Global cancer immunotherapy market is estimated to be valued at USD 158.42 Bn in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 357.07 Bn by 2032, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.3% from 2025 to 2032.
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The cancer immunotherapy market is expected to witness considerable growth over the forecast period. Increasing adoption of target therapy over conventional therapy drives the market growth. Increasing demand for effective, affordable and painless therapies for cancer treatment has led to major investments in R&D of immunotherapy by large pharmaceutical companies. The development of combination therapies using immunotherapy with chemotherapy and radiation therapy has shown promising results. Increasing focus on precision medicines and personalized treatment for patients are likely to create new opportunities in the market in the coming years. However, the high cost of therapy and need for further research to increase the efficacy is expected to restrain the market growth.
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Increasing prevalence of cancer across the world has become a major driver for growth of cancer immunotherapy market. Cancer has been on the rise globally due to factors such as changing lifestyles, rising pollution levels, growing tobacco consumption, aging population, and genetic factors.
According to estimates by the World Health Organization published in February 2025, the global burden of cancer is expected to increase significantly in the coming decades with the number of new cancer cases expected to rise from 20 million in 2022 to over 35 million by 2050. The four most common cancers in terms of incidence are lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and prostate cancer. Cancer is becoming one of the leading causes of death worldwide responsible for an estimated 9.6 million deaths in 2018.
This rising prevalence of various cancer types puts enormous strain on healthcare systems and also affects public health. With the limitations of traditional treatment methods like chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy, healthcare providers and patients are looking for more effective and targeted treatment options. Immunotherapy has emerged as a promising alternative as it helps stimulate the body's own immune system to identify and attack cancer cells precisely, thus, driving the market growth over the forecasted period.
There is a growing recognition in the oncology space that monotherapies may have limited efficacy against many solid tumor cancers. Combination therapies that amalgamate the mechanisms of two or more treatment types are demonstrating improved clinical outcomes as compared to single drug therapies. The paradigm is steadily shifting from sequential single agent treatments to rational combination regimens.
Immunotherapy combinations that incorporate other modalities like targeted therapies, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy are showing especially promising results by overcoming the immune escape mechanisms. For example, combining immune checkpoint inhibitors like anti-PD-1/PD-L1 drugs with angiogenesis inhibitors is enhancing anti-tumor responses. The success of 'chemio-immunotherapy', which involves immune therapies along with chemotherapy, has encouraged many such combination trials.
The move away from traditional chemotherapy and towards more targeted immunotherapies has transformed cancer treatment. Immunotherapies have shown promising results for several cancer types and lines of therapy. As more immunotherapies gain approval and clinician experience grows, the eligible patient pool and number of treatment options will expand significantly. Ongoing research into combination regimens, biomarker identification, and new immunotherapy drugs is anticipated to create lucrative market growth opportunities.
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Therapy Type segment is sub-segmented into immune checkpoint inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, adoptive cell therapies, immune system modulators, and oncolytic virus therapy. Monoclonal antibodies segment is estimated to hold 33.3% share of the market in 2025. Monoclonal antibodies are artificially created antibodies that can bind to specific proteins or antigens.
In cancer immunotherapy, these are designed to target markers found on cancerous cells or immune cells. This high degree of selectivity allows monoclonal antibodies to engage immune cells like T cells or block certain immune checkpoints while minimizing potential damage to healthy cells. Some key attributes driving the popularity of monoclonal antibody therapies include enhanced precision, reduced side effects, and potent anti-tumor responses when combined with other therapies.
Popular monoclonal antibodies for cancer include rituximab for lymphoma, trastuzumab for breast cancer, and cetuximab for colorectal cancer. Their antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity enables targeted elimination of cancer by marking cells for destruction by the immune system. Approvals of newer monoclonal antibodies like nivolumab, pembrolizumab, and atezolizumab that target immune checkpoint inhibitors PD-1 and PD-L1 have further increased their usage.
Route of Administration segment is sub-segmented into intravenous (IV), oral, intramuscular, subcutaneous, and others. Oral segment is anticipated to hold 49.7% of the market share in 2025. Unlike injections or infusions that require visiting medical facilities, oral drugs can be self-administered at home, reducing healthcare resource utilization and costs. This positions oral therapies as more accessible options suitable for long-term use, important considerations that drive patient preference and adherence.
