Towards Healthcare Research & Consulting

US Fill-Finish Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing Market Size, Key Companies, Company Market Share, Patient Volume, Treatment Adoption Rates, Pricing Analysis, Regulatory Landscape, Competitive Positioning, and Demand Forecast

Payal Rabde is a Healthcare Market Research Analyst specializing in the pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market. She tracks the expanding sterile manufacturing capacities, new acquisitions, and adoption of single-use bioprocessing systems. Her research provides in-depth market intelligence, competitive analysis, and strategic insights to support fill-finish pharmaceutical contract manufacturing business growth across the U.S. She also highlighted that major companies like Novo Nordisk reported a growth in capital expenditure in 2024 from $3.9 billion to $6.8 billion, indicating a rise of 74%.

Last Updated : 25 August 2026 Insight Code: 7048 Format: PDF / PPT / Excel Fact Checked Cite US Fill-Finish Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing Market to Lead USD 10.72 Billion by 2035
Source: https://www.towardshealthcare.com/insights/us-fill-finish-pharmaceutical-contract-manufacturing-market-sizing
Revenue, 2025
USD 5.55 Billion
Forecast, 2035
USD 10.72 Billion
CAGR, 2026-2035
6.8%
Report Coverage
United States

US Fill-Finish Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing Market Trends for 2026

The U.S. fill-finish pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market size was estimated at USD 5.55 billion in 2025 and is predicted to increase from USD 5.93 billion in 2026 to approximately USD 10.72 billion by 2035, expanding at a CAGR of 6.8% from 2026 to 2035. Her analysis highlights that the U.S. fill-finish pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market is rapidly expanding due to growing biologics approvals, rising demand for disposable bioprocessing systems, advancements in oncology therapies, a shift towards aseptic fill-finish capabilities, and key industry players like Novo Nordisk A/S, Novo Holdings A/S, Catalent, Inc., Danaher Corporation, and Sartorius AG/Sartorius Stedim Biotech.

U.S. Fill-Finish Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing Market Size is USD 5.93 Billion in 2026

Key Takeaways

  • U.S. fill-finish pharmaceutical contract manufacturing sector push the market to USD 5.93 billion by 2026.
  • Long-term projections show USD 10.72 billion valuation by 2035.
  • Growth is expected at a steady CAGR of 6.8% in between 2026 to 2035.
  • By product type, the vials segment held a dominant revenue share of 36% of the market in 2025.
  • By product type, the prefilled syringes segment held 28% of market share in 2025 and is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 8.40% during the forecast period.
  • By molecule type, the large molecules segment held a dominant revenue share of 62% of the market in 2025 and is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 8.10% during the forecast period.
  • By fill-finish service type, the aseptic fill-finish segment held a dominant revenue share of 49% of the market in 2025.
  • By fill-finish service type, the lyophilization segment held 22% of market share in 2025 and is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 9.20% during the forecast period.
  • By formulation type, the liquid segment held a dominant revenue share of 63% of the market in 2025.
  • By formulation type, the lyophilized segment held 29% of market share in 2025 and is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 8.70% during the forecast period.
  • By primary packaging container type, the vials segment held a dominant revenue share of 42% of the market in 2025.
  • By primary packaging container type, the prefilled syringes segment held 29% of market share in 2025 and is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 8.60% during the forecast period.
  • By end user, the biologics segment held a dominant position in the market with a share of 45% in 2025.
  • By end user, the cell & gene therapy segment held 9% of the market in 2025 and is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 12.40% during the forecast period.
  • By API potency type, the standard potency segment held a dominant revenue share of 67% of the market in 2025.
  • By API potency type, the highly potent segment held 25% of market share in 2025 and is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 9.10% during the forecast period.
  • By company size type, the large pharmaceutical companies segment held a dominant revenue share of 56% of the market in 2025.
  • By company size type, the small & emerging biotechnology companies segment held 17% of market share in 2025 and is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 11.60% during the forecast period.

Market Overview 

The U.S. fill-finish pharmaceutical contract manufacturing refers to the outsourced sterile manufacturing processes across the U.S., such as aseptic filling, lyophilization, terminal sterilization, inspection, and secondary packaging, which are used to convert bulk drug substance into ready-to-administer injectables like vials, prefilled syringes, cartridges, and ampoules. They help ensure regulatory compliance, reduce operational costs, and enhance access to sterile facilities. They are preferred for the production of biologics, vaccines, cell & gene therapies, biosimilars, and monoclonal antibodies.

Catalent Acquisition Marks the Largest Recent Fill-Finish CDMO Deal

Novo Holdings acquired Catalent for $16.5 billion, the largest recent fill-finish manufacturing deal.

Graph 1: As the market research analyst, I interpret that the given infographic stat panel highlights Novo Holdings–Catalent acquisition metrics, which reshaped ownership of one of the world's largest sterile fill-finish networks. The total takeover value was noted to be $16.5 billion, with a price per share of $63.50. The transaction completion date was recorded to be December 2024, with its post-close status recorded as Catalent delisted from NYSE.

