Market Scenario
Drug delivery devices market size was valued at US$ 212.6 billion in 2025 and is projected to hit the market valuation of US$ 450.7 billion by 2035 at a CAGR of 7.8% during the forecast period 2026–2035.
Key Findings
Currently, drug delivery devices demand is being propelled by a structural "super-cycle" that has fundamentally altered the pharmaceutical landscape. This is no longer simply about administering medication, but is about a massive industrial pivot from hospital-based intravenous delivery to patient-centric subcutaneous self-administration. The primary catalyst for this surge is the commercial explosion of GLP-1 receptor agonists for diabetes and obesity. As of 2025, pharmaceutical giants are realizing that their revenue potential is capped not by the chemistry of the drug, but by the availability of the device hardware—specifically autoinjectors and pen systems—needed to deliver it.
Consequently, the drug delivery devices market has moved from a steady growth phase into an aggressive capital deployment era. In 2024 alone, Eli Lilly generated US$ 11.5 billion in revenue for Mounjaro, a volume that requires a staggering number of disposable injector pens. When combined with Zepbound’s US$ 4.9 billion revenue, it becomes clear that the hardware supply chain is under immense pressure to scale. This urgency is reflected in Novo Nordisk’s 26% operating profit increase, which is being immediately reinvested into physical infrastructure to bridge this supply-demand gap.
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Chronic Disease Prevalence: The Engine of Consumption
The trajectory of the drug delivery devices market is indistinguishably linked to the prevalence of chronic conditions that require frequent, lifelong dosing. Diabetes and obesity stand as the dominant consumers after cancer of delivery devices, primarily because the therapeutic regimen has shifted to weekly self-injections. The American Diabetes Association notes that 38.4 million Americans require management tools, creating a massive, recurring baseline for device consumption. Globally, with over 500 million individuals living with diabetes, the addressable market for pen injectors is virtually limitless.
Beyond metabolic diseases, oncology and autoimmune disorders are rapidly adopting device-based interventions to improve patient quality of life. In 2024, approximately 2.9 million patients utilized devices for oncology treatments, transitioning from infusion centers to home-based wearable injectors. Similarly, 1.7 million patients employed devices for autoimmune management. These therapies are top consumers because they often involve "high-viscosity" biologics—thick formulations that cannot be easily injected with a standard syringe, thus necessitating sophisticated, spring-loaded autoinjectors to ensure proper dosing.
High-Velocity Innovation: FDA Approvals and Sought-After Devices
The regulatory environment in drug delivery devices market has actively favored the development of complex, combination products. The FDA approved 61 novel drugs in 2024, a significant indicator of innovation velocity. Crucially, 24 of these were classified as "First-in-Class," representing 48% of the total. These novel therapies often lack a precedent for delivery, forcing manufacturers to engineer bespoke device platforms rather than relying on legacy hardware.
Currently, the most sought-after devices in the drug delivery devices market are large-volume autoinjectors (2.25mL to 5.5mL capacity) and wearable on-body injectors. The market saw 7.8 million high-volume subcutaneous devices deployed in 2024, with wearable injectors comprising 4.3 million of those units. This shift is driven by the need to deliver larger doses of biologics less frequently. Furthermore, 18 biosimilars were approved in 2024, creating a fierce battleground where the device’s ease of use becomes the primary differentiator between the originator drug and the generic competitor.
Titans of Industry: Key Players and Market Dynamics
The competitive landscape of the drug delivery devices market is defined by a dichotomy between the "Drug Owners" who fund the capacity and the "Device Makers" who execute the engineering. Eli Lilly has emerged as the most aggressive capital deployer, announcing a US$ 27 billion investment across four new sites in February 2025. Their total manufacturing commitment now exceeds US$ 50 billion since 2020. Similarly, Novo Nordisk committed US$ 4.1 billion to a single fill-finish site in North Carolina, aiming to secure the supply chain for its obesity portfolio.
