Bioreactors Market (2025-2032)
The Bioreactors Market was valued at $18.67 billion in 2024. This market is expected to reach $39.96 billion by 2032, from an estimated $20.38 billion in 2025, at a CAGR of 10.1% during the forecast period 2025-2032. Bioreactors Market Size & Forecast The growth of the bioreactors market can be attributed
- Published
- Jan 2024
- Pages
- 260
- Format
- PDF + Excel
- Report ID
- MRHC - 1041133
- Base year
- 2024
- 2024 · BASELINE
- $18.67B
- 2032
- $39.96B
- CAGR 2025–2032
- 10.1%
2024 baseline · 2025–2032 forecast at 10.1% CAGR · hover a bar for the value
Key highlights
By Product: In 2025, the Continuous Stirred-tank Bioreactors Segment to Dominate the Bioreactors Market
By Bioprocess: In 2025, the Batch/Fed-batch Segment to Dominate the Bioreactors Market
By Cell Type: In 2025, the Mammalian Cells Segment to Dominate the Bioreactors Market
By Usability: The Reusable Bioreactors Segment to Dominate the Bioreactors Market
By Scale: The Pilot Scale Bioreactors (10L-200L) Segment to Witness Highest Demand During the Forecast Period
By Automation: The Automated Bioreactors Segment to Dominate the Bioreactors Market
By Application: The Commercial Production Segment to Dominate the Bioreactors Market
By End User: The Biopharmaceutical Manufacturers Segment to Dominate the Bioreactors Market
Report summary
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Number of Pages | 260 |
| Format | |
| Forecast Period | 2025–2032 |
| Base Year | 2024 |
| CAGR (Value) | 10.1% |
| Market Size (Value) | USD 39.96 Billion by 2032 |
| Segments Covered | By Product · Continuous Stirred Tank Bioreactors · Airlift Bioreactors · Fluidized-bed Bioreactors · Packed-bed Bioreactors · Photobioreactors · Open System Photobioreactors · Closed System Photobioreactors · Membrane Bioreactors · By Bioprocess · Batch/Fed-batch Bioprocessing · Continuous Bioprocessing · By Cell Type · Mammalian Cells · Bacterial Cells · Yeast Cells · Other Cell Types · (Note: Other cell types include plant cells and insect cells) · By Usability · Reusable Bioreactors · Glass · Stainless Steel · Single-use Bioreactors · By Scale · Lab Scale Bioreactors (0.5L-10L) · Pilot Scale Bioreactors (10L-200L) · Industrial Scale Bioreactors · Above 1,500L · 500L-1000L · 200L-500L · By Automation · Manual/Semi-automated · Automated · By Application · Commercial Production · Monoclonal Antibodies (mAb) Production · Cell & Gene Therapy Production · Vaccine Manufacturing · Plasma Fractionation · Recombinant Protein Production · Developmental, Preclinical, & Clinical · By End User · Biopharmaceutical Manufacturers · Research & Development Organizations · Contract Manufacturing Organizations |
| Countries Covered | North America (U.S., Canada), Europe (Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland, Denmark, Belgium, Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, and Rest of Asia-Pacific), Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, and Rest of Latin America), and Middle East & Africa |
| Bioreactor Companies | Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (U.S.), METTLER TOLEDO (U.S.), Merck KGaA (Germany), Eppendorf AG (Germany), Sartorius AG (Germany), Danaher Corporation (U.S.), Donaldson Company, Inc. (U.S.), BBI-Biotech GmbH (Germany), Infors AG (Switzerland), Pharsol Ltd. (Slovenia) |
Report overview
Segments covered: type, bioprocess, usability, scale, cell type, application, user. Regions: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America.
The growth of the bioreactors market can be attributed to several factors, including the capacity expansion of biopharmaceutical plants, the growing pharmaceutical market, rising pharmaceutical R&D expenditure, the rising adoption of biosimilars, and the growing adoption of single-use technologies in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Moreover, technological advancements in bioreactor technologies and the rising adoption of personalized medicines and cell & gene therapies are expected to offer growth opportunities for the players operating in this market.
Report infographic
Market dynamics
9 factors across 3 forcesGrowing Adoption of Single-use Technologies
Capacity Expansion of Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Plants
In September 2022,
Eppendorf AG (Germany) expanded its bioprocess site in Jülich, Germany, to increase its bioprocess solutions production capacity by up to 20%.
In September 2022,
Merck KGaA (Germany) expanded its manufacturing capacity for the Mobius single-use portfolio by investing USD 137 million (EUR 130 million) in Molsheim, France.
In June 2022,
Merck KGaA (Germany) expanded the production of its Life Science business segment—Highly Potent Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (HPAPI), with the expansion of its facility in Wisconsin, U.S., by investing USD 62 million (EUR 59 million).