Key Insight:

This largest fill-finish CDMO transaction highlights that sterile injectable manufacturing capacity has become a strategic asset where large pharma companies are eager to pay a premium for direct control and not merely rent.

Source: Catalent, “Novo Holdings Completes Acquisition of Catalent,” Dec. 20, 2024; pharmaphorum, “Novo completes $16.5bn takeover of Catalent,” 2024.

Novo Nordisk Expands Sterile Fill-Finish Capacity

Novo Nordisk paid $11 billion to directly acquire three sterile injectable filling facilities.

Graph 2: The above-mentioned geographic infographic highlights three sterile fill-finish sites acquired by Novo Nordisk, which marks the expansion of its dedicated fill-finish capacity. Site 1 is located in Bloomington, Indiana, U.S.; site 2 is situated in Anagni, Italy, while site 3 is located in Brussels, Belgium. 

Key Insight:

With the separate acquisition of three specific fill-finish sites for $11 billion, Novo Nordisk confirmed that even well-funded pharma companies are unable to expand sterile fill-finish capacity quickly through organic build-out alone.

Source: Novo Nordisk, SEC Form 6-K, Feb. 5, 2024 and Dec. 18, 2024; Davis Polk, “FTC clearance of Novo Nordisk acquisition of certain Catalent sites,” 2024.

Novo Nordisk's Manufacturing Capex Reaches New Heights 

Novo Nordisk's manufacturing capital spending nearly doubled to $6.8 billion in one year.

Graph 3: As per the analysis conducted by Aman, the bar chart compares Novo Nordisk's annual capex in 2023 and 2024. In 2023, Novo Nordisk's capital expenditure was reported to be $3.9 billion, which increased to $6.8 billion, indicating a rise of 74% in the year 2024. This rise also highlights the growing investments in GLP-1, which promotes sterile injectable manufacturing capacity.

Key Insight:

The growth in capital spending by 74%, along with a $11 billion acquisition, fuels sterile fill-finish capacity expansion, making it one of the largest capital allocation priorities for any GLP-1 manufacturer. 

Source: pharmaphorum, “Novo completes $16.5bn takeover of Catalent,” 2024 (citing Novo Nordisk capital investment disclosures). 

Adoption of GLP-1 Drugs Drive Self-Administered Injectable Demand 

GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are driving explosive growth in self-injectable demand.

Graph 4: Based on our research, the bar chart compares Ozempic and Wegovy Q3 2024 sales growth, highlighting a rise in the demand for prefilled syringe and pen-injector cartridge capacity. In 2024, the Q3 sales of Ozempic, a diabetes drug, were noted to be $4.3 billion, which contributed to a rise of 26%, while the Q3 sales of Wegovy, an obesity drug, were reported to be $2.5 billion, which represented a growth of 79%.

Key Insight:

The growing demand for Wegovy, reflecting a rise of 79% in a single quarter, confirms the rapid expansion of the obesity-drug segment, which promotes the demand for new prefilled syringe and auto-injector fill-finish capacities.

Source: BioPharma Dive, “Novo Holdings to buy contract drugmaker Catalent for $16.5B,” Feb. 2024 (citing Novo Nordisk Q3 2024 sales data). 

Sterile Injectables Hold the Major Share of All U.S. Drug Shortages

Sterile injectable drugs account for the majority of all drug shortages in the US.

Graph 5: The given bar chart represents the sterile injectable share of drug shortages by category, from 2018 to 2023. The share attributed to sterile injectables of generic drug shortages contributed 45%, while it was reported to be 60% for brand drug shortages, which acts as the major restraint on fill-finish capacity in the U.S.

Key Insight:

The growing brand-drug shortages due to sterile injectables lead to capacity-constrained fill-finish manufacturing, which affects generic-drug costs as well as poses a major threat to branded, higher-value injectable products.

Source: HHS/ASPE, “Analysis of Drug Shortages, 2018-2023,” Jan. 10, 2025.

Early 2024 Marks the Highest U.S. Active Drug Shortages

The number of active drug shortages in the US reached a record high in early 2024.

Graph 6: According to the information gathered by Aman, the given bar chart illustrates the active U.S. drug shortage count from the end of 2023 through mid-2025. At the end of 2023, the active U.S. drug shortage was reported to be 323, whereas in July 2024 it increased by 32% to 426. In 2025, it dropped to 223, which highlighted the rise in the demand for sterile manufacturing capacity and new market opportunities. 

Key Insight:

Sterile manufacturing capacity indicates rising fill-finish capacity constraints and the need for capacity investment to reverse the trend.

Source: Clarkston Consulting, “Drug Shortage Series: An Overview of Drug Shortages in the U.S.,” 2026; ASHP, “Drug Shortages Statistics,” 2025–2026.

The U.S. Drug Shortage: The Major Market Challenge

The average drug shortage in the US now lasts more than three years.

