A new MarketsandMarkets forecast projects the global oligonucleotide contract development and manufacturing organisation market will expand at a 23.5 percent CAGR between 2026 and 2031.
The global oligonucleotide contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) market is forecast to almost triple in value over the next five years, reaching 11.14 billion USD by 2031 from 3.88 billion USD in 2026, according to MarketsandMarkets.
The market is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.5 percent between 2026 and 2031, reflecting increasing demand for specialist manufacturing services as oligonucleotide-based medicines progress through development and towards commercialisation.
Outsourcing drives market growth
The amount of oligonucleotide programmes moving from preclinical development into clinical trials and commercial production is growing, which is increasing demand for CDMOs that are capable of supporting multiple stages of the development lifecycle.
Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are now outsourcing process and analytical development, synthesis, purification, scale-up and GMP manufacturing to specialist providers. This is helping sponsors maintain process continuity while reducing technology transfers and the need for extensive process redevelopment.
Demand is now strong for CDMOs with scalable manufacturing capabilities that can help support programmes progress from small development batches to larger clinical and commercial production. The increasing complexity of modified and conjugated oligonucleotides is also creating demand for specialist synthesis, purification and analytical characterisation capabilities.
As oligonucleotide therapeutics move through the drug development pipeline, understanding and addressing potential safety considerations is becoming evermore important. Our upcoming webinar: ’Oligonucleotide therapeutics safety considerations across drug development’, explores key safety considerations across the development journey, offering insights for researchers and drug developers working with these increasingly complex modalities.
Contract development forecast to grow fastest
By service type, contract manufacturing held the largest share of the market in 2025 at 42.1 percent. However, contract development is expected to be the fastest-growing segment during the forecast period.
The trend is being supported by increasing outsourcing as oligonucleotide programmes advance towards clinical and commercial stages. CDMOs provide services including GMP synthesis, purification, scale-up and quality control, while approved therapies require reliable long-term active pharmaceutical ingredient supplies.
The report also highlights the growing importance of integrated service models as developers seek to reduce supply chain bottlenecks and accelerate the journey from early-stage development to commercialisation.
Therapeutics dominate applications
Therapeutic applications accounted for the largest share of the market in 2025. Growth is being driven by the expanding development of oligonucleotide-based therapeutics and rising demand for GMP manufacturing.
The advancement of antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) and small interfering RNA (siRNA) programmes through clinical and commercial stages is increasing demand for scalable production. Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are also outsourcing synthesis, purification, analytical testing and commercial-scale manufacturing to specialist CDMOs.
By type, antisense oligonucleotides accounted for 55.3 percent of the market in 2025.
North America leads the market
North America accounted for 43.2 percent of the global oligonucleotide CDMO market in 2025, supported by a strong concentration of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies with active oligonucleotide pipelines.
The region has established capabilities across synthesis, purification, analytical development and GMP manufacturing. Its mature regulatory environment and clinical development infrastructure are also supporting demand for specialist manufacturing services.
Investment and consolidation
Investment in the sector is now focused on advanced solid-phase synthesis, high-throughput purification and certified cGMP facilities. Major players in the space, such as Agilent, have committed more than 740 million USD since 2023 to expand commercial oligonucleotide manufacturing capacity, with additional line activations planned through 2027.
The market is now moderately consolidated, with the five leading companies accounting for approximately 50–55 percent of global revenue. Key organisations include Agilent Technologies, Bachem, WuXi AppTec, Thermo Fisher Scientific and ST Pharm.
Mergers and acquisitions are also being driven by efforts to expand specialist manufacturing capabilities and strengthen complementary nucleic-acid technologies as demand for oligonucleotide therapies continues to rise.
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