USD 83 million over three years from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to support research and development endeavors aimed at preventing, preparing for, and addressing coronavirus outbreaks.

Advancing Bioprocessing Technologies

With the biopharmaceutical industry continually expanding, so too are the demands on downstream processing. As therapeutic monoclonal antibody and recombinant protein production increases in scale and complexity, manufacturers require more sophisticated methods for recovery, purification and formulation. New technologies that improve yields, throughput and product quality are high priorities. Continuous manufacturing platforms allow for real-time monitoring and control across separation, filtration and chromatography steps. This brings increased process understanding and flexibility compared to traditional batch operations. Membrane adsorbers are gaining favor for their ability to consolidate multiple unit operations into single-use cassettes. Their effectiveness at capturing targets from crude feedstocks while allowing rapid, scalable elution assists in meeting tight timelines. Looking further ahead, integrated modular systems incorporating multiple separation technologies promise to automate downstream workflows from start to finish. If successful in demonstrating reliable performance at commercial biomanufacturing scales, such integrated solutions could help facilities boost productivity and reduce unit costs by streamlining changeovers between campaigns.