Graph 7: The infographic stat panel covers the drug shortage duration and pricing metrics. The average drug shortage duration in December 2023 was reported to be 1,202 days, which is more than 3 years, and shortages lasting more than 5 years accounted for 27. The 2024 shortages that are generic sterile injectables contributed to 53%, while the price of most injectable drugs in shortage was noted to be under $5. Thus, this highlights the sterile manufacturing capacity constraints that drive the long-term fill-finish capacity contracts.

Key Insight:

The majority of shortage-affected injectables priced under $5 are the major cause discouraging fill-finish investment, which specifically affects generic sterile injectable products, leading to their prolonged shortage.

Source: Clarkston Consulting, “Drug Shortage Series: An Overview of Drug Shortages in the U.S.,” 2026. 

Monoclonal Antibody FDA Approvals Achieve New Milestones

FDA approved a record number of new monoclonal antibody drugs in 2024.

Graph 8: As the market research analyst, I interpret that the given bar chart represents annual FDA mAb approvals from 2021 to 2024, which demonstrates significant growth. In 2021, the number of new molecular entity mAb approvals by the FDA was noted to be 7, which increased to 9 in 2022. 2023, reported a total of 12 approvals of new molecular entity mAbs, which increased to 13 in 2024. This highlights that growing approvals are expanding biologics production, driving the demand for specialized aseptic fill-finish capacity.

Key Insight:

The growing monoclonal antibody approvals are promoting the biologics manufacturing expansion, fueling the demand for aseptic fill-finish CDMOs at a faster rate compared to small-molecule injectable growth.

Source: PMC, “The Pharmaceutical Industry in 2024: An Analysis of the FDA Drug Approvals,” peer-reviewed.

Biologics on the Rise

Biologic drugs made up the largest share of new FDA drug approvals in 2024.

Graph 9: The given donut chart highlights FDA novel drug approvals by category in the year 2024. The biologics approved by the FDA in 2024 held a share of 32%, while small molecules registered dominance with a 34% share of 2024 FDA novel drug approvals. On the other hand, TIDES (peptides/oligonucleotides) contributed 8%, while the other drug approvals accounted for 26%. Thus, with the rise of biologics and TIDES approvals, the use of sterile aseptic fill-finish manufacturing will increase.

Key Insight:

With the growing approvals of biologics and TIDES together representing 40% of novel approvals, the need for specialized sterile injectable manufacturing, specifically fill-finish CDMO show a rapid expansion.

Source: PMC, “The Pharmaceutical Industry in 2024: An Analysis of the FDA Drug Approvals,” peer-reviewed.

Single-Use Bioprocessing Systems Surpass 85% Facility Adoption

Single-use bioprocessing systems are now used in 87% of biomanufacturing facilities.

Graph 10: Based on our research, the line chart illustrates single-use bioprocessing system adoption across 2006-2024. In the year 2006, approximately 78% of facilities utilized single-use systems, which increased to 84.3% in 2020, while 2024 recorded that 87% of facilities utilized single-use systems, highlighting a shift towards disposable systems.

Key Insight:

The rising preference for single-use bioprocessing systems is fueling the competition among fill-finish CDMOs for seamless filling lines integrating with single-use formulation and hold systems, not just aseptic capability. 

Source: BioPlan Associates, 21st Annual Report and Survey of Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Capacity, 2024.

Mapping the Major Bioprocessing and Fill-Finish-Adjacent Vendors

Major suppliers to sterile injectable manufacturers now operate at multi-billion-dollar scale.

Graph 11: As per our analysis, the horizontal bar chart represents major bioprocessing vendor by their annual revenue. The FY2023 revenue of Sartorius Bioprocess Solutions was reported to be $2.7 billion. The annual revenue of Repligen Corporation for FY2024 was reported to be $634 million, while the FY2024 annual revenue of the Danaher Biotechnology segment contributed approximately $6 billion, which made it the major player in the market.

Key Insight:

The rapid expansion of Danaher compared to Repligen indicates a significant gap due to fundamentally different competitive strategies that fill-finish CDMOs depend on for filtration, single-use, and process-analytical equipment.

Source: Danaher 2024 Annual Report; Sartorius Group FY2023 Results; Repligen Q4/FY2024 Earnings Release, Feb. 2025. 

Uncovering FDA PAT Regulatory Evolution

Two decades of FDA quality regulations now underpin modern sterile manufacturing systems.

Graph 12: The above-mentioned timeline infographic covers FDA PAT regulatory milestones, from 2004 to 2024. In 2004, FDA published original PAT guidance, while in 2009, ICH Q8(R2) formalized Quality by Design principles. Continuous manufacturing guidance was published by FDA in 2019, and 2024 marked the 20th anniversary of the PAT framework.

Key Insight:

The automated visual inspection and container closure integrity testing systems distinguishing modern fill-finish CDMOs from legacy operators are highlighted by PAT's evolution into a continuous-manufacturing regulatory cornerstone.

Source: FDA Federal Register, Oct. 2004; ISPE Pharmaceutical Engineering, Sept.–Oct. 2020.

NIIMBL: The Emerging Backbone of the U.S. Biomanufacturing Innovations

A federal-private partnership continues to anchor innovation in US biomanufacturing.

