Segments - Contract Research Organization (CRO) Services Market by Service Type (Clinical Service, Laboratory Service, Early Phase Development Services, and Others), Application (CNS Disorder, Oncology, Cardiology, Metabolic Disorder, Infectious Disease, and Others), End-user (Medical Device Companies, Academic & Research Institutes, Pharmaceutical & Biotech Companies, and Others), and Region (Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, Europe, and Middle East & Africa) - Global Industry Analysis, Growth, Share, Size, Trends, and Forecast 2023 – 2031
The global contract research organization (CRO) services market size was USD 73.36 Billion in 2022 and is likely to reach USD 197.23 Billion by 2031, expanding at a CAGR of 12.6% during 2023–2031. The market growth is attributed to the surge in innovations in the pharmaceutical industry.
Increasing number of clinical trials with the advancements in the field of medicine and biotechnology is anticipated to drive the market during the assessment period. Clinical trials are becoming complicated, due to the need for streamlining several facets, such as competent authorities, sponsors, manufacturers, centers, foundations, ethical committees, researchers, and legal departments.
According to the report published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in February 2023, the US registered a high number of trials between 1999-2022, followed by China and Japan. The US registered 168,520 trials, while China and Japan registered 94,193 and 63,499 trials, respectively.
The growing requirement for cost-effective and time-efficient development of drugs is raising the demand for contract research organization (CRO) services. Outsourcing R&D functions facilitates the prospect of streamlining the internal cost structures in several cases. However, a surge in outsourcing services in the post-approval stages and clinical development is projected to impel the market in the coming years.
The COVID-19 pandemic boosted the market, due to the extreme requirement for vaccines. All the major pharmaceutical companies were engaged in research for the development of a viable cure for the infection. Thus, the dependency on CROs increased significantly during the pandemic. This, in turn, propelled the market.
The use of artificial intelligence is expected to provide substantial propulsion to the contract research organization services market. Decentralized clinical trials often face several hurdles in data collection and processing. Medical research institutions and CROs use AI to resolve these problems in an efficient manner. The use of machine learning algorithms helps to analyze patient data and formulate strategies and decisions in the direction of obtaining the desired outcome.
Increasing prevalence of chronic diseases is expected to drive the market during the projection period. The unhealthy eating habits associated with the modern lifestyle led to a growing occurrence of chronic diseases among people. Health issues such as high blood pressure, hypertension, and obesity have become prominent. This raised the pressure on pharmaceutical manufacturers to conduct research and formulate effective medicines, which require the assistance of contract research organization services for effective management, thereby fueling the market.
As per the data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in May 2023, six out of every 10 individuals in the US have at least one chronic ailment, such as cancer, heart disease, or diabetes. Chronic ailments are one of the leading causes of disability and death in the US.
Shortage of skilled professionals is likely to hamper the market during the forecast period. There have been constant updates in healthcare management with the rapid rise in technology and innovation. In addition, the need for new skills and services led to a decline in the number of trained professionals who are up-to-date and competent in all aspects of the job. This, in turn, is projected to impede the market.
Rising investment by pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies is anticipated to provide substantial opportunities for the market. The number of global clinical and non-clinical research is growing at a rapid pace, due to the increased investments by key players in research and outsourcing to contract research organizations. Major pharmaceutical manufacturing companies are collaborating to enhance R&D efficiencies and adopt patient-centric trial endpoints. This transformational change is shaping the pharmaceutical industry and is likely to create lucrative opportunities in the market with the surge in requirements for effective management.
The market report includes an assessment of the market trends, segments, and regional markets. Overview and dynamics have also been included in the report.
