Global Topical Drug Delivery Market: Growing prevalence of diabetes driving the demand for topical drug delivery market.

Published Date: 16/05/2021

The topical drug delivery market is projected to reach USD 147 billion by 2027 from USD 95.2 billion in 2020, at a CAGR of 6.4 %. The high prevalence of skin & eye diseases, high incidence of burn injuries, and the growing prevalence of diabetes driving the demand for topical drug delivery. However, technical barriers related to skin irritation and permeability and drug failures and product recalls are the challenges associated with this market.

Topical drug delivery systems are designed to deliver drugs through topical routes such as the skin, mucosa or cavities in the body. These are applied locally for site specific action or to avoid first pass effect of the drug. Skin is the most readily accessible part of the body with a large surface area and is rich in blood vessels and porous structures, enhancing the absorption of the drugs. The topical drug delivery system has witnessed technological advancements over a period of time and is attracting many researchers to develop novel products in this area. Common skin diseases that are treated preferably by topical drug delivery system include bacterial infections, fungal infections, inflammations and pruritic manifestations, acne, psoriasis, hair and skin problems, and others. Nasal mucosa is highly perfused with blood vessels and has been proven as a site for faster absorption of drugs. Hence, there is increasing research toward the development of targeted drug delivery systems for nasal route. Topical is a highly preferred route of drug administration for the treatment of ocular disorders owing to its site specific action, reduced first pass metabolism, and faster action.

The growing incidence and prevalence rate of tropical diseases is boosting the growth of the topical drug delivery systems market. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, in the U.S., about 50 million people are affected by acne each year. The global topical drug delivery systems market is expected to expand at a fast growth rate during the forecast period owing to factors such as increasing number of patients with skin diseases, preference for novel transdermal delivery systems, growing patient preference towards topical drugs over oral drugs owing to avoidance of bitter taste of the drugs taken orally, and desired site specific actions to treat many disorders. However, high development cost, different solubility profiles of drugs making product formulation challenging, stringent regulatory requirements, and difficult testing procedure of final products are some of the factors restraining the growth of the global market.

Prominent players in the topical drug delivery market are Johnson & Johnson (US), Nestle SA (Switzerland), Novartis AG (Switzerland), GlaxoSmithKline (UK), Bausch Health Companies (Canada), Merck & Co (US), Bayer AG (Germany), Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical (Japan), Glenmark Pharmaceuticals (India), Cipla Ltd (India), Crescita Therapeutics Inc. (Canada), and Mylan (US).

Based on the geographic region, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America. North America has been accounted for the highest share in the market due to the presence of a large number of pharmaceutical companies and drug delivery technology providers. On the other hand, Asia Pacific is also likely to register a healthy growth rate in the forecast years. The increasing geriatric population and the rising disposable income are a few of the factors, which are expected to accelerate the growth of the Asia Pacific market in the coming years.
Europe is the second largest market due to growing geriatric population, increasing R&D investments, and rising adoption of novel drug delivery systems to treat chronic dermatological conditions. Asia Pacific is considered as an emerging market owing to higher prevalence of skin diseases due to unhealthy lifestyle among general population, and lack of hygiene, along with increasing awareness and accessibility for topical drugs for treatment of various diseases.