Graph 13: As per the survey conducted, the infographic stat panel encompasses NIIMBL federal-private partnership metrics relevant to sterile fill-finish and continuous manufacturing capacity. In 2021, NIST federal funding awarded a total of $153 million; member organizations contributed to more than 180 projects. The non-federal funding matched per $1 federal was noted to be $1.80, while technology/workforce projects funded to date exceeded 70.

Key Insight:

A policy-level complement to private capital, such as Novo's $11B site acquisition that goes through U.S. sterile fill-finish capacity, is supported by federal investment in biomanufacturing innovation through NIIMBL.

Source: US Department of Commerce/NIST Press Release, July 14, 2021.

Bioprocessing Order Drives Signal Capacity Investment

Bioprocessing equipment orders signal a capacity investment recovery after 2023's downturn.

Graph 14: The given infographic stat-panel covers bioprocessing vendor order recovery metrics. The consecutive quarters of order growth by Danaher were reported to be 6, while the Q4 2024 order growth and revenue growth of Repligen, sequentially, experienced a rise of 11% and 8%, respectively. Q4 2024 capital equipment order growth for Repligen also reported a rise of 30%. 

Key Insight:

It was confirmed that the biomanufacturers are resuming capital investment in fill-finish-adjacent equipment after the post-pandemic inventory correction, due to six consecutive quarters of accelerating orders.

Source: Danaher Q4 2024 Earnings Call Transcript, Jan. 2025; Repligen Q4/FY2024 Earnings Release, Feb. 2025.

Cumulative FDA Antibody-Based Biologics Approvals Jump to 159 Since 1986

A total of 159 antibody-based biologic drugs have been approved by the FDA since 1986.

Graph 15: As the market research analyst, I interpret that the line chart illustrates cumulative FDA antibody-based biologics approvals from 1986 to 2024, which demonstrates exponential growth. In 1986, a total of 1 cumulative antibody-based biologic was approved, whereas in 2000 reported approval of 20 antibody-based biologics. In 2010, cumulative antibody-based biologics approved were reported to be 39, which increased to 100 in 2020. Moreover, 2024 recorded the highest peak with 159 cumulative antibody-based biologics approvals. Therefore, the growing approvals drive the demand for dedicated sterile fill-finish capacity.

Key Insight:

The growing cumulative antibody approvals confirm biologics fill-finish demand is intensifying rather than merely growing linearly.

Source: Oxford Academic, Antibody Therapeutics journal, “Structure and function of therapeutic antibodies approved by the US FDA in 2024,” June 2025.

Market Sizing

Indicator   Value   Source  
Largest recent fill-finish CDMO acquisition (Novo Holdings–Catalent)   $16.5 billion   Catalent, Dec. 2024  
Novo Nordisk's direct fill-finish site acquisition   $11 billion for 3 sites   Novo Nordisk SEC filing, 2024  
Novo Nordisk annual capex (2024)   $6.8 billion (+74% YoY)   pharmaphorum, 2024  
Active U.S. drug shortages (peak, 2024)   426   ASHP / Clarkston Consulting  
Cumulative FDA antibody-based biologic approvals (2024)   159   Oxford Academic, 2025  
Single-use bioprocessing facility adoption (2024)   87%   BioPlan Associates, 2024  

Table 1: The table covers various acquisitions, annual revenue, and FDA approvals leading to a rise in the use of fill-finish pharmaceutical contract manufacturing services. The largest recent fill-finish CDMO acquisition was Novo Holdings–Catalent, which was $16.5 billion, while Novo Nordisk's direct fill-finish site acquisition accounted for $11 billion for 3 sites. Novo Nordisk's annual capex for 2024 was recorded to be $6.8 billion, where the single-use bioprocessing facility adoption in 2024 held 87%. In 2024, active U.S. drug shortages reached a peak of 426, where the cumulative FDA antibody-based biologic approvals were reported to be 159.

Pipeline Volume & Manufacturing Infrastructure

This section encompasses pharmaceutical pipeline & procedure volume analysis and manufacturing infrastructure & capacity analysis.

Pharmaceutical Pipeline & Procedure Volume Analysis

Metric   Value   Source  
New molecular entity mAb approvals (2024)   13 (record)   PMC, peer-reviewed, 2025  
Cumulative antibody-based biologic approvals (since 1986)   159 (as of 2024)   Oxford Academic, Antibody Therapeutics, 2025  
Biologics' share of 2024 FDA novel drug approvals   32% (16 of 50)   PMC, peer-reviewed, 2025  
TIDES (peptide/oligonucleotide) share of 2024 approvals   8% (4 of 50)   PMC, peer-reviewed, 2025  
Ozempic Q3 2024 sales growth   +26% ($4.3B)   BioPharma Dive, citing Novo Nordisk Q3 2024 data  
Wegovy Q3 2024 sales growth   +79% ($2.5B)   BioPharma Dive, citing Novo Nordisk Q3 2024 data  

Table 2: As per the analysis conducted, the given information highlights FDA approvals from 1986 to 2024 with their sales growth. From 1986 to 2024, the cumulative antibody-based biologic approvals were reported to be 159, whereas in 2024 the new molecular entity mAb, biologics' share of FDA novel drugs, and TIDES (peptide/oligonucleotide) share of approvals contributed to 13, 32%, and 8%, respectively. Furthermore, Ozempic Q3 2024 sales growth was reported to rise by 26%, leading to $4.3B, while a rise of 79%, achieving $2.5B, highlighted the Wegovy Q3 2024 sales growth.

