Biodefense Market Size, Share, and Trends 2024 to 2034

The global biodefense market size was exhibited at USD 15.5 billion in 2022 and it is projected to surpass USD 32.09 billion by 2032, estimated to reach a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.6% during the forecast period 2023 to 2032.

The deadly and naturally occurring viruses can now be easily modified to cause even more harm thanks to recent scientific advancements in the fields of genetic engineering and biotechnology. Furthermore, it is simple to access these organisms, making biodefense an essential component for nations all over the world. Anthrax, botulism, as well as chemical and radioactive agents, have all been employed as biological weapons in the past by bioterrorists to create major economic havoc. These occurrences compelled the creation of biodefense laws, agreements, and regulations by the government in order to defend against biological threats, lower risks, and prepare for, respond to, and recover from bio-incidents.

The National Institute of Infectious Disease has played a crucial role in developing medical products and strategies to counter bioterrorism and emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases by conducting ongoing research to diagnose, treat, and prevent them, whether they are intentional or naturally occurring since the anthrax bioterrorism act that was carried out in 2001 through the mail.

Growth Factors

The factors that will drive the growth of the biodefense market include the rise in the number of naturally occurring outbreaks, the existence of supportive government initiatives, the increasing importance of disease surveillance missions to combat bioterrorism, the growing focus of public health services on the development of tests and procedures for the identification of biothreat agents, the growing threat of biological weapons and nuclear-armed ICBMs, and the growing threat of terrorism. Innovative technologies are being adopted widely in the sectors of nanotechnology, forensics, and biodefense-related drug development for the detection of infections, such as gene chips.

• Growing Incidence of Several Agents, Like the Flu, Zika Virus, And Others
• Increasing Investment from Private Players

Biodefense Market Scope

Biodefense Market Dynamics

Key Market Drivers

Presence of favorable government initiatives in the U.S.

• Governments in industrialized nations, therefore, make a variety of efforts and adopt preventative steps to be able to survive these attacks. The government regularly keeps stocks of vaccines and bio-threat-detecting tools to protect the populace. High federal financing, technical breakthroughs, and rising public awareness are all credited with this. Major players being present in this area also bodes well for the market. According to Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding, the Department of Defense (39.3%) and the Department of Health and Human Services (27.3%) got 96.3% of the total funding obtained by eight federal agencies during the 2017 fiscal year. It is projected to raise this amount to 48.4% of total funding for the DoD in 2019. The National Biodefense Strategy is in line with the U.S. 2018 National Security Strategy. The plan is to better the emergency response in the event of biological epidemics, encourage and promote biomedical innovation, and identify and contain biothreats at their source. These governmental measures are fueling the regional biodefense market.

The growing significance of biodefense

• The market for biodefense is also being driven by the expanding importance of biodefense and the growing danger posed by hazardous biological agents that cause emergencies. For instance, Asia-Pacific is one of the most developed regions for biodefense due to the presence of well-established facilities for the development of vaccines there. Additionally, the country's market position is aided by the excellent healthcare infrastructure present there. To prepare for future biological dangers, nations like China and India are aggressively enhancing their R&D capacities. After the United States, China spends the second-highest proportion of its GDP on research and development. These are the elements that are anticipated to increase demand for biodefense.

Competition between market participants

• The biodefense industry is characterized by intense competition. The quick uptake of cutting-edge technology for the creation of vaccines and medications is one of the main causes of boosting competition among market participants. Key firms are swiftly choosing strategic partnerships with governments in order to get large orders and boost sales volume in developing and economically advantageous locations. For speedier product introduction in the biodefense sector, many businesses are collaborating to create medications. For instance, a privately held medications company named Ichor Medical Systems, Inc. stated in March 2019 that it had signed into a research license and partnership agreement with AstraZeneca for the development and clinical evaluation of plasmid DNA constructions (recombinant monoclonal antibody). Ichor will be given upfront and yearly compensation as well as developmental milestones under the terms of the agreement.

Key Market Challenges

• Low funding - Poor government funding for R&D activities in developing and underdeveloped nations as well as strict regulatory regulations are the factors that would restrain market expansion and present new challenges for the biodefense market over the aforementioned projection period. 

Key Market Opportunities

• Growing focus on R&D - The protection of human health and the creation of a sophisticated biodefense system both heavily rely on the development of new technology. One of the key factors driving the expansion in the biodefense market is the continued rise in the number of clinical trials and rising R&D spending. For instance, Emergent BioSolutions and the US government inked a partnership deal in April 2020. This agreement was meant to facilitate the development of a plasma-derived therapy for COVID-19 patients. To support its COVID-HIG program, one of two hyperimmune development programs that Emergent announced, Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), a division of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), awarded Emergent USD 14.5 million.

