PUBLISHER: Fortune Business Insights Pvt. Ltd. | PRODUCT CODE: 1916506
PUBLISHER: Fortune Business Insights Pvt. Ltd. | PRODUCT CODE: 1916506
The global vaccines market size was valued at USD 88.92 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow to USD 95.68 billion in 2026, reaching USD 211.58 billion by 2034, registering a CAGR of 10.43% during the forecast period (2026-2034). North America dominated the global vaccines market with a 45.42% market share in 2025, supported by strong immunization coverage, favorable reimbursement frameworks, and the presence of leading vaccine manufacturers.
Vaccines remain one of the most cost-effective public health tools for preventing infectious diseases and reducing long-term healthcare expenditure. Rising disease prevalence, expanding immunization schedules, and increasing awareness programs are strengthening global vaccine adoption.
Market Drivers
The rising incidence of infectious diseases is a major factor driving vaccine demand. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 422 meningococcal disease cases were reported in the U.S. in 2023, the highest since 2014. Growing disease outbreaks increase government spending on immunization and expand procurement of routine and booster doses.
Large-scale public health programs are further supporting market growth. In November 2024, India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced annual observance of World Immunization Day on November 10, strengthening awareness under the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP), one of the world's largest public health initiatives.
Strong manufacturer pipelines, global supply contracts, and improved delivery networks continue to increase vaccine coverage across pediatric and adult populations.
Market Restraints
Despite strong demand, high development and production costs restrict market expansion, particularly in low-income countries. According to the U.S. Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, the average preventive vaccine development cost is USD 132.7 million, excluding manufacturing facilities and distribution infrastructure.
Complex regulatory requirements, long clinical development timelines, and strict quality controls increase pricing pressures. These factors reduce affordability in developing economies and slow product launches in smaller regional markets.
Market Opportunities
Expanding R&D investment is creating strong opportunities for pipeline expansion across viral and bacterial disease segments. Growing focus on hepatitis, dengue, Ebola, pneumococcal disease, and shingles is accelerating clinical development activity.
The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated rapid vaccine development feasibility using advanced platforms and global funding coordination. Companies are now leveraging mRNA, viral vector, and recombinant technologies to shorten development cycles.
In June 2024, Dynavax Technologies initiated Phase 1/2 trials for Z-1018, an investigational shingles vaccine candidate, reflecting increasing private-sector investments in preventive medicine.
Market Challenges
Stringent regulatory guidelines across regions increase compliance complexity and delay approvals. Additionally, vaccines require strict cold-chain logistics, making transportation and storage difficult in remote and underdeveloped regions.
Supply chain disruptions, refrigeration limitations, and infrastructure gaps hinder last-mile delivery, affecting coverage in emerging markets and slowing national immunization rollouts.
Vaccines Market Trends
Manufacturers are increasingly shifting from traditional vials to prefilled syringe (PFS) formats, which reduce contamination risks, dosing errors, and product wastage. PFS also improves vaccination efficiency during mass immunization programs.
In September 2022, BD launched next-generation glass prefillable syringes to meet evolving vaccine manufacturing needs. Regulatory approvals for PFS-based vaccines are further accelerating adoption.
By Type
The recombinant/conjugate/subunit vaccine segment dominated the market with 46.88% share in 2026, driven by strong safety profiles, stable immune responses, and scalable production processes. Bavarian Nordic's VIMKUNYA recombinant chikungunya vaccine received European approval in February 2025.
The inactivated segment held the second-largest share, supported by rising demand for rabies, influenza, hepatitis A, and typhoid vaccines. Sanofi's Verorab rabies vaccine launch in the U.K. in April 2024 supported segment growth.
The mRNA segment is expected to grow at the fastest rate due to expanding indications beyond COVID-19. In August 2024, Pfizer and BioNTech reported Phase 3 data for combined influenza-COVID mRNA vaccine candidates.
By Route of Administration
Parenteral vaccines dominated the market with 85.18% share in 2026, supported by widespread intramuscular and subcutaneous formulations. Regulatory approvals for injectable vaccines continue to rise.
Oral vaccines show slower adoption due to formulation challenges but maintain growth in cholera and polio prevention programs.
By Disease Indication
Viral diseases accounted for 66.01% market share in 2026, driven by influenza, HPV, RSV, hepatitis, and shingles vaccines. Government awareness campaigns and routine booster programs continue to expand viral vaccine uptake.
Bacterial vaccines are expected to grow at higher CAGR due to antibiotic resistance and rising neonatal immunization programs. In March 2025, Merck received EU approval for CAPVAXIVE pneumococcal vaccine.
By Age Group
The pediatric segment dominated with 52.74% share in 2026, supported by birth rates and mandatory childhood vaccination schedules. Government-funded immunization programs remain major contributors.
The adult segment is growing due to increased RSV, HPV, and Mpox vaccination programs targeting older populations.
By Distribution Channel
Government suppliers dominated procurement through UNICEF, PAHO, and national programs. Hospital and retail pharmacies accounted for 48.1% share in 2025, supported by improved accessibility and consumer convenience.
North America generated USD 40.39 billion in 2025 and USD 43.82 billion in 2026, supported by public funding, CDC recommendations, and manufacturer presence. The U.S. alone reached USD 36.92 billion in 2026.
Asia Pacific reached USD 22.14 billion in 2025, driven by rising birth rates, government programs, and expanding manufacturing capacity. China reached USD 2.68 billion in 2026, while India stood at USD 2.46 billion in 2025.
Europe generated USD 19.07 billion in 2025, supported by centralized healthcare systems and increasing regulatory approvals, with Germany at USD 5.11 billion and France at USD 4.36 billion.
Latin America reached USD 5.95 billion in 2025, while GCC countries accounted for USD 0.53 billion in 2025, supported by expanding national immunization budgets.
Competitive Landscape
Major players including GSK, Pfizer, Sanofi, Merck, Moderna, CSL, AstraZeneca, and Bavarian Nordic dominate through strong product portfolios and continuous R&D investment. Strategic acquisitions, regulatory approvals, and pipeline expansion remain core growth strategies across the vaccines industry.
Conclusion
The global vaccines market is on a strong growth trajectory, expanding from USD 88.92 billion in 2025 to USD 95.68 billion in 2026, and projected to reach USD 211.58 billion by 2034, driven by rising infectious disease burden, expanding national immunization programs, and continuous innovation in vaccine technologies. North America remains the leading region with a 45.42% share in 2025, supported by strong public health funding and rapid regulatory approvals, while Asia Pacific is emerging as a high-growth region due to increasing birth rates and government vaccination initiatives. Segment-wise, recombinant/conjugate/subunit vaccines (46.88% share in 2026) and parenteral administration (85.18% share in 2026) dominate due to proven efficacy and widespread clinical adoption, while viral disease vaccines account for the majority of demand with 66.01% share in 2026. Although high development costs, regulatory complexity, and cold-chain logistics remain key challenges, rising R&D investments, expansion of mRNA platforms, and the shift toward prefilled syringes are strengthening production efficiency and distribution reliability. Overall, vaccines continue to remain a cornerstone of global preventive healthcare, with sustained demand across pediatric and adult populations supporting long-term market expansion.
Segmentation By Type
By Route of Administration
By Disease Indication
By Age Group
By Distribution Channel
By Region