May 2024
The global pharmaceutical cartridges market size is calculated at USD 1.57 billion in 2024, grew to USD 1.69 billion in 2025, and is predicted to hit around USD 8.1 billion by 2034, poised to grow at a CAGR of 10.9% between 2024 and 2034. The North America pharmaceutical cartridges market size accounted for USD 500 million in 2024 and is anticipated to grow at the fastest CAGR of 8.26% during the forecast year.
The global pharmaceutical cartridges market size is expected to be valued at USD 1.57 billion in 2024 and is anticipated to reach around USD 3.42 billion by 2034, expanding at a CAGR of 8.1% over the forecast period from 2024 to 2034.
Market Overview
The pharmaceutical industry is one of the major growing industries across the globe. The pharmaceutical industry is expanding due to the rising awareness about precautionary treatments and growing chronic diseases in the population. Pharmaceutical cartridges are used for many medicinal uses such as the cartridge are used for dental local aesthetics and inside drug delivery devices for a variety of diseases. The cartridge is mainly used in pen injectors for diabetes patients. Selecting the quality and the right packaging for the medical component decides the quality of the product. Wearable injectors are one of the most recent trends in pharmaceutical cartridges. Wearable injectors are gaining popularity due to it allows patients to administer drugs in a home environment. Increasing demand for cartridges due to the rising medical cases in which patients are given parenteral medication when it is difficult to give medication orally.
The rise in the cases of diabetes and higher blood pressure among patient’s results in a higher demand for medicines and apparently will result in a higher demand for quality packaging for ensuring the delivery of injectable medicines, which is benefitting the patients. Rising demand for medicines and injectable drugs for chronic diseases and demand from diabetics results in a higher demand for the pharmaceutical cartridge market. Parenteral treatment is generally preferred for chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, intestinal illness, renal failure, and hepatic failure. Increasing parenteral treatment results in a higher demand for the pharmaceutical cartridge market in the anticipated period. Prefilled syringes are the most common and preferable solution for healthcare practitioners, so it has concerns about the breakage of needles due to any kind of accident. The cartridge is user-friendly and does not have any risk of leakage or needle breakage, so it is shown that cartridges are the best solution for medicinal packaging and also positively affect the growth of the pharmaceutical cartridge market.
Report Coverage | Details |
Market Size in 2024 | USD 1.57 Billion |
Market Size by 2034 | USD 3.42 Billion |
Growth Rate from 2024 to 2034 | CAGR of 8.49% |
Largest Market | North America |
Base Year | 2023 |
Forecast Period | 2024 to 2034 |
Forecast Period | By Material Type, By Size, By Application, and By End-user |
Regions Covered | North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa |
Suitability for multi-dose treatments
The suitability of pharmaceutical cartridges for multi-dose treatments addresses practical, convenience and safety considerations, making them an attractive option for both patients and healthcare providers. This factor contributes significantly to the demand and growth of the market. Cartridges that support multi-dose treatments can lead to more efficient use of resources. Cartridges can be pre-filled with the required amount of medication by reducing the risk of dosing errors. These cartridges are designed to maintain accurate dosing even when used multiple times, ensuring that patients receive the correct amount of medication each time they administer it. Thus, the suitability of multi-dose treatments is observed to act as a driver for the market.
Environmental concerns
The environmental concerns associated with plastic waste, resource consumption, and hazardous materials pose a notable restraint for the market. As awareness grows, consumers and healthcare providers are pressuring the pharmaceutical industry to adopt more sustainable practices. This includes exploring alternative materials and improving recycling infrastructure. Furthermore, concerns arise when pharmaceutical cartridges contain hazardous materials or chemicals that can leach into the environment, over time, potentially harming the ecosystem. Thus, environmental concerns are observed to hinder the market’s growth.
Development of wearable cartridges
The rise of wearable injectors is one trend that the pharmaceutical industry predicts. Wearable injectors are gaining popularity as medical equipment as they enable patients to deliver medication in home care settings. While considering this advancement and product innovation, well-known market players are anticipating the development of wearable cartridges in the upcoming years. Customers can find an appropriate cartridge application solution from the manufacturer's wide range of offers, whether it be for insulin, a dental product, or a higher-value biological medicine meant for a pen or wearable injector. Such product innovation and advancement are observed to open a set of lucrative opportunities for the market’s expansion.
The glass segment dominated the market with the largest market share in 2023. The growth of the segment is attributed to the higher resistance offered by glass material through the environment, temperature, and chemicals. The glass segment has the lowest degree of expansion and higher resistance to thermal stress. The glass material is mostly used by the pharmaceutical industry due to its durability against chemicals. While alternatives such as plastic and metal cartridges have emerged in recent years, glass material remains the most preferred choice due to its unmatched quality of preserving drugs.
Furthermore, glass cartridges provide superior visibility, enabling accurate visual inspection of the drug which minimizes dosing errors. This transparency also allows for easy detection of particulate matter or discoloration, ensuring product safety.
The 3 ml segment dominated the market in 2023. The growth of the segment is attributed to the increasing utilization of the 3 ml cartridges in insulin pencils for treating diabetes. The increasing number of patients with diabetes and other chronic diseases also promotes the use of cartridges with 3ml capacity. Factors such as ease of use, its optimized design and injection reliability, and multi-dose flexibility making it effective for the shift in self-injection. The 3 ml cartridge is designed for multiple therapies which need multiple dosages or frequent injections. Thereby, all these factors supplement the segment’s growth.
The pen injector segment held the dominating share of the market, the segment is expected to grow at a notable rate during the forecast period. The rising cases of diabetes and presence of potential drug delivery methods for diabetes act as a major driving factor for the segment’s growth. Rising preferences for self-administration is also supporting the segment’s expansion. Pen injectors are widely used for diabetes patients that require continuous administration.
With the rising emphasis on sustainable production, the manufacturers of pen injectors are focused on the development of sustainable and eco-friendly pen injectors to stay competitive in the industry, this element presents a significant opportunity for the segment’s growth.
The pharmaceutical industry segment is expected to sustain its dominance throughout the forecast period. The growth of the segment is attributed to the advancements in the pharmaceutical packaging processes, increasing biological research, and drug development. The pharmaceutical industry generally seeks new and innovative drug packaging solutions and delivery methods for patient's convenience through their innovative strategies.
The dominance of the segment in the market is attributed to the reliance of the pharmaceutical industry on accurate and precise dosage delivery methods, which makes pharmaceutical cartridges an essential component for packaging and administering medications. These cartridges ensure controlled dispensing, minimizing errors and enhancing patient safety.
Cartridges are used for dental local anesthetics and internal drug delivery for numerous treatments. Continuous innovation and development in the cartridge for drug delivery by the pharmaceutical industry is driving the growth of the segment.
Segments Covered in the Report
By Material Type
By Size
By Application
By End-user
By Geography
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