Against the backdrop of the global pharmaceutical industry shifting toward innovation-driven growth, increasingly stringent environmental regulations, and the accelerated restructuring of supply chains, pharmaceutical intermediates—acting as the critical link between basic chemical industries and active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) production—are undergoing a fundamental transformation in their development trajectory. The focus is shifting from sheer scale expansion to prioritizing quality, efficiency, and technological breakthroughs. From process innovations to reshaping market dynamics, and from policy guidance to global strategic positioning, the pharmaceutical intermediate sector is now entering a new phase of development characterized by high-end sophistication, sustainability, and intelligent manufacturing. The next five years are poised to become a pivotal window for redefining industry value, setting the stage for transformative growth ahead.

The pharmaceutical intermediates market is undergoing a profound structural shift, with traditional generic products and high-end customized offerings showing a polarized growth trend—while the high-value-added segment is emerging as the key engine driving growth.
From a scale perspective, the industry as a whole is expected to maintain steady growth. The Chinese pharmaceutical intermediates market is projected to expand from approximately RMB 350 billion in 2025 to over RMB 600 billion by 2030, with an annual compound growth rate consistently remaining in the range of 8.5% to 9%. This growth will not stem from the expansion of traditional product categories but rather from the explosive rise of high-end, niche segments. Notably, the share of premium intermediates is set to rise steadily—from 15% in 2025 to 25% by 2030—becoming the key driver behind the industry’s overall value enhancement.
The growth disparities across niche segments are particularly striking. Driven by the global surge in demand for weight-loss drugs like GLP-1 receptor agonists, polypeptide intermediates saw a year-on-year market expansion of 42% in 2025, thanks to iterative advancements in solid-phase synthesis technology that have further reduced costs and unlocked greater production capacity. Meanwhile, emerging categories such as ADC drug intermediates and cell therapy culture media are experiencing growth rates far exceeding the industry average, fueled by both technological barriers and robust clinical demand. In contrast, traditional antibiotic intermediates—such as cephalosporin derivatives—continue to enjoy steady growth of 6% to 8%, supported by ongoing process optimizations and rising demand from developing markets. Meanwhile, the accelerating pace of innovative drug development is creating vast opportunities for customized intermediates. By 2025, China will host over 150 new drug projects in the clinical stage, with 72% involving complex molecular structures—a trend that is directly boosting the demand for custom intermediates under the CDMO model. Notably, these specialized intermediates maintain profit margins above 35%, significantly higher than those of conventional, generic intermediates.