Rising Adoption of Biosimilars Driving the Demand for Bioreactors
Table of contents
15 chapters · 130 sections · 260 pages · click to expandSegmental analysis
| Segment | Largest share (2025) | Fastest growth (2025–2032) |
|---|---|---|
| By Product | Continuous Stirred-tank Bioreactors | — |
| By Bioprocess | Batch/Fed-batch | Continuous bioprocessing |
| By Cell Type | Mammalian Cells | — |
| By Usability | Reusable Bioreactors | Single-use bioreactors |
| By Scale | — | Pilot scale bioreactors (10L-200L) |
| By Automation | Automated Bioreactors | — |
| By Application | Commercial Production | — |
| By End User | Biopharmaceutical Manufacturers | — |
By Product
- The continuous stirred-tank bioreactors segment is expected to account for the largest share of 31% of the bioreactors market.
- CSTR are reaction vessels in which reactants, reagents, and vessels flow in the reactor, and simultaneously output of the reaction exits the vessel.
- The large share of the segment is attributed to the unique ability of the vessel to handle higher reactant concentrations and more energetic reactions owing to their superior heat transfer properties in comparison to other bioreactors.
- Technological developments in CSTR also positively impact the market.
- The recent technological developments in CSTR pertain to the designs of bioreactors.
- Certain CSTR systems are designed to work alongside the other existing flow systems.
- For instance, in October 2024, Vapourtec Ltd. (U.K.) launched a CSTR that is designed for continuous process synthesis and works alongside the existing flow-chemistry systems.
By Bioprocess
- The Batch/Fed-batch Segment to Dominate the Bioreactors Market
- The batch/fed-batch segment is expected to account for the largest share of 62% of the bioreactors market.
- The batch/fed-batch or continuous bioprocessing is differentiated based on the feeding culture vessel.
- The preference for batch/fed-batch bioprocessing is higher, owing to fewer chances of contamination.
- The larger share of the segment is attributed to the benefits offered by batch/fed-batch bioprocessing, such as high productivity and ease in managing the bioprocesses.
- The duration of the batch processing is suitable for rapid experiments and speeds up the overall upstream processes, offering more productivity.
- Similarly, since there is no addition of nutrients or reactants in the middle of the procedure, the risk of cross-contamination is reduced and, therefore provides better traceability and control over quality.
- However, the continuous bioprocessing segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 12.40% during the forecast period of 2025–2032.
- Continuous bioprocessing is a process where raw materials/nutrients/reactants are continuously loaded or added to the bioreactor system.
- Cells are being continuously extracted and purified in a single connected system.
- This technique eliminates the downtime between two batches and increases the efficiency of resources and equipment.
- For instance, in November 2020, Merck KGaA (Germany) and Transcenta Holding (China) collaborated to implement continuous manufacturing for protein therapeutics.
- This collaboration brings the supplier and customer teams together to converge single-use, continuous, and digital bioprocessing technologies for further development of Trancenta’s integrated continuous bioprocessing (ICB) platform.
By Cell Type
- The Mammalian Cells Segment to Dominate the Bioreactors Market
- The mammalian cells segment is expected to account for the largest share of the bioreactors market.
- Mammalian cells are used as a culture for research, clinical, and pharmaceutical applications.
- These cells are isolated from animal tissues and can be expanded in culture to study cell biology and disease.
- It is also used to produce biomolecules such as antibodies, proteins, and vaccines.
- The large share of the segment is attributed to factors such as the growing focus on commercial and research bioproduction, such as developing complex biomolecules, including monoclonal antibodies and therapeutic proteins and the rise in clinical research of mammalian cells, and accordingly employing them in single-use bioreactors.
By Usability
- The reusable bioreactors segment is expected to account for the larger share of 79% of the bioreactors market.
- The large share of the segment is attributed to factors such as higher demand for large-scale manufacturing, obtainability of maximum flow rates, and better capital/operating cost considerations.
- Furthermore, the high cost and restrictions of waste disposal support the largest share of reusable bioreactors.
- However, the single-use bioreactors segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 11.40% during the forecast period.
- Single-use bioreactors are sustainable systems with disposable vessels that are pre-assembled and pre-sterilized with all accessories.
- In recent times, there has been a rapid shift from stainless steel bioreactors to single-use bioreactors, typically made from polymers or plastic.
- According to the American Pharmaceutical Review, single-use systems are more widely adopted in pharmaceutical manufacturing, with nearly 85% of bioprocessing using disposables, therefore driving the demand for single-use bioreactors.
By Scale
- The pilot scale bioreactors (10L-200L) segment is slated to register the highest CAGR in the market.
- Pilot scale bioreactors are systems that are between the capacity of 10L-200L and include multiple variations and customizations.
- These types of bioreactors are mostly used in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries.
- The pilot scale bioreactors are used for testing and optimizing bioprocesses before the full-scale production.
- Growing demand for commercial bioproduction drives the applications for pilot scale bioprocessing as pilot scale bioreactors determine efficiency, scalability, and performance close to industrial settings.
- Pilot scale rectors are used to analyze the risk and reduce the cost for industrial production, owing to which its demand in bioprocessing is growing rapidly.
By Automation
- The automated bioreactors segment is expected to account for the larger share of the market.
- The large share of the segment is attributed to factors such as enhanced process quality, decreased errors, optimized process control, and cost savings in biopharmaceutical processing.
