Opioids Market

The Opioids Market is valued at USD 45.2 Bn in 2026 and is projected to reach USD 64 Bn, growing at a CAGR of 5% by 2033.

Rapidly Increasing in Chronic Pain to Fuel Growth of Opioids Market

Most opioids work by depressing the nervous system, sometimes they are used to bring comfort to those who are undergoing cancer treatments and used as pain management solutions for those who have recently undergone surgery. While this keeps the demand for opioids afloat, it also remains the key factor driving the growth of global opioids market. However, opioid usage produces a feeling of intense elation or euphoria. As a result, people look for alternatives to opioids. Moreover, some may not respond well to them, while others might be concerned about dependence. As an alternative, healthcare professionals might thus suggest or prescribe ibuprofen (Motrin), acetaminophen (Tylenol), steroids, aspirin, local anaesthetics, muscle relaxants, and cannabidiol or CBD.

Opioids include drugs that are derived from opium - that is, the poppy plant - as well as drugs that are synthesized in a lab and made to resemble opium’s chemical structure. Natural opioids include opium, morphine, codeine. Semi-synthetic opioids are diamorphine, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, oxycodone, and buprenorphine. Endogenous opioids are enkephalins, and endorphins. Categorized as analgesics, meaning they cause numbness and relieve pain, opioids include some illicit street drugs like heroin but also several perfectly legal medications, foremost among them prescription painkillers. In addition, sustained demand for legal opioids like morphine, meperidine, codeine, hydrocodone, oxycodone, fentanyl - a totally synthetic opioid, most prescribed as a skin patch, will continue to drive the expansion of opioids market.

Growing Ubiquity of Neuropathy to Favour Opioids Market Growth

Throughout the forecast period, global opioids market is anticipated to rise as chronic pain-causing disorders like neuropathy becomes more common. For instance, the Cleveland Clinic, a non-profit academic medical facility, reported that in December 2019 in the United States, 8% of persons over 65 said having some form of neuropathy. A pharmacological molecule that activates specific receptors in the brain is known as an agonist. This agonist has high intrinsic activity because it causes a significant physiological/pharmacological response even when only a tiny portion of receptors are engaged. Fentanyl, morphine, dihydromorphinone, meperidine, oxycodone, and oxymorphone are potent agonist opioids. A global health disaster was brought on by COVID-19. Health organizations worldwide focused on COVID-19 patient care and infection control during the pandemic, cancelling elective procedures, and consultations. This impacted the hospitals' and pain clinics' ability to provide pain management therapeutics.

Potent agonist methadone successfully cures opioid drug addiction (such as heroin). Opioid receptors are strongly agonist-bound and go through considerable conformational changes. Around the world, a lot of people deal with pain regularly. For instance, according to predictions from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2020 study, 1 in 5 Australians aged 45 and over suffer chronic pain. The market participants use various methods, including product approvals and developments, to broaden their product offering, expansions, partnerships, and mergers to gain market share. For instance, Trevena Inc. got FDA approval in March 2020 for OLINVYK (oliceridine), an opioid agonist recommended for adults to address acute pain.

Increase in Use of Painkillers to Drive Sales Growth of Morphine in Opioids Market

Based on opioid products, morphine is the market leader and is predicted to increase. Given their widespread use and easy access, morphine opioids would be a priority for generic medicine producers to invest in. Over the period, the category has had a significant market share due to the introduction of affordable generic morphine opioids throughout Asian nations. The market expansion is anticipated to be accelerated by the rise in the prescription of painkillers for various conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular problems, and arthritis. The aging population's vulnerability and associated medical issues are also expected to support the expansion of the medical morphine market. Additionally, it is anticipated that the growing patient population and the quickening rate of market participant penetration will fuel market expansion. Additionally, it is expected that the rising prevalence of cancer and other ailments, including cardiovascular conditions and others, would impact the development of the worldwide medical morphine market.

Increasing Chronic Disease Prevalence Uplifts North America’s Opioids Market

North America is likely to remain the largest opioids market that is expected to grow at the fastest rate throughout the forecast period. The prevalence of chronic diseases like cancer and diabetes, the rise in disposable income, the increase in the elderly population, and prominent industry participants in the region are the main factors propelling the market expansion in North America. The COVID-19 epidemic in the United States compelled healthcare systems to reallocate resources to COVID-19-focused facilities and intensive care units. To lessen the risk of viral propagation during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, non-urgent chronic pain services, as well as outpatient and elective interventional procedures.

In a study by Filomena Puntillo et al., published in Best Practice and Research: Clinical Anesthesiology Journal 2020, it was shown that populations with chronic pain continue to be marginalized, which has adverse social and psychological effects. The closure of pain services impacted chronic pain management due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown imposed by the US government. According to the Canadian government, one in five people (over the lifespan) or about 7.6 million people will have chronic pain in 2021. With a total direct and indirect cost, chronic pain in Canada significantly impacted family and community life, mental and physical health, and the economy. As a result of these reasons, opioids market is anticipated to increase significantly over the forecast period.

Due to the high use of opioids for legitimate medical and illegal purposes and the prevalence of chronic diseases, there is a rising demand for opioids in the United States. The U.S. primarily focuses on branded opioid producers interested in releasing unique medicines to comply with new regulatory requirements. Furthermore, government funding for continuous clinical research has enabled the United States to control the pain management market. Opioid products are being driven by expanding pain management awareness programs provided by local governments, NGOs, regulatory organizations, and healthcare systems in developed and emerging nations. Global opioid drug usage is driven by growing knowledge of palliative treatment in life-threatening medical conditions. Favourable reimbursement rules and rising knowledge of palliative care services in North America go opioid use in these areas.

Trevena, Inc. announced in January 2022 that China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) had accepted the submission of a New Drug Application (NDA) for OLINVYK (oliceridine) injection, a novel intravenous analgesic that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had previously approved for use in adults to treat acute pain severe enough to require an intravenous opioid analgesic. On o the other hand, The American Food and Drug Aon FDA) granted Esteve Pharmaceuticals permission for SEGLENTIS, which contains celecoxib and tramadol hydrochloride, in October 2021 for the treatment of acute pain in adults that is severe enough to call for an opioid analgesic.

A few of the players in the opioids market include:

• Johnson & Johnson
• Pfizer Inc.
• Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.
• Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals
• Endo International plc
• Purdue Pharma L.P.
• Sanofi
• Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.
• Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC
• Mylan N.V.
• Viatris Inc.
• Novartis AG
• Bausch Health Companies Inc.
• Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd.
• Aurobindo Pharma Ltd.

Global Opioids Market is Segmented as Below:

By Product Type

• Morphine
• Codeine
• Fentanyl
• Meperidine
• Methadone

By Application

• Pain Management
• Cough Treatment
• Diarrhea Treatment
• Opioid De-Addiction

By Distribution Channel

• Hospital Pharmacies
• Retail Pharmacies
• Online Pharmacies

By Region

• North America
• Europe
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East and Africa