Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing Market by Service (Drug Development, Pharmaceutical (API, FDF - Parenteral, Tablet, Capsule), Biologics (API, FDF), Packaging & Labelling, Fill-finish), Molecule (Small, Large (ADC, CGT)) - Global Forecast to 2030

The global pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market is projected to reach USD 311.95 billion by 2030 from an estimated USD 209.90 billion in 2025, at a CAGR of 8.2% from 2025 to 2030. The expansion of the pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market has been predominantly fueled by outsourcing for GLP-1 manufacturing & development, ADC approvals and programs, and loss of exclusivity for blockbuster biologics. However, expansion of in-house capacities by pharmaceutical companies and pricing pressure in the US and Europe are expected to restrict market growth.

The biologics FDF manufacturing services segment reported the highest CAGR in 2024.

Based on biologics manufacturing service, the pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market is segmented into biologics API manufacturing services and biologics FDF Manufacturing Services. Among these, biologics FDF manufacturing services are projected to experience the fastest growth rate during the forecast period from 2025 to 2030. This strong growth outlook is primarily driven by the surging demand for biologics, which include complex and high-value products such as monoclonal antibodies, recombinant proteins, cell and gene therapies, and vaccines. The rising focus on targeted pharmacological therapies, which offer greater efficacy and reduced side effects compared to traditional treatments, is further boosting demand for specialized manufacturing capabilities. In addition, the increasing volume of research and development activities, particularly in cell and gene therapy, contributes significantly to market expansion. A growing number of pipeline candidates in these advanced therapeutic areas requires highly specialized manufacturing processes, encouraging pharmaceutical companies to partner with CDMOs possessing the necessary expertise, infrastructure, and regulatory compliance. This trend is expected to result in higher investment in advanced biologics production technologies, capacity expansion, and quality systems within CDMOs. Consequently, the FDF manufacturing services segment is well-positioned to achieve substantial growth and play an increasingly critical role in the pharmaceutical outsourcing landscape over the coming years.

The small molecules segment dominated the pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market in 2024.

The pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market is segmented by molecules into small molecules & large molecules. In 2024, small molecules, encompassing high-potency small molecules, oligonucleotides and synthetic peptides, radiopharmaceuticals, and other small molecules, hold the largest share of the pharmaceutical CDMO market by molecule segment. High-potency small molecules, particularly oncology, require specialized containment and expertise, driving demand for CDMOs with advanced facilities. Oligonucleotides and synthetic peptides have gained momentum due to their role in precision medicine and targeted therapies, offering new outsourcing opportunities. Radiopharmaceuticals, with applications in diagnostics and treatment, are seeing increased interest as nuclear medicine expands. The other small molecules category remains vital for numerous therapeutic areas, from cardiovascular to infectious diseases. Small molecules are favored for their stability, oral bioavailability, and cost-efficient mass production, making them attractive for both innovative and generic drug pipelines. The growing prevalence of chronic conditions, coupled with ongoing innovation in synthetic chemistry and continuous manufacturing, strengthens their market position. CDMOs with specialized expertise across these subcategories can leverage strong demand from pharmaceutical companies seeking speed, flexibility, and cost efficiency, ensuring that small molecules continue to be a core driver of the CDMO industry’s growth.

North America accounted for the largest share in the global pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market from 2025 to 2030.

North America dominated the pharmaceutical CDMO market in 2024, driven by its strong regulatory framework, advanced manufacturing infrastructure, and high concentration of leading CDMO players. The region benefits from a well-established pharmaceutical industry, extensive R&D capabilities, and a strong presence of big pharmaceutical companies outsourcing development and manufacturing to optimize costs and speed to market. Supportive regulatory agencies, particularly the US FDA, promote innovation through clear guidelines and expedited approvals, encouraging investment in advanced manufacturing technologies such as continuous processing and high-potency API production. North America also leads in biologics and advanced therapies manufacturing, supported by specialized CDMO facilities catering to cell and gene therapies. Strategic collaborations, mergers, and acquisitions further enhance service portfolios and capacity. The region’s robust venture capital ecosystem and academic-industry partnerships foster innovation, while its focus on quality, compliance, and scalability attracts global clients.

