Insect Cell Culture Global Market Report 2025

The insect cell culture market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $1.78 billion in 2024 to $1.97 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.8%. Growth during the historic period can be attributed to increasing demand for biologics, wider adoption of recombinant protein production, rising use of viral vectors in gene therapy, expansion of vaccine manufacturing, and a growing focus on advanced therapies.

The insect cell culture market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $2.94 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.5%. Growth in the forecast period can be attributed to rising demand for gene therapy, increased investments in biopharmaceutical manufacturing, greater adoption of biosimilars, the expansion of contract research organizations, and a stronger focus on personalized medicine. Major trends expected in the forecast period include technological advancements in cell culture systems, innovations in single-cell cloning and traceability, research and development in chemically defined media, progress in suspension culture techniques, and advancements in scalable bioprocessing platforms.

The rising prevalence of infectious diseases is expected to drive the growth of the insect cell culture market in the coming years. Infectious diseases are disorders caused by microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites that can spread directly or indirectly from person to person, from animals to humans, or through contaminated food, water, or environmental sources. The increase in infectious diseases is fueled by greater global travel, which allows faster transmission of pathogens across regions and populations. Insect cell culture helps address infectious diseases by enabling the efficient production of vaccines, viral vectors, and recombinant proteins, providing a safe and scalable platform for developing preventive and therapeutic solutions. For example, in March 2025, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), a UK-based government organization responsible for protecting public health and preparing for infectious disease threats, tuberculosis cases in England increased by 13 percent in 2024 to 5,480, up from 4,850 in 2023, indicating a notable year-over-year rise. Consequently, the rising prevalence of infectious diseases is driving growth in the insect cell culture market.

Leading companies in the insect cell culture market are focusing on innovation in cell culture technology, such as single-cell cloning and traceability, to improve product consistency, enhance bioprocessing efficiency, and ensure regulatory compliance for advanced biologics and gene therapy applications. Single-cell cloning and traceability is a process in which individual cells are isolated to create genetically uniform cell lines while maintaining complete documentation of their origin, handling, and history, ensuring reproducibility, quality control, and regulatory compliance. For example, in June 2023, Expression Systems, a US-based company specializing in cell culture media, launched the sf9 rv-free insect cell line with early-access availability for research use. This rhabdovirus-free cell line, grown in suspension, is optimized for ESF advanced chemically defined insect cell culture medium, achieving rapid growth, over 95 percent viability, and high cell densities within five days. It is suitable for producing recombinant proteins, adeno-associated viruses (AAV), and virus-like particles (VLPs), supporting gene therapy and viral vaccine applications. The cells are cloned via single-cell printing and come with full protocols, traceability, and regulatory documentation.

In April 2024, Sino Biological Inc., a China-based biotechnology company, acquired SignalChem Biotech Inc. for $48 million. Through this acquisition, Sino Biological aims to strengthen its global presence, expand its product portfolio in kinase-related research reagents, and enhance capabilities in drug discovery and development support. SignalChem Biotech Inc. is a Canada-based biotechnology company focused on producing bioactive enzymes, signaling proteins, and other molecular tools for cancer research, cell signaling studies, and therapeutic development.

Major companies operating in the insect cell culture market are Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Danaher Corporation, Merck KGaA, GE Healthcare, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Corning Incorporated, Lonza Group Ltd., Charles River Laboratories, Sartorius AG, Wuxi Biologics, QIAGEN N.V., Eppendorf AG, Novavax Inc., Takara Bio Inc., GenScript Biotech Corporation, Promega Corporation, HiMedia Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., Cell Culture Company, Trenzyme, Proteogenix.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the insect cell culture market in 2024, and it is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in insect cell culture report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The countries covered in the insect cell culture market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report’s Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

The sudden escalation of U.S. tariffs and the consequent trade frictions in spring 2025 are severely impacting the healthcare sector, particularly in the supply of critical medical devices, diagnostic equipment, and pharmaceuticals. Hospitals and healthcare providers are facing higher costs for imported surgical instruments, imaging equipment, and consumables such as syringes and catheters, many of which have limited domestic alternatives. These increased costs are straining healthcare budgets, leading some providers to delay equipment upgrades or pass on expenses to patients. Additionally, tariffs on raw materials and components are disrupting the production of essential drugs and devices, causing supply chain bottlenecks. In response, the industry is diversifying sourcing strategies, boosting local manufacturing where possible, and advocating for tariff exemptions on life-saving medical products.

The insect cell culture market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides insect cell culture market statistics, including the insect cell culture industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with the insect cell culture market share, detailed insect cell culture market segments, market trends, and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the insect cell culture industry. This insect cell culture market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.

Insect cell culture is a laboratory method in which cells derived from insects are grown and sustained under controlled conditions outside their natural environment. These cultures offer a flexible platform for producing recombinant proteins, vaccines, and viral vectors because of their ability to perform complex post-translational modifications. They are widely used in research and biopharmaceutical manufacturing due to their capacity to efficiently support viral replication and protein expression.

The key product types used in insect cell culture include media, reagents, sera, and equipment. Media refers to nutrient-rich formulations designed to support the growth, maintenance, and productivity of insect cells in both laboratory and industrial settings. Key cell types include S19 (Spodoptera frugiperda), High Five (Trichoplusia ni), Sf21 (Spodoptera frugiperda), and Drosophila Schneider 2 (S2). Major applications encompass biopharmaceutical manufacturing, gene therapy, tissue culture and engineering, and cytogenetic studies, with primary end users including pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academic and research institutions, and contract research organizations.

The insect cell culture market consists of sales of media, reagents, sera, equipment, bioreactors, flasks, incubators, centrifuges, pipettes, filters, culture plates, shakers, and microscopes. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is, the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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