A Plasma Problem: Dwindling Supply In The Face Of A Growing Demand

By Andrew Goodsall

Plasma-derived medicinal products are becoming increasingly important to the healthcare industry. The global immunoglobulin (IG) market, for which the majority of plasma is collected, is experiencing significant growth with an expected cumulative annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.6 percent from 2018 to 2025.¹ IG is used in the treatment of a variety of autoimmune and inflammatory disorders.² The albumin market relies on the collection of sufficient plasma, as it serves a wide range of functions in patient treatment, such as supplementing blood volume during medical treatments, including those for trauma. Overall, these applications, as well as plasma’s use in injectable medications and testing reagents, make it a critical component of the biopharmaceutical industry. Nevertheless, the demand for it is rapidly outpacing the world’s supply. An outlook on the market shows plasma fractionators will have to look to innovation and other opportunities for supply, in order to meet the needs of the growing patient population who rely on plasma collection.