Plant-Based Biologics Market Analysis & Forecast: 2026-2033
The Plant-Based Biologics Market size is expected to increase at a CAGR of 3.4%, from USD 23.7 Mn in 2026 to reach roughly USD 30.0 Mn by 2033. The main factors responsible for the growth are the growing popularity of plant molecular farming technology, increased requirement for economical biologic production, and increasing research and development in the field of vaccines and protein therapeutics. The U.S. FDA states that ELELYSO is manufactured using recombinant DNA technology in carrot plant-cell cultures and is approved for treating Type 1 Gaucher disease in patients aged four years and older.
The plant-based biologics market is gaining momentum owing to advances in transient gene-expression systems, plant-virus vectors, glycoengineering, and controlled plant-cell cultivation. Such innovations allow for the use of tobacco leaves and other plant tissue as biological factories capable of manufacturing vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, enzymes, and therapeutic recombinant proteins.
According to a study published in 2025, current plant molecular farming systems are able to provide recombinant protein levels of up to 5 grams per kilogram of plant biomass. It must be noted that downstream processing may cost up to 80% of the total production, which stimulates improvements in technology.
In September 2025, the Icelandic biotechnology firm ORF Genetics raised €5 million in funding to enhance the manufacture of recombinant growth factors by means of its plant molecular farming technology.
The increase in development of therapeutic biologics has necessitated the need for other expression systems to complement the conventional mammalian cell culturing system. The use of plant-based expression systems offers many advantages in relation to scale-up potential, versatility of production, safety from pathogens, and manufacturing of complex recombinant proteins such as vaccines, antibodies, and enzymes.
In 2025, the European Medicines Agency made recommendations to authorize 104 medicines in humans, 38 of which contained active ingredients that were not previously approved in the European Union.
In April 2025, PlantForm Corporation, Baiya Phytopharm, and The DABOM entered into a research partnership for plant-made artificial exosomes as therapeutics and vaccines.
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FDA Issues Updated Biologic Manufacturing Inspection Program Covering Plant-Cell Expression Systems (2026) |
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India Announces Biopharma SHAKTI Programme to Expand Biologics Manufacturing (2026) |
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On the basis of product type, the glucocerebrosidase segment is projected to account for the largest plant-based biologics market share of 38.6% in 2026. The segment’s leadership is owing to the established use of recombinant glucocerebrosidase in long-term enzyme replacement therapy, commercial availability of plant-cell-expressed taliglucerase alfa, and continued demand for therapies that replace deficient enzymes in patients with Type 1 Gaucher disease.
A 2025 peer-reviewed review reported real-world home-treatment data for 173 patients receiving plant-derived taliglucerase alfa across the U.S., Israel, Brazil, and Australia. Annual treatment compliance was at least 95%, while 47 patients, or 27.3%, received the therapy for five years or longer.
In November 2025, Protalix BioTherapeutics stated that revenues from the sale of the therapy based on plant cells for glucocerebrosidase were at USD 15.4 million via Pfizer and USD 9.1 million via Fiocruz in the first nine months of 2025, which translates to taliglucerase alfa sales worth.
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On the basis of source type, the carrot segment is expected to hold the largest plant-based biologics market share of 42.4% in 2026. Its dominance is supported by the successful commercial use of genetically engineered carrot-cell cultures to manufacture taliglucerase alfa under controlled conditions without relying on mammalian-cell production systems.
The FDA’s updated 2025 prescribing information confirms that carrot-cell-produced taliglucerase alfa is a 60.8 kDa glycoprotein containing four N-linked glycosylation sites. Each commercial vial contains 200 units, producing a concentration of 40 units per millilitre after reconstitution. These defined product characteristics demonstrate the reproducibility and commercial viability of carrot-cell-based biologic manufacturing.
In May 2026, Protalix BioTherapeutics announced that it expects full-year 2026 revenue from Elelyso to reach approximately USD 20 million–USD 23 million. Elelyso is manufactured by growing recombinant glucocerebrosidase inside genetically engineered carrot cells and is commercialized through Pfizer internationally and Fiocruz in Brazil.
On the basis of disease indication, the Gaucher disease segment is projected to lead with a 41.7% share in 2026. The segment’s growth is owing to the lifelong nature of enzyme replacement therapy, the established clinical use of plant-derived glucocerebrosidase, and elevated disease incidence among genetically susceptible populations.
