Biodegradable Medical Devices Market By Product Type (Sutures and Staplers, Orthopedic Implants, Drug Delivery, Stents, Wound Care Products, Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering), By Material (Polymers {Polylactic Acid, Polyglycolic Acid, Polycaprolactone, Polyhydroxyalkanoates, Others} Metals {Magnesium-based Alloys, Zinc-based Alloys, Iron-based Alloys} Natural Materials {Collagen, Chitosan, Silk), By Application (Orthopedics, Cardiovascular, Neurology, Dental, General Surgery, Tissue Engineering, Others), By End-user (Hospitals and Clinics, Ambulatory Surgical Centers, Homecare Settings, Research Institutes, Others), Global Market Size, Segmental analysis, Regional Overview, Company share analysis, Leading Company Profiles And Market Forecast, 2025 – 2035

Industry Outlook

The Biodegradable Medical Devices market accounted for USD 5.02 Billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 16.46 Billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of around 11.4% between 2025 and 2035. Biodegradable medical devices can be defined as medical devices that are manufactured from materials that can degrade or dissolve in the body independently, within a specific period after completing its functionality. These devices are meant to decrease the likelihood of requiring Open surgery ‘and long-term complications. Its uses are as follows- Controlled release formulation, surgical suture materials, stents, implantable biomaterials, etc.

This market is led by an increase in requirements for non-invasive procedures, environmental issues related to waste produced in the healthcare system, and improvements in material science. Patient comfort, safety, and sustainability are a few of the benefits of biodegradable devices which are growing popular in the healthcare system. Market drivers for the industry include government only for approval, modern material advancement, and higher spending on healthcare services.

Report Scope:

Market Dynamics

Increasing Environmental Concerns and Demand for Sustainable Medical Products

Traditional Medical Devices, especially those manufactured from non-biodegradable materials pose a threat of becoming a source of Medical Waste and Environmental Pollution since they end up in the Dump Site or require elaborate disposal methods. Resorbable devices, in turn, disintegrate in the body or environment, lowering the generation of waste and in the long term, presenting small dangers to the ecosystem. As the world advances in its move towards environmental conservation and means of eliminating carbon footprint across organizations and industries such as healthcare, there is the ever-rising call for eco-friendly products.

Besides the lowered environmental effects, biodegradable medical devices also solve the problem of excessive quantities of plastic and synthetic products that gather in the healthcare sphere. Since governments and various non-governmental environmental organizations have increased the pace to reduce waste production, the market demand for environmentally friendly products is growing.

Growing Government Regulations Promoting the Use of Eco-friendly Materials

Environmental issues and associated issues like waste and pollution reduction are currently receiving a lot of attention from governments worldwide, particularly in the healthcare sector. To develop regulations and restrictions that would reduce the use and comparatively raise the production of non-biodegradable materials like plastics, more work is being done nowadays. These rules aim to safeguard people and the environment from MDNs while also addressing medical waste.

Some nations have passed laws mandating the use of recyclable materials, while others have made it feasible for businesses to create eco-friendly products to apply for subsidies or rebates. They are encouraging manufacturers to invest in biodegradable technologies and facilitating governments' transition to green solutions. The influence of these restrictions is further enhanced by the public's growing awareness of environmental protection and the growing pressure on the healthcare industry to adopt green practices.

High production costs of biodegradable materials limit widespread adoption

The cost of biodegradable polymers or biocompatible materials is higher than that of conventional materials like metals and plastics since their production can involve complex procedures and their constituent ingredients can be difficult to find. Biodegradable medical devices are more costly than their non-biodegradable counterparts, even when the raw materials are readily available because the extra expenses must be recouped from the users. In price-sensitive healthcare markets, this could discourage many patients and healthcare providers from choosing these products specifically designed for their use.

The lack of affordable, biodegradable materials that can be produced on a wide scale is an issue. As the work continues to be done to optimize the costs, the current economic drawbacks remain one of the key factors that influence the molding industry most severely, especially the small- to medium-sized manufacturers and the emergent economies where cost-effectiveness matters most. This factor hinders the use of biodegradable medical directories even though they are environmentally friendly and safer for patients.

Technological Innovations Improving the Efficiency of Biodegradable Material Development

The discovery of new-generation biodegradable polymers and their composites has been made possible by the development of material science and engineering that provide higher performance, less cost, longer life, and ease of production. Technological advancements in manufacturing methods such as 3D printing and nanotechnology help design and manufacture highly functional, multifaceted, micromedical equipment from biodegradable and biocompatible materials.

These technological advancements aid in eradicating the barriers in traditional biodegradable materials that are often exhibited by poor mechanical strength or slow rates of degradation appropriate for medical use. Furthermore, owing to the tool's advances over the years, like the scale-up manufacturing technique, the costs of production are coming down, and so is the possibility of mass production. Therefore, because of the development of these technologies, the biodegradable medical devices costs of manufacture will continue to come down, and hence the rates of acceptance will continue to grow shortly.

Expansion of Biodegradable Medical Devices in Emerging Markets with Growing Healthcare Needs

The growth of biodegradable medical devices in developing markets is a potential opportunity brought by the increasing demand for health-related products and the increasing preference for environmentally friendly products. As these regions continue to grow economically, urbanize, and have more access to health care, the need for affordable, effective, and eco-friendly medical devices is becoming higher.

Areas that wish to transcend the usually associated high costs of expensive follow-up operations and long-term disposal of waste, especially in developing health systems, are excited about biodegradable devices. The emerging economy’s governments spend more resources to enhance sustainable healthcare practices and environmental controls—both of which bode well for biodegradable products. Considering the continuously increasing rate of chronic diseases, surgeries, and other conditions, the demand for safe and easily degradable medical products is on the rise.

