Starch Capsules Market - Regional Analysis
North America Market Insights
North America is a key player in the starch capsules market, projected to register a significant share of 35% during the forecast period. The dominance of this region is mainly attributable to the developmental tendency of countries such as the U.S and Canada and the government healthcare expenditure. The U.S. dominates the North America market owing to the increased spending by Medicare for plant-based capsules. Besides, it is stated that Medicaid offers substantial coverage for starch capsule scripts for chronic disease, which is up to 2021. Additionally, the presence of key market players drives market evolution in the region.
U.S. market is driven by its strong consumer base towards plant-based supplements and pharmaceuticals. The federal support is crucial for the market demand. As per the CMS data in June 2025, the Medicare spending in healthcare rose by 8.1% to USD 1,029.8 billion in 2023, including the formulation of starch based capsules in pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. The primary trend, which is backed by government funding and improved insurance coverage, is the incorporation of starch capsules into common drug formulations, which guarantees consistent market expansion.
Canada's starch capsules market is rising rapidly and is expected to hold the largest share by 2035. The Québec Life Sciences 2022–2025 strategy allocates USD 211 million to sector-wide innovation, including support for starch-based capsules. This initiative is expected to generate USD 569 million in funding and stimulate nearly USD 2 billion in direct investment, reflecting strong government backing. Furthermore, BioteCanada experiences annual growth in export-focused capsule production, which in turn implies a positive market outlook in the country.
Starch Capsule Clinical Trials
|
Trial Name / ID |
Intervention / Comparator |
Indication |
Status |
Sponsor |
Outcome Measures |
|
N-acetyl Glucosamine Capsule for IBS-D (NCT02504060) |
Starch Placebo vs N-acetyl-D-Glucosamine |
Irritable Bowel Syndrome |
Recruiting |
Dongying Leader Pharmaceutical |
Abdominal pain, stool consistency, quality of life |
|
Starch-entrapped Microspheres for Gut Health (NCT01210625) |
Nutrabiotix Fiber (starch microspheres) |
Constipation / Gut Health |
Completed |
Nutrabiotix Ltd / Academic Partners |
Stool frequency, consistency, gut microbiome |
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov
APAC Market Insights
The Asia Pacific starch capsules market is anticipated to grow at the fastest rate, with a considerable share of 27.6% during the forecast period. The market is appreciably fueled by higher instances of chronic disorders and the huge demand for starch capsules. Asia Pacific hosts a substantial number of emerging nations such as India, China, Japan, South Korea and Malasiya that witness immense adoption for starch-based capsules for disease management. Besides the requirement for sustainable therapeutics is intended to help the region’s growth embracing market progression.
There is an exceptional opportunity for the market in India, driven by both public and private healthcare systems. The industry in India contributes significantly to the global market due to its critical role in various industries, such as food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, and textiles. Various research is conducted related to starch capsules, and one such research from NLM study in November 2024 has depicted that starch capsules exhibit high resistance to simulated gastric fluids and are minimally soluble in simulated intestinal fluids. Further, with the smaller diameter in capsule about 100–150 micrometer, provide better resistance to gastric degradation, supporting prolonged release conducive to diabetic treatment stages requiring controlled MET doses.
China's starch capsule market is growing in accordance with national policies on sustainable drugs. The market is driven by the domestic pharmaceutical industry and the adoption of innovative, high-quality excipients like starch capsules. In April 2023, the NLM released a report indicating that 79% of domestic new drugs submitted their first investigational new drug applications in 2022, compared to 60% in the previous year. As more medications need oral solid dosage forms, the demand for starch-based capsules has increased.
Europe Market Insights
Europe market is driven by rigid regulations and a strong consumer migration towards plant-based and vegan pharma products. The growth is mainly fueled by the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) push towards sustainable and biocompatible excipients, in addition to increasing demand for halal and kosher-compliant medicines. Some of the most important trends are higher investments for R&D of modified starch technologies for improving capsule stability and dissolution profiles. The EU Pharmaceutical Strategy, financed by the European Health Data Space, focuses on increasing the resilience of supply chains for essential medical products, such as advanced capsule materials.
Germany is the largest shareholder in Europe's market by 2035. Germany's leadership is driven by its robust pharmaceutical manufacturing base and proactive government spending. The Germany Trade and Invest data in 2025 has stated that the pharmaceutical industry revenue reached EUR 59.8 billion in 2023 at a CAGR of 6.4%. As manufacturers increasingly use sustainable and plant-derived excipients to meet legal and environmental criteria, this growth increases the demand for novel drug delivery forms, such as starch-based capsules.
France's starch capsule sector is fueled by strong government regulations that are aligned with EU-wide sustainability targets. The French National Authority for Health (HAS) plays a crucial role in aiding the starch capsules by expanding the patient access and increasing integration into reimbursable drug programs. In addition, the backing of European health authorities to new medical technologies fuels the expansion by financing local research on environmentally friendly capsule solutions, solidifying France's status as a regional hub and leader in green drug delivery.