Global demand for enzymes to approach $6bn in 2011

The world market for enzymes will grow 7.6% per year to US$6bn in 2011, driven by continued robust growth in pharmaceutical enzyme demand, increases in demand for biocatalysts for pharmaceutical and other fine chemical production, and the rapid expansion in bioethanol production from grains.

As a result, carbohydrases will experience the greatest gains, with lipases growing the fastest due to their use in biocatalysts and food and beverage processing. These and other trends are presented in World Enzymes, a new study from The Freedonia Group, a Cleveland, US-based industry research firm.

Despite recent uncertainty in the important US market, world pharmaceutical enzyme demand will experience rapid advances going forward, the report states. The primary growth drivers will be rapid gains in both botulinum toxin-based neuromodulator and enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) drugs, which will offset slower growth in digestive enzymes and thrombolytics.

On a regional basis the fastest growth will be in the Asia/Pacific and other developing regions as rising per capita incomes lead to more intensive use of enzymes, with North America and Western Europe trailing behind.