A peer-reviewed 2026 clinical study reported that Gaucher disease occurs in approximately one in every 40,000–60,000 births in the general population. Its incidence can increase to around one in 800 births among people of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry, indicating a concentrated patient population requiring diagnosis, monitoring, and long-term therapeutic management
In July 2026, Spur Therapeutics announced that the first patient had been dosed in the pivotal Phase 3 GALILEO-3 trial of avigbagene parvec, also known as FLT201, for adults with Type 1 Gaucher disease.
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North America is expected to account for the largest 39.2% share of the plant-based biologics market in 2026. The region’s leadership is owing to established biotechnology companies, advanced Good Manufacturing Practice facilities, strong public research funding, and early commercialization of plant-produced vaccines, enzymes, and recombinant therapeutic proteins.
Canada’s investment portfolio includes up to C$40 million for Aramis Biotechnologies to advance plant-based vaccines and therapeutics, including a next-generation influenza vaccine. These investments strengthen North America’s plant molecular-farming research, clinical-development, and manufacturing capabilities.
In March 2025, the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences released Protecting Our Collective Future: Renewing Canada’s Role in Global Health. The report highlighted Canada’s vulnerabilities in domestic vaccine and therapeutic manufacturing and noted investments in 19 projects through the Canadian Biomedical Research Fund and Biosciences Research Infrastructure Fund.
Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the fastest-growing region, accounting for an estimated 25.0% market share in 2026. Regional growth is owing to expanding biotechnology ecosystems, increasing demand for affordable recombinant proteins, growing vaccine-development capabilities, and the emergence of commercial plant-expression facilities.
Thailand-based Baiya Phytopharm operates what the company identifies as Asia’s first cGMP plant-based biologics technology facility. The Bangkok facility is certified under ISO 9001:2015 and is compliant with Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme requirements.
In February 2026, Thailand-based Baiya Phytopharm reported the development of a plant-produced D8 monoclonal antibody against dengue virus using Nicotiana benthamiana as the expression host.
The U.S. plant-based biologics industry is rapidly evolving due to its strong biotech ecosystem, its regulated manufacturing processes, and increasing interest in chemically defined processes as an alternative to human or animal sourced biologic material. Rice based expression platforms have emerged as a favored technology for producing recombinant albumins for use in vaccines, cellular and genetic therapies.
In February 2025, Optibumin 25 was introduced by Kansas-based InVitria. This is the first commercially available sterile recombinant human serum albumin at 25% concentration for use in closed biomanufacturing systems. The plant-based product is sold in 100 mL bags and can be manufactured at metric-ton scale.
China is expected to witness strong growth in the plant-based biologics market owing to its expanding biopharmaceutical manufacturing base, government-supported biotechnology development, demand for alternatives to plasma-derived proteins, and progress in using genetically engineered rice as a commercial bioreactor.
Healthgen reported that China produced and imported more than 1,000 tons of human serum albumin in 2024, with imports accounting for over 69%, demonstrating substantial domestic supply opportunities for rice-derived biologics.
In July 2025, China’s National Medical Products Administration approved a rice-derived recombinant human albumin injection developed by Wuhan Healthgen Biotechnology for hypoalbuminemia associated with liver cirrhosis.
Some of the major key players in Plant-Based Biologics Market are Leaf Expression Systems, Zea Biosciences, Planet Biotechnology Inc., InVitria, PlantForm Corporation, IBIO, Inc., Mapp Biopharmaceutical, Inc., Pfizer Inc., Ventria Bioscience Inc., Medicago Inc., Eleva GmbH, Kentucky Bioprocessing, LLC, Solarvest Bioenergy Inc., and Byondis B.V.
| Report Coverage | Details | ||
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| Base Year: | 2025 | Market Size in 2026: | USD 23.7 Mn |
| Historical Data for: | 2020 To 2024 | Forecast Period: | 2026 To 2033 |
| Forecast Period 2026 to 2033 CAGR: | 3.4% | 2033 Value Projection: | USD 30.0 Mn |
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| Companies covered: |
Leaf Expression Systems, Zea Biosciences, Planet Biotechnology Inc., InVitria, PlantForm Corporation, IBIO, Inc., Mapp Biopharmaceutical, Inc., Pfizer Inc., Ventria Bioscience Inc., Medicago Inc., Eleva GmbH, Kentucky Bioprocessing, LLC, Solarvest Bioenergy Inc., and Byondis B.V. |
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Abhijeet Kale is a results-driven management consultant with five years of specialized experience in the biotech and clinical diagnostics sectors. With a strong background in scientific research and business strategy, Abhijeet helps organizations identify potential revenue pockets, and in turn helping clients with market entry strategies. He assists clients in developing robust strategies for navigating FDA and EMA requirements.
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