Industry Experts Opinion

“More companies are being forced to consider making their products out of eco-friendly materials — products that can be made from polymers derived from natural products such as plants and sugars. I think we will see the medtech industry be more focused on and placing more effort into sustainability, recyclability, reuse, and cleaning up the environment in 2024. We have seen this happening already, but there is certainly going to be a bigger, renewed effort as governments become more involved and people become more outspoken about environmental issues.”

• Len Czuba, President of Czuba Enterprises.Inc

Segment Analysis

Based on product type, the Biodegradable medical devices market is categorized as drug delivery systems, sutures/staples, stents, surgical meshes, and implants. Biodegradable implants and patches are commonly employed for controlled delivery in the human body of therapeutic substances; hence such devices have a high demand. Sutures & staples as a mode of wound closure can be absorbable; those fall under biodegradable sutures & staples, which dissolve naturally within the body. Stents and surgical meshes are deployed in the vessels and hernia surgeries, respectively, and biodegradable stents and meshes are increasingly being preferred for their inherent characteristic of disintegration after some time, thus reducing more complications.

Based on the material used, the Biodegradable medical devices market is categorized as polymer, metal, and ceramics. Some of the previously mentioned biomaterials, namely PLA, PLGA, and PCL, are flexible and easy to process as films. These materials are ideal for application in drug delivery, sutures, and implants. There is increased interest in using biodegradable metals such as magnesium and its alloys for use in orthopedic implants because they are strong and can corrode within the body, so no further operations are required. Calcium phosphates are also popularly used for the regeneration of bones and dentistry because of their ability to be compatible with body tissues and the slow-dissolving character of bioceramics.

Regional Analysis

North America is the largest market for Biodegradable medical devices because of the sophisticated health care center, higher per capita income, and good support for medical technologies and products. The US, for instance, is the most advanced in the use of biodegradable medical tech due to its advanced healthcare system, significant funding and research, and commitment to green healthcare solutions. Secondly, a rising number of such surgeries, along with rising awareness of the environmental impact of medical waste that corrodes the environment, have boosted the biodegradable medical devices market in the region.

Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing Biodegradable Medical Devices Market. The high economic growth observed in countries like China, India, and Japan, together with improved healthcare accessibility, creates the demand for the use of more sophisticated and environmentally friendly technologies in medicine. The demographic of the region is changing, with the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, an aging population, and growing healthcare facilities, which in turn increases the requirements for biodegradable devices used in operations or therapies. The rising governments and policies for green medical equipment and raising awareness of the globe’s sustainability are integrating biodegradable equipment into the market.

Competitive Landscape

The major players in the biodegradable medical devices market are quite strategic in this industry and place much emphasis on developing new environmentally friendly products. Significant stakeholders like Medtronic, Stryker, Becton Dickinson, and Boston Scientific are working actively in research and development to produce new and improved biodegradable materials and products.

Also, small companies are developing green technologies that in many cases are targeted at specific apps such as drug release devices and bio-absorbable sutures. Syndications, joint ventures, affiliations, and acquisitions are often realized to broaden the range of offered products, as well as to enhance market positions. 

Biodegradable Medical Devices Market, Company Shares Analysis, 2024

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Recent Developments:

• In June 2024, in a paper published in Biomaterials Research, a team led by researchers from the Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST) in the Republic of Korea presented data on their non-biodegradable, ultrasoft, and flexible balloon implant for drug delivery.
• In November 2023, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) teamed up with X, Alphabet's moonshot incubator, aiming to streamline the separation process and improve the environmental impact of their final product. They developed a simple "one-pot" technique that breaks down blends of petroleum-based and bio-based plastics using naturally sourced salt solutions and specific microbes. These salts act as catalysts within a single container, breaking down polymers into individual molecules called monomers. Microbes then ferment these monomers to produce a new form of biodegradable polymer, suitable for creating various commodity products. This process is detailed in One Earth.

Report Coverage:

By Product Type

• Sutures and Staplers
• Orthopedic Implants
• Drug Delivery
• Stents
• Wound Care Products
• Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering

By Material

• Polymers
  • Polylactic Acid
  • Polyglycolic Acid
  • Polycaprolactone
  • Polyhydroxyalkanoates
  • Others
• Metals
  • Magnesium-based Alloys
  • Zinc-based Alloys
  • Iron-based Alloys
• Natural Materials
  • Collagen
  • Chitosan
  • Silk

By Application

• Orthopedics
• Cardiovascular
• Neurology
• Dental
• General Surgery
• Tissue Engineering
• Others

By End-user

• Hospitals and Clinics
• Ambulatory Surgical Centers
• Homecare Settings
• Research Institutes
• Other

By Region

North America

• U.S.
• Canada

Europe

• U.K.
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Spain
• Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

• China
• Japan
• India
• Australia
• South Korea
• Singapore
• Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America                 

• Brazil
• Argentina
• Mexico
• Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa

• GCC Countries
• South Africa
• Rest of Middle East & Africa

List of Companies:

• B. Braun Melsungen AG
• Medtronic Plc
• Stryker Corporation
• Johnson & Johnson
• Smith & Nephew Plc
• Boston Scientific Corporation
• Zimmer Biomet
• KLS Martin Group
• Acelity Inc.
• ConvaTec Group Plc
• Poly-Med, Inc.
• Biotronik SE & Co. KG
• Integra LifeSciences Corporation
• Abbott Laboratories
• Hapspure Technologies
• Geuder AG
• Xenogenix
• Fidia Farmaceutici S.p.A.

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