Manufacturing Infrastructure & Capacity Analysis

Metric  
Value  
Source  
Novo Holdings–Catalent acquisition value  
$16.5 billion  
Catalent, Dec. 2024  
Novo Nordisk's direct acquisition of 3 fill-finish sites  
$11 billion  
Novo Nordisk SEC Form 6-K, 2024  
Employees at the 3 acquired sites  
3,000+  
Novo Nordisk SEC filing, 2024  
Expected capacity gain timing from acquired sites  
From 2026 onward  
Novo Nordisk SEC filing, 2024  
Single-use bioprocessing system adoption (2024)  
87% of facilities  
BioPlan Associates, 2024  
Average largest bioreactor size (2024, upstream proxy)  
3,664 liters (down from 4,718L in 2017)  
BioPlan Associates, 2024  

Table 3: The given table focuses on recent acquisitions. It highlights that the Novo Holdings–Catalent acquisition value was $16.5 billion, where its direct acquisition of 3 fill-finish sites accounted for $11 billion. Employees at the 3 acquired sites contributed to more than 3,000, while expected capacity gain timing from acquired sites was reported to be from 2026 onwards. In 2024, single-use bioprocessing system adoption and average largest bioreactor size were noted to be 87% of facilities and 3,664 liters, respectively.

Market Analysis

The Supply Chain & Value Chain Analysis, Cost Structure & Unit Economics, Pricing & Contract Economics, Company Profiles & Benchmarking, and Customer & Outsourcing Behavior are covered in this section.

Supply Chain & Value Chain Analysis

The fill-finish value chain analysis focuses on API/drug substance supply and also covers formulation and bulk drug product preparation, sterile filtration, filling and stoppering, lyophilization, inspection, packaging, and distribution capabilities.

Metric  
Value  
Source  
Sterile injectables' share of brand drug shortages  
60%  
HHS/ASPE, 2025  
Sterile injectables' share of generic drug shortages  
45%  
HHS/ASPE, 2025  
Share of 2024 shortages that are generic sterile injectables  
53%  
Clarkston Consulting, 2026  
Average shortage duration (Dec. 2023)  
1,202 days  
Clarkston Consulting, 2026  

Table 4: As the market analyst, I interpret that the given table shows sterile injectable shortages. Sterile injectables' share of brand drug shortages contributed 60%, whereas its generic drug shortages were reported to be 45%. The share of 2024 shortages that are generic sterile injectables accounted for 53%, where the average shortage duration in December 2023 was noted to be 1,202 days. Thus, this drives the demand for an improved supply chain for proper API/drug substance distribution in order to overcome these shortages.

Cost Structure & Unit Economics

At an industry level, no fill-finish CDMO publicly releases aggregate cost-per-batch, cost-per-vial, or cost-per-syringe figures. Thus, drug-shortage pricing data is considered the clearest available proxy for cost pressure. It displays that more than half of injectable drugs facing shortages are priced under $5, reflecting that shortage risk and CDMO investment incentives are structurally misaligned due to thinning of a substantial share of the addressable market and unit economics.

Source: Clarkston Consulting, “Drug Shortage Series: An Overview of Drug Shortages in the U.S.,” 2026.

Pricing & Contract Economics

The verified price-per-batch, price-per-vial, or price-per-prefilled-syringe benchmarks are not published by any fill-finish CDMO or industry at a national level, which makes them confidential, negotiated contract terms. Therefore, the above mentioned drug-shortage price data and the scale of capital sponsors willing to secure capacity directly, such as Novo Nordisk's $11B site acquisition, are the only verifiable pricing-adjacent signals available.

Company Profiles & Benchmarking

Metric   Value   Source  
Danaher Biotechnology segment revenue (FY2024)   ~$6.0 billion   Danaher 2024 Annual Report  
Sartorius Bioprocess Solutions revenue (FY2023)   $2.7 billion   Sartorius Group FY2023 Results  
Repligen Corporation revenue (FY2024)   $634 million   Repligen Q4/FY2024 Earnings Release  
Repligen Q4 2024 sequential order growth   +11%   Repligen Q4/FY2024 Earnings Release  
Danaher consecutive quarters of bioprocessing order growth   6   Danaher Q4 2024 Earnings Call  

Table 5: Based on our research, the table highlights revenue growth of various market players. The FY2024 revenue of Danaher Biotechnology was noted to be approximately $6.0 billion, and its consecutive quarters of bioprocessing order growth showed a rise of 6%, while the FY2023 revenue of Sartorius Bioprocess Solutions accounted for $2.7 billion. Similarly, the FY2024 revenue of Repligen Corporation was reported to be $634 million, where its Q4 2024 sequential order growth experienced a rise of 11%.