On the manufacturing side, pure-play device companies are thriving in the drug delivery devices market. Ypsomed’s Delivery Systems division reported CHF 220.3 million in revenue for the first half of the 2024/25 fiscal year, capitalizing on the outsourcing trend. Gerresheimer, a leader in containment and delivery, achieved EUR 2.036 billion in full-year 2024 revenue, while Stevanato Group posted EUR 1.104 billion. The popularity of products like Ypsomed’s "YpsoMate" and SHL Medical’s autoinjector platforms is soaring, with SHL setting a target to produce 1.5 billion devices annually by 2025.
Global Powerhouses: The Top 4 Drug Delivery Devices Markets
The production and consumption of drug delivery devices are concentrated in four distinct global hubs, each playing a specialized role:
Future Horizons: Trends and Strategic Opportunities
Looking ahead, the drug delivery devices market is pivoting toward "High-Value Solutions"—devices that integrate digital connectivity and handle complex formulations. Stevanato Group reported that its High-Value Solutions segment now accounts for 40% of its Q4 2024 revenue, generating a record EUR 131 million. This trend is further evidenced by Ypsomed’s "mylife Loop" system, which amassed 60,000 active users by late 2024, proving that patients are ready for connected health.
Another major opportunity lies in workforce expansion. The industry is in a talent war; Eli Lilly’s new sites will create 3,000 highly skilled jobs, while Novo Nordisk’s expansion adds 1,000 roles. Finally, sustainability is becoming a non-negotiable metric. Novo Nordisk has set a baseline to reduce Scope 3 emissions by 33% by 2033, forcing device partners to innovate in biodegradable materials and circular economy models. The future belongs to players who can combine massive scale with sustainable, digital-ready precision.
Segmental Analysis
Advanced Formulations and Patient Preference Secure Oral Route Global Dominance
Oral administration unequivocally leads the drug delivery devices market because it offers unmatched convenience and supports the massive volume of small molecule innovations. During 2024, the FDA approved 50 novel drugs, and notably, 34 of these were small molecules suited for oral intake, reinforcing the segment's stronghold. Major pharmaceutical entities are actively directing capital toward expanding solid dosage capacities to meet global needs. For instance, Novo Nordisk committed a massive US$ 6.8 billion in 2024 to bolster manufacturing infrastructure, including significant upgrades for oral solid lines. Catalent also allocated US$ 100 million specifically to accelerate the development of oral biologics, signaling a pivotal industry shift from injections to ingestible formats. Such movements confirm that the drug delivery devices market remains heavily anchored by oral solutions.
Investments reflect a trajectory where ease of use drives consumption patterns. Innovations in bioavailability are allowing complex therapies, previously restricted to needles, to migrate successfully to the oral sector. While smart bottles and ingestible sensors gain traction, the drug delivery devices market sees its core volume in traditional solids. Recent data indicates that oral candidates outnumber injectable ones in early-stage pipelines by a wide margin. Furthermore, global spending on medicines, largely dominated by oral chronic disease treatments, exceeded US$ 1.6 trillion in latest valuations. These figures prove that despite the rise of biologics, the oral pathway functions as the fundamental backbone of therapeutic delivery.
Oncology Treatments Fuel Unprecedented Demand For Targeted Therapeutic Delivery Systems
Cancer has surfaced as the leading application because treating malignancies requires precise administration of increasingly potent and toxic biologics. In 2023, the sector witnessed the launch of 25 novel oncology active substances globally, creating an immediate requirement for specialized dosing mechanisms. Expenditure on cancer medicines soared to US$ 223 billion recently, necessitating high-value tools like on-body injectors to ensure safety. China recently surpassed the United States by launching 83 novel oncology drugs over a five-year window, driving huge regional intake of delivery systems. The drug delivery devices market thrives here because new biologics often possess high viscosity, requiring robust engineering that standard syringes cannot handle.
Hospitals and home-care settings are adopting these advanced tools to manage the projected rise in cancer rates, expected to increase by 12 million cases annually by 2050. Leading manufacturers like BD and West Pharmaceutical Services report that their oncology-focused wearable units are their fastest-growing revenue generators. Additionally, the drug delivery devices market is shifting toward subcutaneous administration of monoclonal antibodies, allowing patients to use rapid push devices instead of enduring hours-long IV infusions. Consequently, the volume of prefilled syringes and auto-injectors shipped for cancer care now exceeds those intended for autoimmune disorders.
