Global Drug Repurposing Market

Global Drug Repurposing Market Size Insights Forecasts to 2035

• The Global Drug Repurposing Market Size Was Estimated at USD 30.44 Billion in 2024
• The Market Size is Expected to Grow at a CAGR of around 4.82% from 2025 to 2035
• The Worldwide Drug Repurposing Market Size is Expected to Reach USD 51.10 Billion by 2035
• Europe is expected to Grow the fastest during the forecast period.

According to a Research Report Published by Decisions Advisors and Consulting, The Global Drug Repurposing Market Size was worth around USD 30.44 Billion in 2024 and is predicted to Grow to around USD 51.10 Billion by 2035 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.82% from 2025 to 2035. The market's expansion is ascribed to the growing need for economical methods to expedite drug development by expanding the applications of currently available medications, lowering risk, and improving patient outcomes. This increase is explained by the rising prevalence of diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer's, and uncommon genetic illnesses, which are driving the need for quicker treatments.

 

Market Overview

Drug repurposing refers to uncovering new medical uses for pharmaceutical products that have been formulated for other disease conditions. This approach, the development period, as well as the cost of the new products, can be significantly cut since the safety and pharmacology characteristics of the drugs have been previously established. Generally, repurposing drugs entails identifying and testing drugs for other diseases than the ones they were originally meant for, such as turning a drug that has been approved, discontinued, or left unused into one that can be reused for a different disease or condition. Drug repositioning, probably also known as drug repurposing, represents a novel paradigm in the two respective perspectives of the pharmaceutical industry and the healthcare system. Specifically, repositioning approved, discontinued, or preclinical stage drugs as new therapeutics for previously untreated or poorly treated disorders is an intriguing facet of this approach. Further, the increasing demand for a quick and cheap way to tackle diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's, and infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the drug repurposing market is seeing an uptrend in the market.

 

The Netherlands officially launched a Drug Repurposing Call in January 2026, with a budget of about €3.5 million to fund clinical research into promising medicines for ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). Applications are open until March 17, 2026, and projects must begin before August 2027.

 

According to reports, developing a de novo medication can cost up to $2.8 billion and take an average of 8–10 years. Repurposed substances have already proven safe in people because they have been approved by a regulatory agency. As a result, development efforts can concentrate on proving efficacy for the new indication, bypassing previous phases of drug research and clinical trials.

 

Report Coverage

This research report categorises the drug repurposing market based on various segments and regions, forecasts revenue growth, and analyzes trends in each submarket. The report analyses the key growth drivers, opportunities, and challenges influencing the drug repurposing market. Recent market developments and competitive strategies, such as expansion, product launch, development, partnership, merger, and acquisition, have been included to draw the competitive landscape in the market. The report strategically identifies and profiles the key market players and analyzes their core competencies in each sub-segment of the drug repurposing market.      

 

Driving Factors  

The drug repurposing market today is going through a significant change due to the growing awareness of the benefits associated with redeploying old drugs for new therapeutic uses. As the pharmaceutical industry and the research world are venturing into uncharted territories for solutions, the market can be expected to see an increase in joining forces and collaborations that are aimed at finding new applications for old drugs. Besides, technological breakthroughs, especially in data analytics and artificial intelligence, seem to be strengthening the process of finding suitable drug candidates for repurposing, thus creating a more powerful drug development setting. Moreover, the regulatory bodies are increasingly becoming supportive of drug repurposing moves as they acknowledge the urgent need to address the problem of unmet medical needs. The continuous investigation of the present compounds for different uses could be promising for the development of novel therapeutics.

 

Restraining Factors  

One of the main obstacles to the growth of the medication repurposing industry is the intricacy of intellectual property rights. For small biotech enterprises in particular, these legal and regulatory obstacles make innovation difficult and time-consuming. Another issue is the lack of strong financial incentives for repurposed medications.

 

Market Segmentation    

The drug repurposing market share is classified into therapeutic area, and drug molecule.     

• The same therapeutic area segment accounted for the largest share in 2024 and is anticipated to grow at a significant CAGR during the forecast period.        

Based on the therapeutic area, the drug repurposing market is divided into the same therapeutic area, and different therapeutic area. Among these, the same therapeutic area segment accounted for the largest share in 2024 and is anticipated to grow at a significant CAGR during the forecast period. The segment is unique by its reliance on current treatments with multiple uses, potential, which enables the discovery of novel use cases that have the potential to greatly help patients. In this field, drug repurposing frequently necessitates lower clinical trial costs, resulting in faster market entry and the possibility of sizable patient bases.

 

• The biologics segment dominated the market in 2024 and is projected to grow at a substantial CAGR during the forecast period.      

Based on the drug molecule, the drug repurposing market is differentiated into biologics, and small molecule. Among these, the biologics segment dominated the market in 2024 and is projected to grow at a substantial CAGR during the forecast period. This is because of their shown effectiveness and specificity in treating complicated disorders, which are frequently derived from living organisms, and dominate the drug repurposing market. They are essential for treating illnesses when conventional medicines have failed because of their efficacy in focusing on particular biological processes.

