Plant-based Biologics Market by Product Type (Leaf-based, Seed-based, Fruit-based, and Others), Source (Carrot, Tobacco, Rice, Duckweed, and Others), Target Disease (Gaucher Disease, Fabry Disease, and Others) and Regional Analysis (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2022–2031.

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Global Plant-based Biologics Market Analysis

The Global Plant-Based Biologics Market Size was $116.1 million in 2021 and is predicted to grow with a CAGR of 4.8%, by generating a revenue of $182.9 million by 2031.

Global Plant-based Biologics Market Synopsis

Recent developments in glycoengineering, downstream processing, and plant expression vector creation have made plants a superior alternative for the manufacture of biologics. Proper eukaryotic protein modification, low cost, high scalability, and increased safety are advantages provided by plants. In addition, plants can manufacture biologics quickly, enabling more effective pandemic responses. Certain glycoforms may be present in plant-based biologics, which may enhance their efficacy or safety. A promising advancement in biotechnology is the utilization of plants to produce biologics, which presents a viable substitute for conventional production techniques.

Biologics derived from plants could encounter issues with product quality and regulatory compliance. Comparing plant-based biologic production systems to other biologic production methods, the regulatory approval process for these products may be more difficult and time-consuming. This is partly because of concerns about possible allergenicity and product quality variation, which can be influenced by elements such as plant growing circumstances and post-harvest processing.

Plant-based biologics have emerged as a promising alternative for making vaccines due to their capacity for low-cost and scalable production. This is important in addressing the demand for vaccines during pandemics. Many vaccines for inifluenza, HPV, and COVID-19 have been produced using plants. Another benefit of using plant-based vaccinations is their speed. Since plants can grow quickly and vaccines may be made in a matter of weeks, it is possible to respond quickly to newly emerging infectious diseases. This factor is anticipated to offer ample growth opportunities in the upcoming years.

According to regional analysis, the North America plant-based biologics market accounted for the highest market share in 2021 owing to the presence of several well-known players in the market such as Medicago, Kentucky BioProcessing, Ventria Bioscience, which have contributed to the development of the market in the region

Plant-based Biologics Market Overview

Plant-based biologics are medical products that are produced by utilizing bioengineered plants to create complex molecules like proteins, antibodies, and vaccines. These biologics are produced more sustainably and economically than conventional animal cell-based biologics.  The use of plant-based biologics may have substantial effects on the pharmaceutical industry by lowering the costs of medicine development and production and addressing ethical concerns about the use of animals in medical research.

COVID-19 Impact on the Plant-based Biologics Market

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a moderate impact on the plant-based biologics market. The pandemic increased interest in plant-based biologics by highlighting the need for ethical and sustainable alternatives to conventional animal-based biologics. However, the pandemic also impacted the development and distribution of plant-based biologics by disrupting the worldwide supply chain, including transportation and the purchase of raw materials. The pandemic has also compelled numerous pharmaceutical firms to redirect their attention and resources toward COVID-19 research and development, which could have impeded the advancement of plant-based biologics. Concerns about developing biologics on the basis of plants to treat other diseases have also increased as a result of the pandemic. The importance of developing new drugs to treat infectious diseases has been highlighted by the pandemic, and the plant-based biologics sector is well-positioned to address this demand.

Increase in Demand for Sustainable and Ethical Alternatives to Traditional Animal-based Biologics to Drive the Market Growth

Complex molecules including proteins, antibodies, and vaccines can be produced more sustainably and affordably using plant-based biologics. More ethical and ecological solutions are required to deal with these issues due to the expansion of global population and rise in demand for healthcare supplies. Furthermore, improvements in plant molecular biology have enabled the production of superior plant-based biologics that are equivalent to their animal-based counterparts in terms of efficacy and safety. In the upcoming years, these elements are anticipated to fuel market growth along with the advantages of plant-based biologics.

Difficulty in Achieving Consistent Yields and Quality is Anticipated to Restrain Plant-based Biologics Market Growth

The variety in plant growth circumstances and the complexity of protein expression make it difficult to produce consistent yields and quality, which is major limitation of plant-based biologics. This may lead to batch-to-batch variance and decreased production process efficiency.  Moreover, the regulatory approval and widespread acceptability of plant-based biologics may be difficult to achieve because stakeholders must be fully informed about the safety and effectiveness of the products. These difficulties can be overcome due to the increased developments in plant molecular biology such as gene editing and synthetic biology. Furthermore, the development and commercialization of plant-based biologics may be facilitated by fostering partnerships and collaborations between academic institutions, pharmaceutical firms, and other stakeholders.  

