Top 6 Companies in the Global Single-Use Bioreactor Market in 2024

The global single-use bioreactor market was valued at USD 3.03 billion in 2023. The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16.10% during the forecast period of 2024-2032, driven by the rising focus on cost-efficiency and minimizing the risk of cross-contamination between batches across the globe.

Single-use bioreactors, also known as SUBs, are new, one-time disposable systems with bags, tubing, and connectors. These systems have become very popular in cell and microorganism cultures, especially in producing biologics, vaccines, therapeutic proteins, and cell-based therapies. They offer key advantages over stainless-steel bioreactors by eliminating cleaning and sterilization between batches reducing downtime and diminishing the risks of contamination. In addition, SUBs have more operational efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and compatibility with modern automated processes, which makes them suitable for both research and commercial biomanufacturing. Their increasing adoption is driven by these advantages and their ability to adapt to evolving industry demands.

The growing requirement for biopharmaceutical products, including monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, and gene therapies, is driving growth in the single-use bioreactor market. These bioreactors are gaining popularity among biopharmaceutical companies as they reduce the chances of cross-contamination, are an economical solution compared to a stainless-steel system, and are deployed quickly which simplifies the production process. Advancements in bioprocessing technologies have also made a significant contribution to furthering the expansion of the market through flexible and scalable production solutions. Some of the other notable drivers include a heightened focus on personalized medicine and rising interest in biologics for specific therapeutic applications.

In September 2024, Merck introduced the Mobius Reactor, the first single-use bioreactor designed specifically for antibody-drug conjugate production. The innovation overcomes the limitations of traditional stainless-steel reactors. It increases in efficiency and offers a lower risk of contamination. It uses Ultimus Film technology to enhance the leak resistance and durability of the reactor. The rise in such innovative product launches is driving the growth of the single-use bioreactor market, considering their faster production times and lower costs, especially in the rapidly expanding antibody-drug conjugates therapeutic area.

Let’s explore the profile of top companies leading the global single-use bioreactor market in 2024.

1.    Sartorius AG

Sartorius is a leading player in the single-use bioreactor market and provides advanced solutions for a variety of biopharmaceutical processes. Their portfolio includes single-use bioreactors such as Ambr and Biostat models dedicated to mammalian cell culture and high-density processes. It is famous for flexibility, reduced investment costs, and easy scale-up. Its technologies are an integral part of supporting the efficient development and production of biologics, both in research and commercial production. Their technology, consisting of the Flexsafe film, guarantees exceptional cell growth and performance.

2.    Distek Inc.

Distek, Inc. is one of the leading companies offering BIOne Single-Use Bioreactor and BIOne Single-Use Fermentor in the market. These products are a typical representation of single-use technologies being adapted to bioprocessing and can efficiently provide contamination-free solutions for microbial fermentation and cell culture applications. Being assembled in an ISO-7 cleanroom and gamma-sterilized, the bioreactors offer easy-to-scale, hassle-free solutions that save time and reduce the efforts in cleaning and sterilizing, hence supporting efficient bioprocessing operations.

3.    Eppendorf SE

Eppendorf is one of the market leaders in global single-use bioreactors. The company offers a series of bioreactors under the category of BioBLU for cell culture and microbial purposes. It provides a 65-mL to 40-L single-use bioreactor designed for scalable, low contamination risks, and setup times. The BioBLU series utilizes advanced sensor technology and materials with flexible solutions available for stem cell, adherent cell, and fermentation applications, an important component for biopharmaceutical production and research.

4.    Cytiva Bioscience Holding Limited

Cytiva is one of the top players in the global single-use bioreactor market, offering flexible and scalable solutions for cell culture processes. Their single-use bioreactors promote efficiency, reduce capital investment, and maintain sterility, providing several critical advantages in the biopharmaceutical manufacturing process. Their products can be used in multiple processes such as batch, fed batch, and perfusion. With smooth scaling from research to full-scale production, their products drive innovation in biomanufacturing and speed up time-to-market for biologics.

5.    Merck KGaA

Merck, a science, and technology company revolutionized the single-use bioreactor market with the Mobius ADC Reactor. The reactor is purposely built for antibody-drug conjugate manufacturing and can boost efficiency over traditional methods. With single-use technology, the reactor minimizes costs, risks, and turnaround times. This is a high-value solution for biopharmaceutical companies that are looking to hasten the development and manufacturing of critical therapies, particularly cancer treatments.

6.    WuXi Biologics Cayman Inc.

WuXi Biologics is one of the leaders in biologics manufacturing and is reputed for its expertise in single-use bioreactors. Its facilities are equipped with cutting-edge disposable bioreactors ranging from 200L to 5,000L, offering a more flexible, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective option compared to traditional stainless-steel systems. Committed to high-capacity production, WuXi Biologics provides advanced manufacturing solutions to meet the growing demand in the single-use bioreactor market.