 

Regional Segment Analysis of the Drug Repurposing Market

• North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico) 
• Europe (Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Spain, Rest of Europe)
• Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, Rest of APAC)
• South America (Brazil and the Rest of South America) 
• The Middle East and Africa (UAE, South Africa, Rest of MEA)

 

Asia Pacific is anticipated to hold the largest share of the drug repurposing market over the predicted timeframe.     

Asia Pacific is anticipated to hold the largest share of the drug repurposing market over the predicted timeframe.  The region's expansion can be attributed to the growing healthcare infrastructure investments, an increase in patient populations, and the rising emphasis on affordable treatment options. The competitive landscape in this region is composed of a combination of local and multinational companies, which promotes innovation and collaboration. The market dynamics in Asia, Pacific are significantly enhanced by the presence of major players such as GSK and AstraZeneca.

 

China and India are experiencing a tremendous demand for repurposed drugs, which is backed by government policies and initiatives that make healthcare more accessible.

 

Europe is expected to grow at a rapid CAGR in the drug repurposing market during the forecast period. The region is experiencing an upsurge in demand for repurposed drugs as healthcare costs keep rising, and there is a need for innovative treatment options. Regulatory frameworks, for instance, the European Medicines Agency's guidelines, are changing to facilitate quicker approvals for repurposed drugs, thus leading to market expansion. The competitive landscape is characterised by the formation of strategic partnerships and collaborations between industry players, academic institutions, and healthcare providers, which result in innovation and the increased market presence of repurposed therapies.

 

Major countries contributing to the pool are Germany, France, and the UK, where leading pharmaceutical companies such as Novartis and Sanofi are heavily invested in drug repurposing activities.

 

Competitive Analysis:   

The report offers the appropriate analysis of the key organizations/companies involved within the Drug Repurposing market, along with a comparative evaluation primarily based on their product offering, business overviews, geographic presence, enterprise strategies, segment market share, and SWOT analysis. The report also provides an elaborative analysis focusing on the current news and developments of the companies, which includes product development, innovations, joint ventures, partnerships, mergers & acquisitions, strategic alliances, and others. This allows for the evaluation of the overall competition within the market.  

 

List of Key Companies

• AbbVie
• Amgen
• Boehringer Ingelheim
• Cyclica
• Eli Lilly and Company
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Melior Discovery
• Novartis
• Pfizer
• Pharnext
• Recursion Pharmaceuticals
• Revolution Medicines
• Sanofi
• Schwarz Pharma
• Others  

 

Key Target Audience

• Market Players
• Investors
• End-users
• Government Authorities 
• Consulting and Research Firm
• Venture capitalists
• Value-Added Resellers (VARs) 

 

Recent Development

• In March 2025, the Drug Repurposing Venture Challenge was launched in March 2025 by ZonMw and FAST to help researchers and entrepreneurs transform drug repurposing breakthroughs into viable business plans. It’s a 3-month program offering expert guidance, networking, and funding opportunities.

 

• In July 2025, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) launched a pilot program on drug repurposing, marking a breakthrough in creating new regulatory pathways to bring repurposed drugs to patients more efficiently. The initiative, driven by the Anticancer Fund, aims to transform how existing medicines are developed for new therapeutic uses across Europe.

 

• In June 2024, the Netherlands launched RARE-NL as a national hub dedicated to drug development for rare diseases and drug repurposing. It brings together university medical centres and FAST (Future Affordable Sustainable Therapies) to create a sustainable infrastructure for affordable therapies.

 

Market Segment  

This study forecasts revenue at global, regional, and country levels from 2020 to 2035. Decisions Advisors has segmented the drug repurposing market based on the below-mentioned segments:

 

Global Drug Repurposing Market, By Therapeutic Area

• Same Therapeutic Area
• Different Therapeutic Area

 

Global Drug Repurposing Market, By Drug Molecule

• Biologics
• Small Molecule

 

Global Drug Repurposing Market, By Regional Analysis

• North America
  • US
  • Canada
  • Mexico
• Europe
  • Germany
  • UK
  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Russia
  • Rest of Europe
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • Japan
  • India
  • South Korea
  • Australia
  • Rest of Asia Pacific
• South America
  • Brazil
  • Argentina
  • Rest of South America
• Middle East & Africa
  • UAE
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Qatar
  • South Africa
  • Rest of the Middle East & Africa

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is the current size of the global drug repurposing market?

The market was estimated at USD 30.44 billion in 2024.

 

2. What is the projected market size by 2035?

It is expected to reach USD 51.10 billion by 2035.

 

3. What is the CAGR for the forecast period?

The market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.82% from 2025 to 2035.

 

4. Which region will grow the fastest?

Europe is expected to grow the fastest during the forecast period.

 

5. What are the main market segments by therapeutic area?

The segments are Same Therapeutic Area and Different Therapeutic Area, with Same Therapeutic Area holding the largest share in 2024.

 

6. Which drug molecule segment leads the market?

Biologics dominated the market in 2024 and are projected to grow at a substantial CAGR.

 

7. Which region holds the largest market share?

Asia Pacific is anticipated to hold the largest share over the forecast period, driven by healthcare investments in countries like China and India.