Hospitals Remain The Primary Hub For Critical Care Device Utilization
Hospitals constitute the primary end-user segment of the drug delivery devices market because they manage the highest volume of acute care procedures requiring sophisticated infusion systems. In 2023, US hospitals collectively spent US$ 146.9 billion on medical and surgical supplies, a category dominated heavily by delivery tools. Intensive Care Units drive such consumption, with average annual supply costs reaching US$ 25,860 per bed. The remediation and return of BD Alaris pumps in 2024 sparked a wave of fleet upgrades across North American facilities, involving capital expenditures in the hundreds of millions. These institutions require robust, interoperable systems to manage medication safety for millions of admissions, keeping the drug delivery devices market centered on inpatient care.
Safety protocols mandate that complex therapies be administered in controlled environments, ensuring hospitals retain the lion's share of procurement. Recent surveys indicate that 89.5% of US hospitals have fully adopted smart pump technology to prevent medication errors. The drug delivery devices market sees its largest individual orders come from consolidated hospital networks purchasing thousands of pumps and millions of disposable sets in single contracts. Furthermore, the push for connected wards has led facilities to invest heavily in upgrades that integrate directly with Electronic Health Records. With emergency room visits and surgical volumes returning to pre-pandemic highs in 2025, hospital demand continues to outpace other settings.
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Regional Market Analysis: Global Power Dynamics
North America Dominates With 32.72% Share Driven By Biologic Commercialization
North America commands the global landscape of the drug delivery devices market, securing a dominant 32.72% market share in 2025. This leadership is structurally enforced by the commercial explosion of high-value biologics. Wherein, the region's financial engine is powered by record-breaking therapeutic adoption. For instance, Eli Lilly’s US$ 11.5 billion revenue for Mounjaro in 2024 demonstrates how U.S. reimbursement models sustain high-price device combinations. Furthermore, the regulatory environment actively supports this value retention, evidenced by the FDA approving 61 novel drugs in 2024, nearly half of which were first-in-class therapies requiring novel delivery hardware.
Beyond consumption, the region is undergoing a manufacturing renaissance to localize supply. Eli Lilly’s massive US$ 27 billion manufacturing investment across new U.S. sites cements the nation's transition from a net importer to a self-sustaining powerhouse. With BD generating US$ 5.43 billion in Q4 2024 revenue, the U.S. infrastructure effectively captures the entire value chain, from engineering to patient administration.
Asia Pacific Rapidly Expands Through Massive Volume and Government Tenders
Asia Pacific drug delivery devices market is driven by demographic scale and state-level procurement. China is the anchor, with its domestic market valued at US$ 59.83 billion in 2024. The "Direct Tenders" distribution channel alone generated US$ 39.94 billion, proving that government centralization is the primary driver of device accessibility for millions of diabetic patients.
India complements this growth by establishing itself as the global factory for cost-effective solutions. The Indian market reached US$ 9.36 billion in 2024, with the injectable segment capturing a significant 45% revenue share. This dominance is fueled by a shift toward biosimilars, where Indian manufacturers are rapidly scaling production to meet both domestic needs and export demand for affordable autoinjectors.
Europe Sustains Influence Via High Precision Engineering and Pharma Giants
Europe remains the technological heart of the drug delivery devices market, distinguishing itself through precision engineering rather than sheer volume. The region’s strength is anchored by the financial might of Novo Nordisk, which saw a 26% increase in operating profit, funding a continent-wide expansion of fill-finish capabilities. This wealth cascades down to specialized device partners; Gerresheimer, a German manufacturing titan, reported EUR 2.036 billion in revenue for 2024, highlighting the region's role in supplying the glass and polymer backbones of the global market.
Switzerland continues to lead in device innovation, with Ypsomed’s Delivery Systems division generating CHF 220.3 million in just six months of the 2024/25 fiscal year. Europe’s dominance is strategic; by controlling the intellectual property and manufacturing standards for high-precision devices, it remains an indispensable partner to the global pharmaceutical industry.
Top 4 Recent Developments in Drug Delivery Devices Market
Top Companies in the Drug Delivery Devices Market
Market Segmentation Overview
By Route of Administration
By Application
By End User
By Region
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