Corticosteroids Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2021-2031

The Global Corticosteroids Market is projected to expand from USD 6.24 billion in 2025 to USD 8.45 billion by 2031, achieving a CAGR of 5.18%. These pharmacological agents, comprising steroid hormones and synthetic analogues that replicate the functions of adrenal cortex hormones, are extensively employed in medicine for their potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. The primary factor fueling this growth is the increasing global burden of chronic respiratory diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, along with a rising prevalence of autoimmune disorders that necessitate long-term therapeutic management. In 2024, the Global Initiative for Asthma reported that asthma impacts over 260 million individuals worldwide, underscoring the enduring need for effective symptom control, while the aging global population further stabilizes market demand due to age-related inflammatory conditions.

Despite the strong demand for these therapeutics, the market faces significant hurdles related to the safety risks inherent in prolonged usage. Extended exposure to corticosteroids can trigger severe adverse effects, including osteoporosis, hypertension, and hormonal imbalances, often resulting in patient non-compliance or prompting healthcare providers to switch to alternative treatments like biologics. This safety concern constitutes a major barrier to market expansion, as regulatory bodies and medical professionals remain cautious regarding the prescription of long-term corticosteroid regimens.

Market Drivers

The escalating prevalence of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disorders serves as a significant catalyst for the Global Corticosteroids Market. As conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and rheumatoid arthritis become more widespread, the demand for effective anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive interventions intensifies, creating a sustained patient base reliant on these drugs for symptom management and acute care. According to a November 2024 fact sheet by the World Health Organization, COPD accounted for 3.5 million deaths in 2021, demonstrating the vast scale of respiratory conditions requiring steroid intervention. Additionally, the American Lung Association’s 'COPD Trends Brief' from March 2024 indicates that 11.7 million adults in the United States alone are affected, reinforcing the critical role these medications play in managing prevalent chronic illnesses.

Market expansion is further driven by the development of innovative formulations and combination therapies. Pharmaceutical companies are heavily investing in advanced drug delivery systems, such as fixed-dose combination inhalers that merge corticosteroids with long-acting beta-agonists and muscarinic antagonists, to enhance patient adherence and clinical efficacy. These technological improvements address compliance issues associated with complex dosing schedules, thereby boosting the commercial viability of steroid-based treatments. For instance, GSK’s 'Annual Report 2023', released in February 2024, reported that global sales of Trelegy Ellipta, a single-inhaler triple therapy containing fluticasone furoate, reached £2.2 billion with 27% growth, illustrating how innovative delivery mechanisms secure market growth by offering superior convenience and outcomes compared to traditional monotherapies.

Market Challenges

Significant safety concerns regarding prolonged corticosteroid administration present a critical obstacle to the growth of the Global Corticosteroids Market. Although these drugs are clinically effective, their long-term use is inextricably linked to severe adverse events, such as metabolic and skeletal disorders. This risk profile compels healthcare providers to exercise considerable restraint when prescribing chronic regimens, effectively reducing the overall volume of corticosteroid utilization. The apprehension surrounding these side effects limits market potential, as clinicians increasingly prefer non-steroidal alternatives for long-term management.

This barrier is reinforced by recent clinical findings highlighting the magnitude of these risks in key patient populations. A 2024 study cited by the European Respiratory Society revealed that asthma patients on long-term corticosteroid therapy faced cumulative incidence rates of approximately 6.2% for type 2 diabetes and 2.6% for osteoporosis. Such data intensifies the urgency within the medical community to minimize steroid exposure, directly impacting market revenue as the industry witnesses a strategic pivot toward biologics and other steroid-sparing therapies that offer a more favorable safety profile.

Market Trends

The market is being reshaped by the advancement of extended-release injectable therapeutics, particularly for managing osteoarthritis pain where sustained, localized drug delivery is essential. Developers are leveraging proprietary microsphere technologies to formulate corticosteroids that provide prolonged analgesic effects while minimizing the systemic spikes typical of immediate-release injections. This innovation addresses the critical need for durable symptom relief in joint preservation, reducing the frequency of intra-articular administrations required for chronic conditions. Illustrating the commercial adoption of these long-acting formulations, Pacira BioSciences reported in February 2025 that net product sales of ZILRETTA, an extended-release triamcinolone acetonide injection, reached $118.1 million in 2024.

Simultaneously, there is a strategic shift toward localized and non-systemic administration routes, most notably within the ophthalmic sector, to overcome the compliance burdens associated with topical drops. Companies are introducing bioresorbable intracanalicular inserts and implants that deliver consistent steroid dosing directly to the target tissue, thereby ensuring treatment adherence and mitigating ocular surface toxicity. This approach effectively separates therapeutic efficacy from the patient's ability to self-administer complex regimens following eye surgeries. Underscoring this transition toward physician-administered systems, Ocular Therapeutix announced in March 2025 that total net revenue, driven principally by the sales of the dexamethasone ophthalmic insert DEXTENZA, rose to $63.7 million in 2024.

Key Players Profiled in the Corticosteroids Market

• AbbVie Inc.
• AstraZeneca PLC
• Bayer AG
• Eli Lilly and Company
• F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.
• GlaxoSmithKline PLC
• Merck & Co., Inc.
• Novartis International AG
• Pfizer Inc.
• Sanofi S.A.

Report Scope

In this report, the Global Corticosteroids Market has been segmented into the following categories:

Corticosteroids Market, by Type:

• Glucocorticoids
• Mineralocorticoids

Corticosteroids Market, by Route of Administration:

• Inhaled
• Topical
• Injectable
• Oral

Corticosteroids Market, by Application:

• Skin Allergies
• Gastroenterology
• Endocrinology
• Acute Respiratory Diseases
• Rheumatology Indications
• Others

Corticosteroids Market, by Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Corticosteroids Market.

Available Customization

The analyst offers customization according to your specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).

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