Moreover, orally administered drugs enable flexibility in dosing schedules tailored to individual needs versus fixed periodic dosing with parenteral therapies. The non-invasive oral route minimizes pain and discomfort associated with injections, improving quality of life. This is particularly valuable for cancer immunotherapies, given their long-term administration.
Recent approvals of checkpoint inhibitors like nivolumab and pembrolizumab in oral formulations reflect a shift towards convenient oral dosing. Overall, the simplicity, comfort and flexibility offered by oral cancer immunotherapies compared to other routes enhances patient satisfaction, a key factor supporting their uptake.
Cancer Type segment is sub-segmented into lymphoma, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, bladder cancer, skin cancer, lung cancer, kidney cancer, and others. Breast cancer segment is anticipated to hold 24.2% of the market share in 2025. Breast cancer was traditionally seen as less immunogenic versus other tumor types. However, research increasingly shows that immune activity plays an important role in breast cancer development and treatment outcomes.
Several ongoing clinical trials are evaluating immunotherapy agents across different breast cancer subtypes and stages of disease. Trastuzumab's interaction with immune cells demonstrates the interplay of targeted and immune therapies. Additionally, vaccines are being investigated as an adjuvant treatment to prevent disease recurrence.
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North America has dominated the global cancer immunotherapy market and is expected to continue its leadership during the forecast period and is projected to hold 44.30% of the market share in 2025. This can be attributed to increasing demand for advanced treatment options and high adoption of new immunotherapies in the region.
The U.S. accounts for the largest share mainly due to the strong presence of key market players and rising investments in R&D activities. Further, favorable reimbursement policies have encouraged patients to opt for immunotherapy.
Asia Pacific is recognized as the fastest growing regional market due to rising cancer patient population combined with growing healthcare expenditures in countries like China and India. Increasing awareness regarding cancer immunotherapy and establishment of manufacturing facilities by global leaders is also aiding regional expansion. China, in particular, poses high export potential owing to the presence of a well-defined regulatory framework and low-cost manufacturing advantage.
The United States remains way ahead of everyone else in the field of cancer immunotherapy. With a well-developed biotech industry, favorable government support, and established healthcare infrastructure, it is home to most of the top drug companies developing cutting-edge immunotherapies. It has a high rate of patient population participating in clinical trials, accelerating the development and approval of new treatments.
China is rapidly emerging as a significant player in cancer immunotherapy. Its government has heavily invested in biotech research and healthcare improvement. The country now boasts more local companies working on immuno-oncology, supported by regulatory reforms that speed up drug approvals. China's huge patient population offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for large-scale clinical trials and market growth.
Europe, with the likes of Germany, France, and the UK taking the lead, is primed in the field of immunotherapy. The continent has in place collaborative research initiatives and strict regulatory measures that require innovative standards. European healthcare systems built around personalized medicine additionally underpin the adoption of immunotherapies.
Japan is a crucial market for Asia for cancer immunotherapy because of the very advanced healthcare system and aging population with high incidence rates of cancer. The country has gradually developed in terms of new drug adoption and promotes local innovation through programs financed by the government.
| Report Coverage | Details | ||
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| Base Year: | 2024 | Market Size in 2025: | USD 158.42 Bn |
| Historical Data for: | 2020 To 2024 | Forecast Period: | 2025 To 2032 |
| Forecast Period 2025 to 2032 CAGR: | 12.3% | 2032 Value Projection: | USD 357.07 Bn |
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| Companies covered: |
Gilead Sciences, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Actym Therapeutics, Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Pfizer Inc, Novartis AG, Merck & Co., Inc., Fate Therapeutics., AstraZeneca, Amgen Inc., GSK plc., Acumen Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Arcus Biosciences, Inc., BioNTech SE, Cellectis, immunitybio inc, Autolus Therapeutics, ADC Therapeutics SA., Gritstone bio, Incyte |
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About Author
Ghanshyam Shrivastava - With over 20 years of experience in the management consulting and research, Ghanshyam Shrivastava serves as a Principal Consultant, bringing extensive expertise in biologics and biosimilars. His primary expertise lies in areas such as market entry and expansion strategy, competitive intelligence, and strategic transformation across diversified portfolio of various drugs used for different therapeutic category and APIs. He excels at identifying key challenges faced by clients and providing robust solutions to enhance their strategic decision-making capabilities. His comprehensive understanding of the market ensures valuable contributions to research reports and business decisions.
Ghanshyam is a sought-after speaker at industry conferences and contributes to various publications on pharma industry.
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