Drug Repurposing Market

The global drug repurposing market is estimated to be valued at USD 35.14 Bn in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 46.87 Bn by 2032, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.2% from 2025 to 2032. The global drug repurposing market represents a revolutionary approach in pharmaceutical development that focuses on identifying new therapeutic applications for existing approved drugs, significantly reducing the traditional drug development timeline and associated costs.

Drug repurposing, also known as drug repositioning or therapeutic switching, leverages the established safety profiles and pharmacological properties of existing medications to address unmet medical needs across various disease areas. This innovative strategy has gained substantial momentum in recent years, particularly following successful repurposing examples such as sildenafil (originally for hypertension, later for erectile dysfunction), and more recently, the rapid deployment of existing antivirals for COVID-19 treatment.

The market encompasses various therapeutic areas including oncology, neurological disorders, infectious diseases, cardiovascular conditions, and rare diseases, driven by advanced computational methods, artificial intelligence, and sophisticated screening technologies.

The growing prevalence of chronic diseases, increasing healthcare costs, and the urgent need for faster drug development solutions have positioned drug repurposing as a critical component of modern pharmaceutical strategies, offering significant advantages in terms of reduced development risks, shortened regulatory pathways, and improved return on investment for pharmaceutical companies worldwide.

Market Dynamics

The global drug repurposing market is primarily driven by several compelling factors that are reshaping the pharmaceutical landscape and accelerating market growth. The escalating costs and extended timelines associated with traditional drug development, which can exceed $2.6 billion and span 10-15 years, are compelling pharmaceutical companies to adopt drug repurposing strategies that can reduce development costs by up to 60% and shorten timelines to 3-12 years.

The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, aging global population, and the urgent need for treatments for rare diseases and emerging health threats are creating substantial demand for innovative therapeutic solutions.

However, the market faces significant restraints including complex intellectual property challenges, regulatory uncertainties regarding approval pathways for repurposed drugs, and limited financial incentives for generic drug manufacturers to invest in repurposing research. Additionally, the lack of standardized regulatory frameworks across different regions, potential safety concerns when drugs are used for new indications, and competition from biosimilars and generic alternatives pose considerable challenges to market growth.

Despite these constraints, the market presents substantial opportunities driven by increasing government support and funding for repurposing initiatives, growing partnerships between pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions, expanding applications in precision medicine and personalized therapy approaches, and the rising adoption of AI-driven drug discovery platforms.

Key Features of the Study

• This report provides in-depth analysis of the global drug repurposing market, and provides market size (USD Billion) and compound annual growth rate (CAGR%) for the forecast period (2025–2032), considering 2024 as the base year
• It elucidates potential revenue opportunities across different segments and explains attractive investment proposition matrices for this market
• This study also provides key insights about market drivers, restraints, opportunities, new product launches or approvals, market trends, regional outlook, and competitive strategies adopted by key players
• It profiles key players in the global drug repurposing market based on the following parameters – company highlights, products portfolio, key highlights, financial performance, and strategies
• Key companies covered as part of this study include Pfizer Inc., Novartis AG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca PLC, Eli Lilly and Company, Sanofi S.A., GlaxoSmithKline PLC, Amgen Inc., Recursion Pharmaceuticals Inc., Melior Discovery Inc., Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, Ginkgo Bioworks Inc., Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals Ltd, and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.
• Insights from this report would allow marketers and the management authorities of the companies to make informed decisions regarding their future product launches, type up-gradation, market expansion, and marketing tactics
• The global drug repurposing market report caters to various stakeholders in this industry including investors, suppliers, product manufacturers, distributors, new entrants, and financial analysts
• Stakeholders would have ease in decision-making through various strategy matrices used in analyzing the global drug repurposing market

Market Segmentation

• Approach Insights (Revenue, USD Bn, 2020 - 2032)
• Disease centric
• Target centric
• Drug centric
• Drug Type Insights (Revenue, USD Bn, 2020 - 2032)
• Small molecules
• Biologics
• Therapeutic Area Insights (Revenue, USD Bn, 2020 - 2032)
• Oncology
• Neurology and CNS disorders
• Infectious diseases
• Cardiovascular diseases
• Metabolic disorders
• Other therapeutic areas
• Route Of Administration Insights (Revenue, USD Bn, 2020 - 2032)
• Oral
• Intravenous (IV)
• Other routes
• End User Insights (Revenue, USD Bn, 2020 - 2032)
• Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies
• Contract research organizations (CROs)
• Hospitals and Clinics
• Others
• Regional Insights (Revenue, USD Bn, 2020 - 2032)
• North America
• U.S.
• Canada
• Latin America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Mexico
• Rest of Latin America
• Europe
• Germany
• U.K.
• Spain
• France
• Italy
• Russia
• Rest of Europe
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• ASEAN
• Rest of Asia Pacific
• Middle East
• GCC Countries
• Israel
• Rest of Middle East
• Africa
• South Africa
• North Africa
• Central Africa
• Key Players Insights
• Pfizer Inc.
• Novartis AG
• Bristol Myers Squibb Company
• Johnson and Johnson
• AstraZeneca PLC
• Eli Lilly and Company
• Sanofi S.A.
• GlaxoSmithKline PLC
• Amgen Inc.
• Recursion Pharmaceuticals Inc.
• Melior Discovery Inc.
• Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
• Ginkgo Bioworks, Inc.
• Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals Ltd
• Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.

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