Customer & Outsourcing Behavior

Based on the verified evidence, acute supply risks drive outsourcing and capacity-securing decisions. The growing sterile injectables brand-drug shortages and average shortage duration exceeding three years are encouraging large pharma sponsors to expand their capacity, like Novo Nordisk's direct site acquisition, rather than depending on conventional supply contracts, which are increasingly shifting standard CDMO outsourcing towards direct ownership or long-term dedicated-capacity arrangements to de-risk supply continuity.

Segmental Insights

This section covers eight segmentation dimensions such as Product Type, Molecule Type, Fill-Finish Service Type, Formulation Type, Primary Packaging Container, End Use, API Potency, and Company Size along with their market-share and CAGR percentages.

Segment  
Verified Data Point  
Source  
By Product Type - Prefilled Syringes  
Wegovy's 79% Q3 2024 sales growth drives the demand for self-administration-oriented container format  
BioPharma Dive, 2024  
By Molecule Type - Large Molecules  
Since 1986, a total of 159 cumulative FDA antibody-based biologics were approved, with 13 new mAbs approvals in 2024 alone  
Oxford Academic, 2025; PMC, 2025  
By Fill-Finish Service Type - Aseptic Fill-Finish  
87% single-use bioprocessing adoption reflects the modern aseptic infrastructure, which is operated mostly by fill-finish CDMOs  
BioPlan Associates, 2024  
By End Use - Biologics  
Biologics contributes as the largest single category with 32% of all 2024 FDA novel drug approvals 
PMC, 2025  
By Company Size - Large Pharmaceutical Companies  
Novo Nordisk's $11B direct site acquisition highlights that large pharma companies are focusing on securing capacity rather than depending on traditional CDMO outsourcing services  
Novo Nordisk SEC filings, 2024  

Table 6: The above-mentioned table highlights the major segments along with their growing advancements. By product type, the prefilled syringes segment is expected to show the fastest growth with 8.40% CAGR, due to growing self-administration therapies. By molecule type, the large molecules segment held 38% due to increasing use in oncology therapies, while by fill-finish service type, the aseptic fill-finish segment led the market with 49% due to the rise in demand for temperature-sensitive sterile medicines. By end use, the biologics segment dominated the market with 45% due to expansion of biologic pipelines, while by company size, the large pharmaceutical companies segment held a major share of 56% due to generation of substantial commercial injectable volumes.

Recent Developments

On February 5, 2024, an agreement to acquire Catalent for $16.5 billion was announced by Novo Holdings, which also included a related $11 billion transaction to directly acquire three of Catalent's fill-finish sites.

Source: BioPharma Dive, Feb. 2024

On May 29, 2024, an approval for the Novo Holdings acquisition was voted on by Catalent stockholders.

Source: Novo Nordisk SEC Form 6-K, 2024 

On December 18, 2024, after the Catalent stock delisting from the NYSE and completion of Novo Nordisk's $11 billion acquisition of three sterile fill-finish sites, the Novo Holdings-Catalent transaction was announced to be closed.

Source: Catalent press release; Davis Polk, Dec. 2024 

In 2024, the annual capital expenditure rose from $3.9 billion in 2023 to $6.8 billion in 2024, reflecting a rise of 74%, which highlighted accelerated investment in sterile injectable manufacturing capacity, as announced by Novo Nordisk.

Source: pharmaphorum, 2024

In July 2024, in 2023 the U.S. active drug shortages were recorded to be 323, which increased to 426, indicating a 32% rise, making sterile injectables the majority of affected products. 

Source: Clarkston Consulting, 2026; ASHP, 2025–2026

On January 10, 2025, the “Analysis of Drug Shortages, 2018-2023,” published by HHS/ASPE, confirmed 60% of sterile branded injectables and 45% of generic drug shortages. 

Source: HHS/ASPE Data Brief, Jan. 2025

On April 9, 2025, in a report published by the U.S. GAO focusing on FDA's drug shortage oversight highlighted that 102 active shortages were reported as of July 31, 2024, and indicated that shortages are lasting longer, even with a decline in new shortage counts since the pandemic.

Source: GAO-25-107110, April 2025 

Key Companies/Organizations

Novo Nordisk A/S (Bagsværd, Denmark)

It is a large pharmaceutical company and the GLP-1 manufacturer that acquired 3 fill-finish sites for $11B (2024) and noted that capex rose to $6.8B.

Novo Holdings A/S (Hellerup, Denmark)

It is an investment arm of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, which supported the acquisition of Catalent for $16.5 billion.

Catalent, Inc. (acquired) (Somerset, NJ)

It is a former independent global CDMO with major fill-finish operations, which was delisted from the NYSE upon its $16.5B acquisition.

Danaher Corporation (Washington, DC)

It is a diversified life-sciences conglomerate, where its Biotechnology segment contributed approximately $6.0B in revenue in FY2024 and supports fill-finish-adjacent equipment.

