Animal Model Market Expected to Reach $3.6 Billion by 2032—Allied Market Research

According to a new report published by Allied Market Research, titled, “Animal Model Market," The animal model market size was valued at $1.9 billion in 2022, and is estimated to reach $3.6 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 6.6% from 2023 to 2032.

The animal model refers to the animal on which pathological and biological experiments are performed & tested. Animal models are utilized as animals mimic the physiological & organic structures of humans. In addition, some of the animal species share nearly similar genetic structures to humans. Thus, animal models are utilized by scientists and researchers to study & find a cure for diseases, test the final medicinal drug before it is used on humans, and develop new products. Moreover, animal models find applications in drug discovery & development and basic research, as new drugs are examined in animals for safety & efficacy before they are examined in humans.

Animal models such as mice, rats, monkeys, and pigs are widely used in scientific research to understand various biological processes, study diseases, and develop new therapies and treatments. Researchers have recognized that many physiological and genetic characteristics are shared between humans and animals. For example, mammals share similar organ systems, immune responses, and fundamental cellular processes. This similarity allows researchers to study the mechanisms of diseases and test potential treatments in animals before moving on to human clinical trials. Thus, a rise in awareness among researchers about physiological similarities between humans & animals and an increase in the usage of animal models in the preclinical development of drug act as the key driving forces during the global animal model market forecast. 

Furthermore, the availability of high-fidelity animal models for oncology research has grown enormously, enabling preclinical studies relevant to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer to be undertaken. This has led to increased opportunities to conduct co-clinical trials, which are studies on patients that are carried out parallel to or sequentially with animal models of cancer that mirror the biology of the patient’s tumors. Thus, this aforementioned factor drives the animal model market size. According to the National Cancer Institute, genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) and patient-derived xenograft mouse models (PDXs) can recapitulate important biological features of cancer. They are often part of precision medicine studies in a co-clinical setting, in which therapeutic investigations are conducted in patients and in parallel (or sequentially) cohorts of GEMMs or PDXs. Employing radiology-based quantitative imaging in these studies allows in vivo assessment of disease response in real-time, providing an important opportunity to bridge precision medicine from the bench to the bedside.

The Co-Clinical Imaging Research Resource Program (CIRP) of the National Cancer Institute focuses on the optimization of quantitative imaging methods to improve co-clinical trials. The CIRP supports 10 different co-clinical trial projects, spanning diverse tumor types, therapeutic interventions, and imaging modalities. Some of the recent cancer studies performed under CIRP are sarcoma cancer (2022), breast cancer (2022), pancreatic cancer (2023), and colon cancer (2023), whereas blood cancer (2024), triple-negative breast cancer (2024), prostate cancer (2025), lung cancer (2026), and bone cancer (2026) are the future cancer studies planned under the program. However, the availability of alternative testing methods such as lab-grown organs and organ-on-chip technology acts as a key restraint during animal model market analysis.

On the basis of animal type, the market is categorized into rats, mice, guinea pigs, rabbits, and others. The mice segment dominated the global animal model market share in 2022 and is anticipated to continue this trend during the forecast period.  This is attributed to the increase in the usage of mice models to study several complex disorders and the rise in demand for mice models in biomedical research for understanding existing health issues.

By application, the market is divided into drug discovery & development, basic research, and others. Drug discovery & development was the major segment in 2022, and is anticipated to continue this trend during the forecast period due to the increasing adoption of animal models in drug discovery & development, the production of novel products by pharmaceuticals & biotechnology companies, and the rise in preclinical activities, and toxicity testing during drug development. 

On the basis of end-user, the market is classified into pharma & biotech companies, academic research institutes, and others. The pharma & biotech companies segment dominated the market in 2022 and is expected to remain dominant throughout the forecast period, owing to the animal model market trends such as high demand for animal models in the pharma and biotech industry to support drug development and research purposes.

Region-wise, North America registered the highest animal model market share in 2022 and is expected to maintain its lead during the forecast period, owing to advancement in technology in the healthcare sector and the strong presence of major key players in this region. However, Asia-Pacific is expected to exhibit the fastest growth during the forecast period, owing to an increase in research on biomedical and regenerative medicine.

Key Findings of the Study
• Depending on animal type, the mice segment held the largest animal model industry share in 2022.
• On the basis of application, the drug discovery & development segment held the largest market share in 2022.
• By end user, the pharma & biotech companies segment held the largest market share in 2022.
• Region-wise, North America registered the highest animal model industry share in 2022. However, Asia-Pacific is expected to exhibit the fastest growth during the forecast period.