API Development and Manufacturing: Advantages of Working with Small Molecules

Approximately 58% of drug products in development are small molecules, according to a Thermo Fisher article (1). Moreover, a 2021 report by Market Research Future estimates that the small-molecule API market will reach US$279,697.1 million by 2027 (2). This includes both in-house manufacturing and contract manufacturing. Some of the drivers of this growth, according to the same report, include a “growing demand for newly developed small molecule drugs” and “the changing nature of drugs” (2).

But that isn’t the only upward prediction for the small-molecule API market. In a report by Data Bridge Market Research, an 8.05% compound annual growth rate market growth is predicted from 2021 to 2028, and technological advancement and innovations may lead to profitable opportunities for players in the small-molecule API market (3).

With this promising trajectory in mind, it’s no surprise that many companies are wondering what some of the potential advantages of working with small molecules (vs. large molecules) are in API manufacturing.

October 2021 API eBook

Read this article in Pharmaceutical Technology’s October 2021 APIs, Excipients, and Manufacturing eBook.

About the Author

Meg Rivers is a senior editor for Pharmaceutical Technology, Pharmaceutical Technology Europe, and BioPharm International.

Article Details

Pharmaceutical Technology
eBook: October 2021
Pages: 6-10

Citation

When referring to this article, please cite it as M. Rivers, “API Development and Manufacturing: Advantages of Working with Small Molecules," Pharmaceutical Technology eBook (October 2021).