Growth in Biopharmaceutical Sector is Anticipated to Offer Lucrative Opportunities

Companies operating in biopharmaceutical industry have ample opportunities in plant-based biologics.  Plant-based biologics are a new class of medicinal goods using genetically modified plants to express human proteins, antibodies, and other molecules with therapeutic promise. Plant-based biologics provide several benefits over conventional biologics, including lower production costs, a lower risk of contamination, and a more ecologically friendly manufacturing process. The market for plant-based biologics is anticipated to expand rapidly over the next few years because of the rise in demand for biologics. Plant-based biologics have potential outside of the pharmaceutical industry as well, including in the food, cosmetics, and agricultural industries.

Global Plant-based Biologics Market, by Product Type

On the basis of product type, the market is further divided into leaf-based, seed-Based, fruit-based, and others. Among this leaf-based sub-segment accounted for the largest market share in 2021.

Global Plant-based Biologics Market Share, by Product Type, 2021

Source: Research Dive Analysis

The leaf-based sub-segment accounted for the largest market share in 2021. This sub-segment consists of biologics produced from plant leaves, including tobacco, alfalfa, and lettuce. The considerable market share can be attributed to the significant use of tobacco plants in the production of biologics made from plants. The production of biologics frequently uses tobacco plants because of their high biomass yield and quick growth rate. Further advantages of tobacco plants include their ability to produce significant amounts of protein and their ease of genetic modification. Tobacco plants have consequently emerged as a preferred substitute for the production of plant-based biologics.

Global plant-based Biologics Market, by Source

On the basis of source, the global plant-based biologics market has been divided into carrot, tobacco, rice, duckweed, and others. Among these, the tobacco sub-segment accounted for the largest market share in 2021.

Global Plant-based Biologics Market Size, by Source, 2021

Source: Research Dive Analysis

The tobacco sub-segment accounted for the largest market share in 2021. The tobacco plant has been the preferred option as a host plant for generating recombinant antibodies. Tobacco continues to be the most widely used plant for the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals. It is simple to infect tobacco plants with foreign genes which encode for the protein as they produce foreign products far more quickly than bioreactors do. This may dramatically lower production costs. Moreover, tobacco plants are a cost-effective option for biologic synthesis because of their high propensity to take foreign proteins and low care needs.

Global plant-based Biologics Market, by Target Disease

On the basis of target disease, the global plant-based biologics market has been divided into gaucher disease, fabry disease, and others. Among these, the fabry disease sub-segment accounted for the largest market share in 2021.

Global Plant-based Biologics Market, by Target Disease, 2021

Source: Research Dive Analysis

The fabry disease sub-segment accounted for the largest market share in 2021. Fabry disease is a rare genetic disease that impairs lipid metabolism, resulting in a buildup of a kind of fat termed globotriaosylceramide (GL-3) in numerous organs of the body. Many symptoms, including pain, exhaustion, and organ damage, can be brought on by the illness. Plant-based biologics are being researched as a potential therapy for Fabry disease. A plant-based enzyme replacement treatment (ERT) made from genetically engineered tobacco plants is one example. This plant-based ERT contains alpha-galactosidase A, an enzyme that is lacking in persons with Fabry disease.

Plant-based Biologics Market, Regional Insights

The plant-based biologics market was studied across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.

Plant-based Biologics Market Size & Forecast, by Region, 2021-2031 ($million)

Source: Research Dive Analysis

North America Dominated the Plant-based Biologics Market in 2021

The North America region dominated the global plant-based biologics market in 2021. North America offers a sizable market opportunity for plant-based biologics due to high demand for biopharmaceuticals and growth in consumer interest in eco-friendly and plant-based products of this region. The U.S. now boasts the largest biologics market in the world, while there is a rapid growth of the biotech industry of Canada. Biologics made from plants are already receiving investment from significant pharmaceutical companies in North America. In addition, the region attracts businesses wanting to develop and market plant-based biologics due to its supportive regulatory environment and strong research infrastructure. The market for plant-based biologics in North America is anticipated to increase significantly over the next few years as the need for more reasonably priced and environmentally friendly biologics continues to rise.

Global Plant-based Biologics Market Competitive Scenario

Joint ventures, investment, merger & acquisition, product development, and technological development are the common strategies followed by major plant-based biologics market players. For instance, in February 2023, Chiesi Global Rare Diseases, a business unit of the Chiesi Group established to deliver innovative therapies and solutions for people affected by rare diseases, and Protalix BioTherapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, announced that the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) had adopted a positive opinion, recommending marketing authorization for PRX-102 (pegunigalsidase alfa), the first and only pegylated enzyme for the treatment of adult patients with Fabry disease.

Source: Research Dive Analysis

Some of the leading players in the plant-based biologics market are Leaf Expression Systems, Zea Biosciences, Planet Biotechnology Inc., InVitria, PlantForm Corporation, IBIO, Inc., Mapp Biopharmaceutical, Inc., Pfizer Inc., Ventria Bioscience Inc., Medicago Inc., and Eleva GmbH.