Gene Synthesis Market Poised for Explosive Growth: A Deep Dive into the $9.38 Billion Industry by 2033

In the ever-evolving world of biotechnology, gene synthesis is no longer just a laboratory curiosity—it’s a cornerstone of modern science. From revolutionizing personalized medicine to turbocharging vaccine development, synthetic genes are transforming how we understand and manipulate life.

According to market forecasts, the global gene synthesis market size accounted for USD 3.22 billion in 2024, grew to USD 4 billion in 2025 and is predicted to surpass around USD 27.63 billion by 2034, representing a healthy CAGR of 23.97% between 2024 and 2034. The North America gene synthesis market size is calculated at USD 1.26 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow at a fastest CAGR of 24.15% during the forecast year.

What Is Gene Synthesis?

Gene synthesis refers to the artificial creation of DNA sequences in a laboratory setting, without the need for a DNA template. This allows scientists to design and produce genetic material with pinpoint precision. Unlike traditional gene cloning, which requires extracting and amplifying DNA from living organisms, gene synthesis offers a clean slate—designing sequences from scratch using digital blueprints.

This capability opens doors to a multitude of applications: therapeutic development, vaccine engineering, agricultural biotech, industrial enzyme production, and even data storage.

Market Segmentation Analysis

The gene synthesis market can be segmented across four key dimensions that highlight the industry’s diverse applications and technological approaches:

By Method

The market offers three primary synthesis approaches, each with distinct advantages. Solid-phase synthesis dominates current market share due to its well-established reliability in producing high-quality oligonucleotides. Chip-based synthesis is gaining traction as it enables massively parallel DNA production, significantly reducing costs for large-scale projects. PCR-based enzyme synthesis represents an emerging alternative that offers potential advantages in speed and error correction, particularly for longer DNA constructs.

Method Insights: Solid-Phase Synthesis Dominates

The gene synthesis market is segmented by method, with solid-phase synthesis emerging as the dominant technology, capturing the largest revenue share. This method’s popularity stems from its high precision and scalability in gene assembly, making it ideal for research and therapeutic applications. In 2022, solid-phase synthesis accounted for 37% of the market, driven by its efficiency in producing high-quality DNA sequences. However, the high cost of synthesis and the need for specialized expertise may restrain growth in price-sensitive markets. Despite this, advancements in automation and process optimization are expected to improve cost-efficiency, further solidifying its market leadership.

By Service

Service offerings cater to specialized research needs, with antibody DNA synthesis leading current demand. This reflects the booming therapeutic antibody market and need for customized sequences. Viral DNA synthesis services are experiencing rapid growth, driven by vaccine development and gene therapy applications. The “others” category encompasses niche services like pathway engineering and synthetic genome assembly, which are becoming increasingly important for advanced synthetic biology applications.

Service Insights: Antibody DNA Synthesis Leads, Viral DNA Synthesis Grows Fastest

By service type, antibody DNA synthesis holds the largest market share due to its critical role in therapeutic antibody development and diagnostics. The ability to customize antibody genes for targeted treatments, such as cancer immunotherapy, has fueled demand. Meanwhile, viral DNA synthesis is projected to grow at the fastest rate, driven by increasing research into vaccines, gene therapy vectors, and antiviral drugs. The synthesis of structural and non-structural viral proteins is particularly significant, as it supports advancements in infectious disease research and mRNA vaccine platforms.

By Application

Gene and cell therapy development represents the most significant application segment, fueled by the clinical success of CAR-T therapies and CRISPR-based treatments. Vaccine development follows closely, with synthetic genes playing a crucial role in mRNA vaccine platforms and viral vector development. Disease diagnosis applications are expanding as synthetic DNA controls and probes become standard in molecular diagnostics. The “others” category includes emerging uses in agricultural biotechnology and industrial enzyme engineering.

Application Insights: Gene & Cell Therapy Drives Market Expansion

In terms of applications, gene and cell therapy development represents the largest and fastest-growing segment. The rising prevalence of chronic diseases like cancer, genetic disorders, and autoimmune conditions has accelerated demand for precision gene-editing therapies. Academic institutions and biotech firms are increasingly adopting gene synthesis to develop next-generation treatments, such as CAR-T cell therapies and CRISPR-based interventions. Additionally, academic research institutes contribute significantly to market growth, leveraging synthetic genes for fundamental genomics studies and drug discovery.

By End Users

The market serves three primary customer groups. Biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies account for the largest share of commercial demand, utilizing gene synthesis for drug discovery and development. Academic and government research institutes drive basic science innovation and early-stage therapeutic exploration. Contract research organizations represent a growing segment as outsourcing of synthetic biology services increases across the industry.