Attributes |
Details |
Report Title |
Contract Research Organization (CRO) Services Market - Global Industry Analysis, Growth, Share, Size, Trends, and Forecast |
Base Year |
2022 |
Historic Data |
2016–2021 |
Forecast Period |
2023–2031 |
Segmentation |
Service Type (Clinical Service, Laboratory Service, Early Phase Development Services, and Others), Application (CNS Disorder, Oncology, Cardiology, Metabolic Disorder, Infectious Disease, and Others), End-user (Medical Device Companies, Academic & Research Institutes, Pharmaceutical & Biotech Companies, and Others) |
Regional Scope |
Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, Europe, and Middle East & Africa |
Report Coverage |
Company Share, Market Analysis and Size, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, Market Trends, and Revenue Forecast |
Key Players Covered in the Report |
WuXi AppTec; Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.; Syneos Health; Parexel International (MA) Corporation; Novotech; Medspace; Labcorp Drug Development; IQVIA Inc; ICON plc; Frontage Labs; Charles River Laboratories; Alira Health; and Bioagile. |
Based on service type, the contract research organization (CRO) services market is divided into clinical service, laboratory service, early phase development services, and others. The clinical service segment is projected to hold the major share of the market during the projection period, due to the rising prevalence of chronic diseases, such as hypertension, high blood pressure, and obesity. This increased the burden on pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies, which significantly raised the need for outsourcing R&D activities to ensure effective management and seamless workflow. This, in turn, is expected to boost the segment.
According to a survey report published in June 2023, the expenditure for physician and clinical services in the US reached approximately USD 864 billion in 2021. The survey further shows that there has been a constant rise in these expenditures over the years.
On the basis of application, the global market is segregated into CNS disorder, oncology, cardiology, metabolic disorder, infectious disease, and others. The oncology segment is projected to register a considerable CAGR during the forecast period. Oncology-focused CROs have specialized knowledge and experience in the research and clinical trials of cancer. Their expertise leads to the effective and efficient development of oncology therapies. They help in expediting the drug development process while maintaining cost efficiency. This significantly contributes to the growth of the segment.
The infectious disease segment is anticipated to expand at a significant pace during the projection period, as it is one the most constant sources for contract research organization services. Infectious disease trials often have short timelines, allowing CROs to efficiently conduct quick and effective research. Furthermore, rising collaborations between pharmaceutical companies and government agencies to develop innovative drugs for infectious diseases are expected to create lucrative prospects for the growth of this segment.
On the basis of end-user, the contract research organization (CRO) services market is segmented into medical device companies, academic & research institutes, pharmaceutical & biotech companies, and others. The pharmaceutical & biotech companies segment is anticipated to register a robust growth rate during the forecast period, as CROs enable these companies to tap into the latest research and developments. The expertise and specializations of contract research organizations help pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies by providing access to cutting-edge technologies, specialized knowledge, and experienced personnel. This, in turn, is anticipated to propel the segment.
In terms of region, the global contract research organization (CRO) services market is classified as Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, Europe, and Middle East & Africa. North America is expected to dominate the market during the projection period, owing to its advanced medical infrastructure. In addition, the presence of several key players and large pharmaceutical companies in the region contributes to the market expansion. This facilitates extensive drug development and research activities, thereby propelling the market in this region.
The market in Europe is anticipated to expand at a high CAGR, due to the rapid expansion of the pharmaceutical industry. A significant surge in drug development activities, due to the increasing prevalence of various chronic ailments is likely to boost the market. Furthermore, the increase in healthcare expenditure in the region is expected to boost the market in the coming years.
The contract research organization (CRO) services market has been segmented on the basis of
Key players competing in the global contract research organization (CRO) services market are WuXi AppTec; Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.; Syneos Health; Parexel International (MA) Corporation; Novotech; Medspace; Labcorp Drug Development; IQVIA Inc; ICON plc; Frontage Labs; Charles River Laboratories; Alira Health; and Bioagile.
These companies incorporate development strategies such as acquisitions, mergers, collaboration, partnerships, product launches, and production expansion to cater to customers worldwide. These key players heavily invest in research & innovation and collaborate to maintain their market relevance. For instance,