The primary interviews conducted for this report can be categorized as follows:

• By Respondent: Supply Side- 70% and Demand Side- 30%
• By Designation: Managers- 45%, CXO and Directors- 30%, and Executives- 25%
• By Region: North America- 30%, Europe- 30%, Asia Pacific- 30%, Latin America- 5%, and the Middle East & Africa- 5%

Key Companies

Key players in the pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market include Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (US), Lonza (Switzerland), WuXi AppTec (China), WuXi Biologics (China), AbbVie Inc. (US), Catalent, Inc. (Novo Holdings) (US), Samsung Biologics (South Korea), Evonik (Germany), FUJIFILM Holding Corporation (Japan), Siegfried Holding AG (Switzerland), and Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH (Germany). Other notable companies are Merck KGaA (Germany), Almac Group (UK), Charles River Laboratories (US), Asymchem Inc. (China), Vetter (Germany), and Alcami Corporation (US).

Research Coverage

This research report categorizes the pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market, by service {drug development services, pharmaceutical manufacturing services [pharmaceutical API manufacturing services, pharmaceutical FDF manufacturing services (parenteral, tablet, capsule, oral liquid, semi-solid, other formulations), biologics manufacturing services (biologics API manufacturing services, biologics FDF manufacturing services)], packaging & labelling services, fill-finish services, other services}, molecule [small molecules (high-potency small molecules, oligonucleotide & synthetic peptides, radiopharmaceutical, and other molecules) large molecules (mAbs, CGT, ADC, vaccines, therapeutic peptides & proteins, and other large molecules)], end user (big pharmaceutical companies, small & mid-sized pharmaceutical companies, generic pharmaceutical companies, other end users), and by region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa). The scope of the report covers detailed information regarding the major factors, such as drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities, influencing the growth of the pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market. A detailed analysis of the key industry players has been done to provide insights into their business overview, solutions, key strategies, collaborations, partnerships, and agreements. New launches, collaborations, acquisitions, and recent developments associated with the pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market.

Reasons to buy this report

The report will help market leaders and new entrants by providing them with closest approximations of the revenue numbers for the overall pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market and its subsegments. It will also help stakeholders better understand the competitive landscape and gain more insights to better positioning their businesses and make suitable go-to-market strategies. This report will enable stakeholders to understand the market’s pulse and provide them with information on the key market drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges.

The report provides insights into the following pointers:

• Analysis of key drivers (GLP-1 capacity crunch, increasing development and manufacturing of antibody drug conjugates, loss of exclusivity of blockbuster biologics, increasing complexity of injectable drug formats) restraints (pricing pressure on innovator drugs, growing penetration of generics and biosimilars, strict regulatory compliance, risk in advanced therapies pipeline), opportunities (Rising demand for cell and gene therapies, growing inclination toward one-stop-shop model, market expansion in emerging countries, booming radiopharmaceutical and nuclear medicine segment), and challenges (global trade instability and insourcing) influencing the growth of pharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing market.
• Service Development/Innovation: Thorough investigation of recently launched services available in the pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market.
• Market Development: Utilizing analysis of regional market trends, the study offers comprehensive knowledge on profitable markets.
• Market Diversification: Comprehensive information on new services, underdeveloped areas, present developments, and pharmaceutical contract manufacturing sector investments is what market diversification is based on.
• Competitive Assessment: A comprehensive evaluation of the market shares, growth strategies, and service offerings of prominent companies such as Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (US), Catalent, Inc. (US), Lonza (Switzerland), AbbVie Inc. (US), WuXi AppTec (China), and others in the pharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing market.

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