This multi-dimensional segmentation reflects the gene synthesis market’s maturation into a sophisticated ecosystem serving diverse scientific and commercial needs. As technologies advance, we can expect further specialization within each segment to address increasingly specific research and therapeutic requirements

End-User Insights: Academic & Government Research Institutes Lead Adoption

The end-user landscape is dominated by academic and government research institutes, which account for the highest market share. These institutions benefit from increased public funding for genomics and synthetic biology research, particularly in chronic disease and therapeutic innovation. Meanwhile, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies are rapidly expanding their use of gene synthesis for drug development and biomanufacturing. The integration of synthetic biology into industrial biotech applications, such as enzyme engineering and microbial strain optimization, is further propelling market growth.

Conclusion: A Diversified Market with Strong Growth Potential

The gene synthesis market is highly segmented, with each category—method, service, application, and end-user—showing distinct growth drivers. While solid-phase synthesis and antibody DNA synthesis currently lead in revenue, emerging segments like viral DNA synthesis and gene therapy applications are set to expand rapidly. Academic and industrial research will continue to be key adopters, supported by technological advancements and increasing investment in precision medicine and biomanufacturing. As the field evolves, cost reductions and automation are expected to further accelerate adoption across all segments

Regional Leaders & Emerging Hotspots

North America leads the charge, thanks to its advanced healthcare infrastructure, major pharmaceutical companies, and active government support for genomics research. However, Asia-Pacific is emerging as a formidable contender. Countries like China and India are investing heavily in genomics, biomanufacturing, and biosecurity, accelerating regional demand.

North America currently dominates the gene synthesis market with a 42% share, driven by strong biotech funding and FDA fast-tracking of gene therapies. Key players like Twist Bioscience and GenScript are leading the charge, supported by a thriving ecosystem of startups and research institutions.

Europe follows closely with a 28% market share, thanks to EU initiatives like Horizon Europe, which funds cutting-edge synthetic biology research. Companies such as Eurofins and Merck KGaA are expanding their gene synthesis capabilities to meet growing demand from pharmaceutical and agricultural sectors.

The Asia-Pacific region is the fastest-growing market, with an 18% CAGR, fueled by government biotech initiatives and lower R&D costs. Countries like China and South Korea are investing heavily in domestic gene synthesis capabilities, with companies like Bioneer and SBS Genetech emerging as key players.

Industry Innovations and Partnerships

Innovations like chip-based DNA synthesis and enzymatic DNA synthesis are also gaining traction. These newer methods promise faster, cheaper, and more environmentally friendly synthesis compared to traditional phosphoramidite chemistry.

Challenges and Ethical Considerations

Despite the promise, challenges remain. Synthetic DNA can be used for both good and ill. The potential for misuse—such as creating harmful viruses—has prompted growing concern among biosecurity experts. Regulatory frameworks are still catching up with the pace of technological innovation.

1. Skilled Workforce Shortage

The industry faces a critical talent gap, particularly in emerging markets. While North America and Europe have well-established biotech hubs, countries in Asia and Latin America are struggling to keep up with the demand for skilled genetic engineers. Universities in India and China are launching specialized synthetic biology programs to address this shortage, but it will take years to build a robust global workforce capable of sustaining the industry’s rapid growth.

2. Biosecurity Concerns

With AI making gene design easier, regulators are tightening oversight to prevent misuse. The WHO and NIH are developing global DNA screening standards to ensure that synthetic genes are used responsibly. There are growing concerns about the potential for engineered pathogens or bioterrorism, prompting calls for stricter controls on DNA synthesis companies. Balancing innovation with security will be one of the biggest challenges facing the industry in the coming decade.

There are also concerns around data privacy (when used in personalized medicine), intellectual property, and access to advanced genomic technologies in lower-income nations.

Future Outlook: What’s Next?

As gene synthesis becomes faster, cheaper, and more precise, its role in shaping our biological future is undeniable. The convergence of AI, cloud computing, and biotechnology will only accelerate this trajectory. We’re entering an age where genes can be as programmable as software—an age full of promise, but not without its perils.

Blockchain technology is being explored for DNA traceability, allowing researchers to verify the origin and integrity of synthetic genes. Cloud-based platforms like Strateos are enabling remote gene design and testing, making synthetic biology more accessible than ever. Meanwhile, NASA is funding research into space biotech, including radiation-resistant microbes that could support future Mars colonies.

In this context, the explosive growth of the gene synthesis market is not just an economic opportunity—it’s a bellwether of the bioeconomy’s emergence as a key pillar of 21st-century innovation.

Conclusion:

The gene synthesis market is poised at a transformative juncture. It’s enabling us to reimagine life at the molecular level—faster, smarter, and more precisely than ever before.

Gene synthesis is no longer just a tool—it’s the engine of the bioeconomy. As costs plummet and AI accelerates innovation, the next decade will see custom DNA transform everything from medicine to materials science. The industry must address challenges like workforce shortages and biosecurity risks, but the potential for positive impact is enormous.

 With the right mix of innovation, regulation, and ethics, this $9.38 billion industry could reshape medicine, agriculture, and global health for decades to come.