Product Insights

The biodefense market is divided into two segments based on product: vaccinations and biothreat detection tools. The different types of vaccines include those for anthrax, smallpox, and botulism. As opposed to the further classification of biothreat detection tools into detectors/triggering devices, samplers, assays, reagents, and identifiers. Due to increased vaccine production worldwide to stop the spread of numerous diseases, the vaccine category among these held around 64.5% of the market in 2022. The development of the biodefense market will also be boosted by researchers' ongoing investigations into novel vaccination technologies, such as vector technology, that induce quick protection against pathogen attacks. A single oral dose of recently designed vaccines can trigger a long-lasting immune response and can treat a wide spectrum of bioterrorism agents. 

Over the course of the forecast period, the biodefense market's other product segment is anticipated to grow at the greatest CAGR. Viral hemorrhagic fever, cholera, brucellosis, plague, food poisoning, tularemia, influenza, Zika, and Ebola are just a few of the viruses that are included in the "others" category. Since 2003, the Vaccine Research Centre (VRC), a division of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), has focused on developing VHF vaccines, particularly those that protect against the Ebola and Marburg viruses. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has given the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) a contract to create a tularemia vaccine. Due to its highly contagious and occasionally lethal characteristics, tularemia has been developed as a bioweapon.

Many businesses are competing to create vaccines as a result of the recent spike in Zika and Ebola virus infections in numerous nations. The vaccine MVA-BN Filo, produced by Bavarian Nordic, protects against the Marburg and Ebola viruses, which are the two most common causes of viral hemorrhagic fever. The firm and the American NIAID have worked together on the vaccine's phase 3 clinical studies.

Biodefense Market Share, By Region, 2022 (%)

Regional Insights

Due to the growing significance of biodefense and the growing danger posed by dangerous biological elements, the North American biodefense market, which accounted for over 41% of global revenue in 2022, is expected to expand significantly over the next years. Furthermore, with established vaccine production facilities, the United States has one of the most sophisticated biodefense markets in the region. The U.S. government also carries out a number of activities that aid in enhancing security against bioterrorism threats. The government plans a number of biodefense initiatives, including a program to combat infectious diseases including the pandemic flu. The regional market predictions will be boosted by other variables including expanding consumer awareness of biodefense and growing acceptance of technologically sophisticated products.

To help response efforts and improve readiness, many governments have been working with a number of international partners. For instance, the World Health Organization and DRC MoH have approved the experimental single-dose Ebola vaccine [rVSV-ZEBOV-GP] for safe usage. As of November 17, 2019, roughly 250,000 people who are at risk for contracting Ebola have received the vaccine. Many companies, including Bavarian Nordic and Ology Bioservices, are conducting research on the Ebola and Zika viruses in nations with weak medical infrastructure and little research capacity. Developed economies are contributing aid to these nations. In order to increase funding for acquiring, creating, and utilising medical countermeasures against biological, chemical, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) warfare weapons, the Project BioShield Act was introduced. The market for biodefense is anticipated to expand as a result of the aforementioned factors as well as the increased risk of the prevalence of infectious diseases.

Recent Developments

• In February 2022 – Appili Therapeutics Inc. disclosed funding of more than USD 10 million to advance ATI-1701, a biodefense vaccine candidate for the treatment of Francisella tularensis infection. This is expected to increase brand recognition and the expansion of the biodefense market.
• In August 2018 – To expedite the development and production of a vaccine against the Lassa virus, CEPI (the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations) established a new partnership with Profectus BioSciences, Inc. and Emergent BioSolutions Inc. Collaboration aided businesses in expanding their product lines and boosting sales. 

Biodefense Market Companies

• Alexeter Technologies, LLC.
• Dynport Vaccine Company.
• ClevelandBiolabs.
• XOMA corporation
• Altimmune Inc.
• Emergent Biosolutions Inc.
• Dynavax Technologies Corporation.
• SIGA Technologies.
• Elusys Therapeutics Inc.
• Ichor Medical Systems.
• Bavarian Nordic.
• Ology Bioservices.
• Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc.
• Biosearch Technologies
• Bruker Detection

Segments Covered in the Report

By Product

• Vaccines
  • Anthrax
  • Smallpox
  • Botulism
  • Others
• Biothreat Detection Devices
  • Samplers
  • Detectors/Triggering Devices
  • Identifiers
  • Assays and Reagents

By Application

• Military
• Civilian

By End-User

• Hospitals & Clinics
• Ambulatory Care Centers
• Others

By Geography

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East & Africa (MEA)