Global Small Molecule Drug Discovery Market Growth (Status and Outlook) 2025-2031

The global Small Molecule Drug Discovery market size is predicted to grow from US$ 12670 million in 2025 to US$ 17060 million in 2031; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.1% from 2025 to 2031.

The process of small molecule drug discovery can be complex and challenging.Small-molecule drugs are organic compounds affecting molecular pathways by targeting important proteins, which have a low molecular weight, making them penetrate cells easily. Small-molecule drugs can be developed from leads derived from rational drug design or isolated from natural resources.

The global small molecule drug discovery market refers to the pharmaceutical industry’s efforts to discover and develop new drugs based on small organic molecules. Small molecule drugs are chemical compounds with relatively low molecular weight that can interact with specific targets in the body to produce a therapeutic effect.

The market for small molecule drug discovery is driven by the increasing demand for novel and effective drugs to treat various diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disorders, infectious diseases, and neurological disorders. This market encompasses a wide range of activities, including target identification, hit identification and hit-to-lead optimization, lead optimization, preclinical development, and clinical trials.

Several factors contribute to the growth of this market, such as advancements in drug screening technologies, increased understanding of disease mechanisms, and the availability of genomic and proteomic data. Additionally, the rising prevalence of chronic diseases, population aging, and the need for personalized medicine are also driving the demand for small molecule drug discovery.

The market is highly competitive, with numerous pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as academic research institutions, involved in drug discovery efforts. These organizations invest significant resources in research and development to identify and develop innovative small molecule drugs.

LPI (LP Information)' newest research report, the “Small Molecule Drug Discovery Industry Forecast” looks at past sales and reviews total world Small Molecule Drug Discovery sales in 2024, providing a comprehensive analysis by region and market sector of projected Small Molecule Drug Discovery sales for 2025 through 2031. With Small Molecule Drug Discovery sales broken down by region, market sector and sub-sector, this report provides a detailed analysis in US$ millions of the world Small Molecule Drug Discovery industry.

This Insight Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the global Small Molecule Drug Discovery landscape and highlights key trends related to product segmentation, company formation, revenue, and market share, latest development, and M&A activity. This report also analyses the strategies of leading global companies with a focus on Small Molecule Drug Discovery portfolios and capabilities, market entry strategies, market positions, and geographic footprints, to better understand these firms’ unique position in an accelerating global Small Molecule Drug Discovery market.

This Insight Report evaluates the key market trends, drivers, and affecting factors shaping the global outlook for Small Molecule Drug Discovery and breaks down the forecast by Type, by Application, geography, and market size to highlight emerging pockets of opportunity. With a transparent methodology based on hundreds of bottom-up qualitative and quantitative market inputs, this study forecast offers a highly nuanced view of the current state and future trajectory in the global Small Molecule Drug Discovery.

This report presents a comprehensive overview, market shares, and growth opportunities of Small Molecule Drug Discovery market by product type, application, key players and key regions and countries.

Segmentation by Type:

Target Discovery

Target Validation

Lead Generation

Refinement

Preclinical Development

Others

Segmentation by Application:

Oncology

Central Nervous System

Cardiovascular

Respiratory

Orthopedics

Immunology

Rare Diseases

Other

This report also splits the market by region:

Americas

United States

Canada

Mexico

Brazil

APAC

China

Japan

Korea

Southeast Asia

India

Australia

Europe

Germany

France

UK

Italy

Russia

Middle East & Africa

Egypt

South Africa

Israel

Turkey

GCC Countries

The below companies that are profiled have been selected based on inputs gathered from primary experts and analyzing the company's coverage, product portfolio, its market penetration.

Johnson and Johnson Services, Inc.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd

Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH

Allergan Plc.

Pfizer Inc.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company

Merck & Co., Inc

GlaxoSmithKline plc.

AstraZeneca

Gilead Sciences, Inc.

Novartis AG

Johnson & Johnson

Roche Holding AG

AstraZeneca PLC

Sanofi

Please note: The report will take approximately 2 business days to prepare and deliver.