The taste masking service market is expected to reach USD 221 million by 2022 anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 6% during the forecast period 2023-2035

The oral solid dosage (OSD) market is expected to surpass USD 900 billion by 2027, representing the largest segment in the pharmaceutical industry. However, a significant concern within this sector revolves around the unpleasant taste and odor of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) used in orally administered dosage forms. This issue adversely affects patient compliance, particularly among pediatric and geriatric populations. Approximately 30% to 40% of pediatric patients and 26% of the elderly face challenges in swallowing tablets or capsules due to taste or texture issues with medications.

Addressing the bitter taste of drugs presents a substantial challenge due to the complexity of taste receptors on the tongue. Pharmaceutical entities are employing various conventional and innovative techniques, such as sweeteners, coating, microencapsulation, and hot-melt extrusion, to mask the unpleasant taste. Research indicates that implementing taste-masking technologies in oral drugs can significantly improve patient compliance from 53% to 90%.

Pharmaceutical companies are investing heavily in developing appealing and palatable drug formulations while exploring different taste masking agents and assessment procedures tailored for children and elderly patients. However, this process faces challenges, including taste variation among APIs, formulating placebo samples for taste testing, meeting regulatory guidelines, high research expenses, and managing product life cycles. Consequently, many companies are outsourcing taste masking and assessment operations to third-party service providers with expertise in this domain.

Presently, around 50 taste masking service providers offer services aligned with regulatory guidelines to aid in the development and commercialization of taste-masked formulations. Regulatory agencies like the US FDA and the European Medicines Agency have simplified the assessment of taste-masking strategies for drugs. Additionally, there has been an increase in strategic partnerships among industry players to expand taste masking capabilities, ensuring the success of drug formulations. Stakeholders are actively pursuing patient-centric dosage forms suitable for various age groups and exploring novel excipients.

Considering the ongoing efforts to improve the palatability of oral drug formulations, enhance drug adherence, and ensure patient compliance, the taste masking services market is expected to grow steadily in the forecast period.

  • Report Coverage
  • The report comprehensively examines the taste masking services market, focusing on factors like formulation types, techniques used, operational scale, and key geographical regions. It evaluates drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges impacting market growth, while also considering advantages, obstacles, and the competitive landscape for market leaders.
  • Forecasting revenue across major regions, the report assesses taste masking service providers, encompassing their service types (masking and assessment), operational scale (preclinical/clinical, commercial), manufacturing scalability, formulation types catered to, end-user industries, employed taste masking techniques, targeted healthcare segments, and regional capabilities.
  • Moreover, it delves into taste masking and assessment technology providers, analyzing their offered services, utilized techniques, supported formulation types, target industries, patent information, and availability for partnerships and licensing. Detailed profiles of major players in taste masking services and technology platform providers are included, offering company overviews, service/technology portfolios, and future perspectives.
  • A comprehensive competitive analysis among taste masking service providers globally considers strengths, service portfolios, operational scales, formulation types, techniques used, healthcare focuses, and regional capabilities. It also discusses various partnership models adopted within the field, including asset acquisition, manufacturing agreements, research collaborations, and technology licensing agreements, highlighting collaborating entities’ specifics.
  • The report examines patents filed/granted for taste masking and assessment since 2017, covering types, publication years, geographical locations, key players, characteristics, focus areas, and valuation analysis. Additionally, it presents a case study on pharmaceutical excipients specialized in taste masking, exploring establishment details, excipient properties, and formulated types.


Key Market Companies

  • AbbVie
  • Catalent
  • Fertin Pharma
  • Lonza
  • NextPharma
  • Patheon
  • Quotient Sciences
  • Senopsys