- Automated bioreactors improve quality and productivity, provide real-time monitoring, improve performance, and data-rich quality control.
- Automation streamlines the procedures or experiments and ensures prompt detection of deviations in the steps.
- The market players are launching technologically advanced automated bioreactors.
- For instance, in October 2022, Froilabo (U.K.) (a part of Techcomp Europe Ltd) launched fully automated lab-scale bioreactors that can be used for several applications such as academics, research, process development and optimization, scale-up, and production.
- These bioreactors have a novel magnetic mixer and non-welded lid that is ideal for bioprocesses that require high-grade aseptic conditions.
By Application
- The commercial production segment is expected to account for the larger share of 70% of the bioreactors market.
- The commercial production consists of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) production, cell & gene therapy production, vaccine manufacturing, plasma fractionation, and recombinant protein production.
- The large share is attributed to factors such as the growing adoption of biopharmaceuticals, regulatory reforms favoring the adoption of biosimilars, and growing investments and supportive initiatives in developing gene therapies.
- For instance, in April 2025, the President of India launched India’s first home-grown gene therapy for cancer at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (India).
- This treatment, known as CAR-T cell therapy, has been developed through an academic-industry collaboration of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay, Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH), and ImmunoACT (India).
By End User
- The biopharmaceutical manufacturers segment is expected to account for the largest share of the market.
- Biopharmaceutical companies have witnessed significant growth in recent years due to the increasing demand for biopharmaceuticals, growing incidence of chronic diseases, rising R&D expenditure by pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies, and recent launches of biologics for chronic & rare diseases.
- Governments of various countries are taking initiatives by making investments and providing grants & funds to biopharmaceutical companies for the manufacture and R&D of biopharmaceuticals, along with several companies that are collaborating to develop sustainable methods for biomanufacturing.
Geographic analysis
North America
Largest shareIn 2025, North America is expected to account for the largest share of 34% of the bioreactors market, followed by Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. The largest share of the segment is primarily due to the presence of leading manufacturers, large R&D investments, support from government and regulatory authorities to promote the use of biopharmaceuticals, the presence of large biopharmaceutical companies, and expansion of manufacturing capacity by biopharmaceutical companies. For instance, in 2022, the U.S. accounted for about 45% of the global pharmaceutical market and 22% of global production. As per the International Trade Administration (ITA), the U.S. is the biggest biopharmaceutical market, comprising about a third of the global market, and is the dominant country in biopharmaceutical manufacturing and R&D. The rise in the need for therapies for orphan and rare diseases is expected to encourage drug manufacturers to set up advanced processing facilities to help them produce medicines and generate maximum output. This also drives the demand for bioreactors in the region.
Asia-Pacific
Fastest growthHowever, Asia-Pacific is slated to register the highest CAGR of 11.90% during the forecast period. This is attributed to factors such as the rising number of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies, growing patient population, increasing disposable income, and rising foreign direct investments (FDI) for pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceutical companies. For instance, the number of biopharmaceutical companies is growing steadily in China. As per data released by the Chinese president at the World Health Assembly 2020, between 2010–2020, over 140 new biotech companies have emerged in China, reaching over 500 biopharmaceutical companies active in the country. To further increase the presence of biopharmaceutical players in China, the government is emphasizing on increasing the production capacities of biopharmaceuticals in the country.
Competitive landscape
- November 2024
The Cultivated B GmbH (Germany) announced the launch of a bioreactor control software for its AUXO bioreactors that enables a real-time, application-based, personalized user interface with added remote accessibility.
- September 2024
Getinge AB (Sweden) launched the AppliFlex ST GMP single-use bioreactor system that is designed to bridge the gap between research and clinical production in cell and gene therapy and mRNA production.
- April 2024
Cytiva (a subsidiary of Danaher Corporation) launched the X-platform bioreactors that simplify single-use upstream bioprocessing operations and are available in 50L and 200L sizes to improve efficiency through ergonomic improvements.
- December 2022
Merck KGaA (Germany) acquired Erbi Biosystems, Inc. (U.S.) to strengthen its upstream portfolio by including 2 ml micro-bioreactor platform technology, Breez. This will allow Merck to offer a full range of bioreactors, from 2 ml to 2000L, advancing life-enhancing therapeutics.
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (U.S.)
- METTLER TOLEDO (U.S.)
- Merck KGaA · Germany
- Eppendorf AG · Germany
- Sartorius AG · Germany
- Danaher Corporation (U.S.)
- Donaldson Company, Inc. (U.S.)
- BBI-Biotech GmbH · Germany
- Infors AG · Switzerland
- Pharsol Ltd. · Slovenia
Frequently asked questions
This market study covers the market sizes & forecasts of the bioreactors based on product, bioprocess, cell type, usability, scale, automation, application, end user, and geography. It also provides the value analysis of various segments and sub-segments of the global bioreactors market at country levels.
Cite this report
Meticulous Research. (2024). Bioreactors Market - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast (2025-2032) (Report No. MRHC - 1041133). Meticulous Market Research Pvt. Ltd. https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/bioreactors-market-5816