PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1957838
PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1957838
Sustained-release excipients are pharmaceutical ingredients or additives used in drug formulations to enable controlled or extended release of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) over time. These excipients help regulate the release rate and duration of drug action, enhancing therapeutic effectiveness and patient adherence.
The main types of sustained-release excipients include gelatin, polymers, minerals, sugars, alcohol, and chitosan. Gelatin is a protein derived from collagen, the most abundant protein in animal connective tissues such as skin, bones, and tendons. These excipients can be administered via multiple routes, including oral, intramuscular, subcutaneous, transdermal, vaginal, ophthalmic, intravenous, and others. Various technologies are used in their formulation, such as targeted delivery, microencapsulation, the Wurster process, transdermal systems, implants, and coacervation.
Tariffs have influenced the sustained release excipients market by increasing costs associated with importing specialized polymers, gelatin, and mineral-based raw materials used in controlled drug delivery formulations. These impacts are most visible in polymer- and technology-intensive segments such as microencapsulation, targeted delivery, and implants, with Asia-Pacific and Europe being highly affected due to their dependence on cross-border raw material sourcing. Rising tariffs have pressured manufacturers to optimize formulations, renegotiate supplier contracts, and localize production. On the positive side, tariffs are encouraging domestic excipient manufacturing and innovation, strengthening regional supply chains and reducing long-term dependency on imports.
The sustained release excipients market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides sustained release excipients market statistics, including sustained release excipients industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a sustained release excipients market share, detailed sustained release excipients market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the sustained release excipients industry. This sustained release excipients market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.
The sustained release excipients market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $1.51 billion in 2025 to $1.63 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.2%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to growth in chronic disease prevalence, increased use of modified release tablets, advancements in polymer chemistry, expansion of generic drug manufacturing, regulatory acceptance of sustained release formulations.
The sustained release excipients market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $2.3 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.9%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to rising demand for long acting injectables, growth in biologics and specialty drugs, increasing investment in drug delivery R&D, demand for patient centric formulations, expansion of pharmaceutical manufacturing in emerging markets. Major trends in the forecast period include rising demand for controlled drug delivery systems, growing use of polymers in sustained release formulations, increasing adoption of oral sustained release dosage forms, expansion of microencapsulation and coacervation technologies, focus on patient compliance and reduced dosing frequency.
The increasing demand for personalized medicine is expected to drive the growth of the sustained-release excipients market in the coming years. Personalized medicine involves analyzing a patient's unique genes, proteins, and other biological factors to design and deliver treatments tailored to individual needs using precision medicine approaches. Sustained-release excipients are essential in this context, as they enable the creation of drug formulations customized for each patient's requirements. For example, in February 2024, according to the Personalized Medicine Coalition, a US-based healthcare organization, the FDA approved 16 new personalized treatments for rare disease patients in 2023, up from six approvals in 2022. As a result, the rising adoption of personalized medicine is fueling the expansion of the sustained-release excipients market.
Leading companies in the sustained-release excipients market are focusing on advanced solutions, such as multifunctional polymer platforms, to improve drug formulation efficiency, reduce delivery times, and support controlled-release profiles. Multifunctional polymer platforms are excipients capable of enabling immediate, delayed, and sustained drug release while remaining compatible with formulation technologies like hot melt extrusion and solubility-enhancing spray drying. For instance, in September 2024, Evonik, a Germany-based company, began operations at a new spray drying facility at its Darmstadt site for EUDRAGIT polymers. The facility increases production capacity, shortens delivery times, and integrates fully with existing production networks. It uses green electricity and steam from local waste incineration, cutting CO2 emissions by over 1,000 tons annually. Operating under IPEC-GMP pharmaceutical guidelines and directly linked to the production of aqueous dispersions, the facility reduces transportation and streamlines the supply chain. The polymers produced support immediate, delayed, and sustained-release formulations, enhancing Evonik's global hub for oral drug delivery solutions and strengthening its ability to support efficient pharmaceutical innovation.
In March 2024, Roquette, a France-based provider of pharmaceutical excipients, acquired IFF Pharma Solutions for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition is intended to reinforce Roquette's position in the pharmaceutical excipients market. IFF Pharma Solutions, a US-based company, specializes in producing sustained-release excipients-ingredients used in pharmaceutical formulations to control the release rate of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
Major companies operating in the sustained release excipients market are BASF SE, Ashland Global Holdings Inc, Colorcon Inc, Evonik Industries AG, Lubrizol Corporation, Merck KGaA, Roquette Freres, Shin Etsu Chemical Co Ltd, JRS Pharma GmbH Co KG, SPI Pharma Inc, Croda International Plc, Lonza Group AG, Chemische Fabrik Budenheim KG, Asahi Kasei Corporation, DuPont de Nemours Inc, Dow Chemical Company, Eastman Chemical Company, Gattefosse SAS, Balchem Corporation, Associated British Foods plc, Ransom Naturals Ltd, Cellulose Solutions Private Limited
North America was the largest region in the global sustained release excipients market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the sustained release excipients market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.
The countries covered in the sustained release excipients market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.
The sustained-release excipients market consists of sales of ethyl cellulose, lipid-based excipients, waxes, fatty acids, polyethylene glycol (PEG), copovidone, and osmotic agents. Values in this market are 'factory gate' values, that is, the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.
The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).
The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.
Sustained Release Excipients Market Global Report 2026 from The Business Research Company provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the market.
This report focuses sustained release excipients market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the trends which will be shaping the market over the next ten years and beyond.
Where is the largest and fastest growing market for sustained release excipients ? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward, including technological disruption, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer preferences? The sustained release excipients market global report from the Business Research Company answers all these questions and many more.
The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, total addressable market (TAM), market attractiveness score (MAS), competitive landscape, market shares, company scoring matrix, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography.
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