Sartorius AG/Sartorius Stedim Biotech (Göttingen, Germany)

It is a global bioprocessing equipment and consumables supplier, where its bioprocess solutions division's FY2023 revenue accounted for $2.7B.

Repligen Corporation (Waltham, MA)

It is a pure-play bioprocessing technology company with FY2024 revenue of $634M.

FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) (Silver Spring, MD)

It is the federal agency that regulates and approves biologics requiring sterile fill-finish manufacturing, and as of 2024, it has approved 13 new mAbs.

HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) (Washington, DC)

It is the federal office responsible for publishing authoritative drug shortage analysis, such as 2018–2023 drug shortage data briefs.

American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) (Bethesda, MD)

It is the professional association tracking active U.S. drug shortages, where it published the most current active drug shortage count, which accounted for 223 as of mid-2025.

NIIMBL (National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals) (Newark, DE)

It is the NIST-sponsored public-private biomanufacturing innovation institute that received $153M in NIST federal funding and consists of more than 180 members.

Strategic Market Key Takeaways 

Aditi is a healthcare services research expert with strong experience in capacity consolidation, GLP-1 demand, and the sterile injectable supply markets. She conducted detailed market research, analyzed company data, clinical trends, and industry developments. Based on her comprehensive analysis, the following strategic key takeaways highlight the most important market insights and opportunities.

For Service Providers & CDMOs 

  • Focus on enhancing aseptic fill-finish capabilities.
  • Invest in prefilled syringe and biologics development.
  • Focus on offering integrated services.

For Pharma & Biotech Companies 

  • Collaborate with CDMOs to accelerate product development.
  • Support the development of biologics, vaccines, and advanced therapies.
  • Focus on leveraging sterile manufacturing regulatory expertise.

For Investors & Corporate Strategy Teams 

  • Invest in biologics and other sterile injectables.
  • Focus on lyophilization and aseptic fill-finish services.
  • Keep track of evolving regulations.

Expert Insights

Based on my assessment, the market is expanding significantly due to growing acquisitions leading to an expansion of fill-finish pharmaceutical contract manufacturing capabilities. I also anticipate that the new collaboration and investments among the major companies can enhance access to their services. The growth in biologics and TIDES FDA approvals will also drive the demand for these services. I also see strong growth in the adoption of prefilled syringes and cell and gene therapies, which will create new market opportunities.

Our Experts

Payal Rabde led the primary market research, developed the methodology, analyzed trends, segmentation, competition, forecasts, and strategic opportunities, forming the report's analytical foundation.

Aman was responsible for collecting and validating clinical trial data, research publications, company information, partnerships, and other quantitative datasets, strengthening evidence-based analysis and market estimations.

Aditi reviewed the complete research document, performed quality checks, validated findings, refined content, corrected inconsistencies, and finalized the report, ensuring accuracy, clarity, credibility, and publication-ready quality. 

Complete Market Segmentation Listing

By Product Type

  • Vials
    • Glass Vials
    • Polymer Vials
  • Prefilled Syringes
    • Glass Prefilled Syringes
    • Polymer Prefilled Syringes
  • Cartridges
    • Glass Cartridges
    • Polymer Cartridges
  • Ampoules
    • Glass Ampoules
    • Plastic Ampoules
  • Bottles
    • Glass Bottles
    • Polymer Bottles
  • Other Containers
    • Dual-Chamber Containers
    • Blow-Fill-Seal Containers

By Molecule Type

  • Small Molecules
    • Conventional Small-Molecule Injectables
    • Highly Potent Small Molecules
    • Cytotoxic Injectables
  • Large Molecules
    • Monoclonal Antibodies
    • Recombinant Proteins
    • Peptides
    • Biosimilars
    • Other Biologics

By Fill-Finish Service Type

  • Aseptic Fill-Finish
    • Isolator-Based Filling
    • RABS-Based Filling
    • Traditional Cleanroom Filling
  • Terminally Sterilized Fill-Finish
    • Moist-Heat Sterilization
    • Radiation Sterilization
    • Other Terminal Sterilization
  • Lyophilization
    • Bulk Lyophilization
    • Vial Lyophilization
    • Dual-Chamber Lyophilization
  • Secondary Packaging & Labeling
    • Labeling
    • Cartoning
    • Serialization
    • Kit Assembly
  • Inspection & Release Services
    • Automated Visual Inspection
    • Manual Visual Inspection
    • Container Closure Integrity Testing
    • Batch Release Support

By Formulation Type

  • Liquid
    • Aqueous Formulations
    • Oil-Based Formulations
    • Suspension Formulations
    • Emulsion Formulations
  • Lyophilized
    • Protein-Based Lyophilized Products
    • Peptide-Based Lyophilized Products
    • Small-Molecule Lyophilized Products
  • Powder
    • Dry Powder Injectable Formulations
    • Reconstitutable Powders

By Primary Packaging Container

  • Vials
    • Single-Dose Vials
    • Multi-Dose Vials
  • Prefilled Syringes
    • Standard PFS
    • Safety PFS
  • Cartridges
    • Pen-Injector Cartridges
    • Auto-Injector Cartridges
  • Ampoules
    • Single-Dose Ampoules
    • Multi-Dose Ampoules
  • Other Containers
    • Bottles
    • Dual-Chamber Systems
    • Blow-Fill-Seal Containers

