Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

Orphan Drug Market To Reach USD 621.85 Billion By 2034, Driven By Rising Rare Disease Incidence And Innovation


(MENAFN- GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) The global orphan drug market size stood at US$ 216.66 billion in 2025, grew to US$ billion in 2026, and is forecast to reach US$ 621.85 billion by 2034, expanding at a CAGR of 12.24% from 2026 to 2035.

Ottawa, Nov. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global orphan drug market size

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Key Takeaways

  • North America held a major revenue share by 47% of the market in 2024.
  • Europe is expected to witness the fastest growth in the orphan drug market during the forecast period.
  • By drug type, the biologicals segment held a major revenue share of the market in 2024.
  • By drug type, the non-biologicals segment is expected to witness significant growth in the market during the forecast period
  • By therapy, the oncology segment held a major revenue share of the market in 2024.
  • By therapy, the neurology segment is expected to witness the fastest growth in the market during the forecast period
  • By distribution channel, the hospital pharmacies segment held a major revenue share of the market in 2024.
  • By distribution channel, the online pharmacies segment is expected to witness significant growth in the market during the forecast period.

What is the Orphan Drug Market?

The orphan drugs market is driven by the growing prevalence of rare diseases, significant technological advancements in medicine, and supportive government regulations. The orphan drugs refer to the medications developed for the treatment of rare diseases that affect only a small percentage of the population

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Key Metrics and Overview

Metric Details
Market Size in 2024 USD 193.05 Billion
Projected Market Size in 2034 USD 621.85 Billion
CAGR (2025 - 2034) 12.24 %
Leading Region North America
Market Segmentation By Drug Type, By Therapy, By Distribution Channel and By Region
Top Key Players F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Celgene Corporation, Merk & Co., Inc., Novartis AG, Sanofi, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited

What are the Major Growth Drivers in the Orphan Drug Market?

Growing government initiatives are the major growth driver in the market, which is supporting the approval and adoption of orphan drugs. They are offering tax credits and funding for clinical trials and their development advancements in biotechnology

What are the Key Drifts in the Orphan Drug Market?

The market has been expanding due to the growing funding and acquisitions to develop and launch different types of orphan drugs.

  • In November 2025, a $141 million (€122 million) Series B financing round was announced to have successfully closed by AAVantgarde Bio. This funding will be used to support the completion of the clinical PoC of its AAVB-039 CELESTE in patients with Stargardt disease, which was granted Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) by the U.S. FDA.
  • In May 2025, a total of €132,000,000 in funding was secured by Azafaros B.V. to accelerate the clinical development and regulatory approval of nizubaglustat, which is a novel small molecule therapy targeting lysosomal storage diseases with no effective treatments.
  • In January 2025, a front-loaded acquisition agreement was signed by GSK for the acquisition of IDRx and its rare cancer drug candidate, where $1 billion and $150 million will be offered by GSK for upfront payment and regulatory approval, respectively.

What is the Significant Challenge in the Orphan Drug Market?

High cost acts as the major challenge in the market. The cost associated with the orphan drugs is high, as they require specialized manufacturing, complex R&D, and are used by a small patient population, which limits access by patients and healthcare systems in developing countries. Moreover, limited patient population, stringent guidelines, lack of accurate diagnostics, limited infrastructure, and reimbursement challenges are other market restraints.

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Regional Analysis

Why did North America Dominate the Orphan Drug Market in 2024?

In 2024, North America captured the biggest revenue share in the market, due to a robust regulatory framework that provides incentives to the industries for developing drugs for rare diseases.

What Made the Asia Pacific Grow Fastest in the Orphan Drug Market in 2024?

Asia Pacific is expected to host the fastest growth in the market during the forecast period, due to the presence of a large population, which increases the risk of incidences of rare diseases, driving the demand for orphan drugs. At the same time, the expanding healthcare sector is increasing the adoption of advanced diagnostics, accelerating their early diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, the government policies are supporting the adoption, development, and innovations of orphan drugs, where the industries are also accelerating their manufacturing, leading to new collaborations, launches, and approvals, promoting the market growth.

