Digestive Drugs Market Analysis & Forecast: 2025-2032

Digestive Drugs Market is estimated to be valued at USD 62,393.7 Mn in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 92,953.1 Mn in 2032, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.86% from 2025 to 2032. These medicines can be over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription drugs. Medications that are commonly used for digestive conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), crohn's disease, diarrhea, and constipation; belong to various drug classes such as 5-aminosalicylates, GI stimulants, laxatives and antacids among others. According to the classification of the drug, the medications have different mode of action. For instance, antacids facilitates in neutralising gastric acid and leads to inhibition of pepsin (a proteolytic enzyme), thus protecting the stomach mucosa.

Figure 1. Global Digestive Drugs Market in Terms of Value (US$ million), By Region, 2025

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Global Digestive Drugs Market: Drivers

Key players operating in the market are getting approval to new digestive drugs, which is expected to drive the global digestive drugs market growth during the forecast period.

The approval of new therapeutic solutions for gastrointestinal disorders is further contributing to the market growth. For instance, in March 2020, Cipla received the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for a generic acid reflux drug. The company received final approval for generic Esomeprazole, an oral suspension which is used for treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Esomeprazole is available for various strengths such as 10mg, 20 mg and 40 mg from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (U.S. FDA).

Figure 2. Global Digestive Drugs Market Share (%), By Type, 2025

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Increasing prevalence of gastrointestinal disorders is expected to propel the market growth over the forecast period.

The increasing prevalence of gastrointestinal disorders is expected to boost the market growth over the forecast period. For instance, according an article published in July 2022,  by the International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders, Inc. (IFFGD), the prevalence in 2014 of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) in global populations is around 18 to 28% in North America, 9 to 26% in Europe, 9 to 33% in Middle East and 3 to 8% in East Asia among others.

Global Digestive Drugs Market– Impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic

COVID- 19 primarily affects the respiratory system; however, it also can affect multiple organs. The severity of COVID-19 is typically combined with a set of comorbidities such as hypertension, obesity, and diabetes, among others. In addition, COVID-19 can also be associated with gastrointestinal symptoms, such as diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain during the early phases of the disease.

COVID-19 pandemic has drastically impacted the supply chain owing to multiple national lockdowns. Major challenges faced in the healthcare supply chains includes lack of quick access to centralized, consumable and gastrointestinal drugs API, imbalance in supply of raw materials, and risk of shortages in finished drug formulations among others. For instance, according to an August 2020 published paper in SAGE Publishing, in early March 2020, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade imposed strict restrictions on the export of 13 formulations and 13 active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). Hence, these factors had overall negative impact on the digestive drugs market.

Global Digestive Drugs Market: Restraint

Few drugs which are commonly used for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders are often associated with adverse effects on any part of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract from mouth to colon. Hence, it is essential to obtain a detailed and accurate drug history of the patients presenting with GI complaints. Some of the adverse side effects resulting from medications such as antacids, histamine H2-receptor antagonists, muscarinic M1-receptor antagonists and proton pump inhibitors includes dry mouth, diarrhoea or constipation, stomach cramps, headache, nausea among others. Hence, the associated side effects with gastrointestinal therapeutics is likely to hamper the growth of digestive drugs market.

Key Players                                                               

Major players operating in the global digestive drugs market include GlaxoSmithKline plc, AbbVie Inc. (Allergan), Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Pfizer Inc, AstraZeneca plc, Marksans Pharma, Tillotts Pharma AG, Salix Pharmaceuticals, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Merck & Co., Inc., Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Bayer AG, Cadila Healthcare Ltd.