By End Use

  • Biologics
    • Monoclonal Antibodies
    • Recombinant Proteins
    • Vaccines
    • Biosimilars
  • Small-Molecule Pharmaceuticals
    • Oncology Injectables
    • Anti-Infective Injectables
    • Cardiovascular Injectables
    • Other Therapeutic Injectables
  • Vaccines
    • Preventive Vaccines
    • mRNA Vaccines
    • Viral-Vector Vaccines
    • Conjugate Vaccines
  • Cell & Gene Therapy
    • Cell Therapies
    • Gene Therapies
    • Viral-Vector Products
  • Other Advanced Therapies
    • RNA-Based Therapies
    • Peptide Therapies
    • Combination Products

By API Potency

  • Standard Potency
    • Conventional APIs
    • Biologic APIs
  • Highly Potent
    • HPAPI
    • Cytotoxic APIs
    • Hormonal APIs
  • Ultra-High Potency
    • Oncology APIs
    • Targeted Therapeutic APIs

By Company Size

  • Large Pharmaceutical Companies
    • Global Pharma Companies
    • Diversified Biopharmaceutical Companies
  • Mid-Sized Pharmaceutical Companies
    • Specialty Pharma
    • Established Biotech Companies
  • Small & Emerging Biotechnology Companies
    • Venture-Backed Biotech
    • Clinical-Stage Biotech
    • Virtual Biotech

References

  • Catalent, “Novo Holdings Completes Acquisition of Catalent.” Dec. 20, 2024.
  • BioPharma Dive, “Novo Holdings to buy contract drugmaker Catalent for $16.5B.” Feb. 5, 2024.
  • pharmaphorum, “Novo completes $16.5bn takeover of Catalent.” 2024.
  • Novo Nordisk A/S, SEC Form 6-K filings. Feb. 5, 2024; Dec. 6, 2024; Dec. 14, 2024; Dec. 18, 2024.
  • Davis Polk, “FTC clearance of Novo Nordisk acquisition of certain Catalent sites.” Dec. 18, 2024.
  • BioPharm International, “Novo Nordisk to Acquire Manufacturing Sites Upon Catalent Acquisition.” 2024.
  • HHS/ASPE, “Analysis of Drug Shortages, 2018-2023.” Data Brief, Jan. 10, 2025.
  • IQVIA Institute, “Trends in Drug Shortages and ANDA Approvals in the U.S.” July 2025.
  • U.S. GAO, “Drug Shortages: HHS Should Implement a Mechanism to Coordinate Its Activities.” GAO-25-107110, April 9, 2025.
  • Clarkston Consulting, “Drug Shortage Series: An Overview of Drug Shortages in the U.S.” 2026.
  • ASHP, “Drug Shortages Statistics.” 2025–2026.
  • Wikipedia, “2024 United States drug shortages.” 2025.
  • PMC (PubMed Central), “The Pharmaceutical Industry in 2024: An Analysis of the FDA Drug Approvals.” Peer-reviewed.
  • Oxford Academic, Antibody Therapeutics, “Structure and function of therapeutic antibodies approved by the US FDA in 2024.” June 2025.
  • BioPlan Associates, Inc., “21st Annual Report and Survey of Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Capacity.” 2024.
  • Danaher Corporation, “2024 Annual Report.” Feb. 20, 2025.
  • Sartorius Group, “Online Annual Report 2025.” sartorius.com.
  • Repligen Corporation, “Repligen Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Financial Results.” Feb. 20, 2025.
  • US Department of Commerce, “Secretary Raimondo Announces $153 Million to Promote Innovation in Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing.” July 14, 2021.
  • FDA Federal Register, “Guidance for Industry: Process Analytical Technology.” Oct. 4, 2004.

FAQ's

Finding : The U.S. fill-finish pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market growth in 2026 is supported by increasing acquisitions, adoption of biologics, and growing sterile formulation approvals. 

Finding : Sartorius AG contributes to the U.S. fill-finish pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market growth with its bioprocess solutions division, which had FY2023 revenue of $2.7B.

Finding : This requires proprietary capacity-modeling analysis of the specific filling lines at the three acquired sites, which are not publicly disclosed at that granularity. 

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Meet the Team

Payal Rabde

Payal Rabde

Principal Consultant

Payal Rabde is a Healthcare Market Research Analyst at Towards Healthcare Research & Consulting with 4+ years of experience in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, and life sciences.

Learn more about Payal Rabde
Aditi Shivarkar

Aditi Shivarkar LinkedIn

Reviewed By

Aditi Shivarkar is a seasoned professional with over 14 years of experience in healthcare market research. As a content reviewer, Aditi ensures the quality and accuracy of all market insights and data presented by the research team.

Learn more about Aditi Shivarkar
US Fill-Finish Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing Market
Updated Date: 25 August 2026   |   Report Code: 7048