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Segmental Insights

By Drug Analysis

By drug type, the biologicals segment held the largest share of the market in 2024, due to their high specificity. This, in turn, helped in providing high efficacy and low side effects, which increased their use. At the same time, due to unmet needs for various rare diseases, they are the preferred treatment option.

By drug type, the non-biologicals segment is expected to show a lucrative growth rate in the market during the predicted time, due to their oral route of administration, which is increasing patient convenience. Moreover, their simple manufacturing and wide range of applications are increasing their use. Similarly, their generic formulation are enhancing their adoption rates.

By Therapy Analysis

By therapy, the oncology segment held the dominating share of the market in 2024, driven by the growing incidence. At the same time, the limited effective treatment options enhanced the demand for orphan drugs. Additionally, the growth in the R&D backed by investments contributed to their enhanced innovations.

By therapy, the neurology segment is expected to show the highest growth in the market during the predicted time, due to unmet medical needs. The growing innovations in genetics for target-specific treatment are enhancing the development of orphan drugs for these diseases. Furthermore, the regulatory support and funding are also encouraging their advancement and approvals.

By Distribution Channel Analysis

By distribution channel, the hospital pharmacies segment led the market in 2024, as they offered various complex treatments. Moreover, close patient monitoring and specialized handling of orphan drugs enhanced the patient outcomes. Additionally, the presence of reimbursement and insurance policies also attracted the patients.

By distribution channel, the online pharmacies segment is expected to show a lucrative growth in the market during the upcoming years, driven by their widespread availability, which enhances access across remote areas. Furthermore, their home deliveries and discounts are enhancing patient convenience. The growing online counselling platforms and disease management tools are also attracting patients.

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Recent Developments in the Orphan Drug Market

  • In April 2025, rilzabrutinib targeting reversible Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, for two rare diseases, IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) and warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia (wAIHA), was granted orphan drug designation by the U.S. FDA.
  • In November 2025, M2T-CD33, developed by Leukogene Therapeutics Inc., for the treatment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Orphan Drug Designation was granted by the U.S. FDA.
  • In October 2025, for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), buloxibutid, developed by Vicore Pharma Holding AB, was granted Orphan Drug designation by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW).

Orphan Drug Market Key Players List

  • Merk & Co., Inc.
  • F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.
  • Novartis AG
  • Celgene Corporation
  • Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc.
  • AstraZeneca
  • Sanofi
  • Amgen Inc.
  • Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited
  • Eli Lilly and Company

Segments Covered in The Report

By Drug Type

  • Biologicals
  • Non-Biologicals

By Therapy

  • Oncology
    • Ovarian cancer
    • Multiple Myeloma
    • Pancreatic Cancer
    • Renal Cell Carcinoma
    • Others
  • Hematology
    • Hereditary Angioedema
    • Hemophilia
    • Others
  • Neurology
    • Alzheimer's Disease
    • Huntington's Disease
    • Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
    • Others
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Metabolic Disorders
    • Gaucher Disease
    • Hypoparathyroidism
    • Hunter Syndrome
    • Fabry Disease
    • Others
  • Endocrinology
  • Immunology
  • Others

By Distribution Channel

  • Hospital Pharmacies
  • Retail Pharmacies
  • Online Pharmacies
  • Others

By Region

North America

  • U.S.
  • Canada
  • Mexico
  • Rest of North America

South America

  • Brazil
  • Argentina
  • Rest of South America

Europe

  • Western Europe
    • Germany
    • Italy
    • France
    • Netherlands
    • Spain
    • Portugal
    • Belgium
    • Ireland
    • UK
    • Iceland
    • Switzerland
    • Poland
    • Rest of Western Europe
  • Eastern Europe
  • Austria
  • Russia & Belarus
  • Türkiye
  • Albania
  • Rest of Eastern Europe

Asia Pacific

  • China
  • Taiwan
  • India
  • Japan
  • Australia and New Zealand,
  • ASEAN Countries (Singapore, Malaysia)
  • South Korea
  • Rest of APAC

MEA

  • GCC Countries
  • Saudi Arabia
  • United Arab Emirates (UAE)
  • Qatar
  • Kuwait
  • Oman
  • Bahrain
  • South Africa
  • Egypt
  • Rest of MEA

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