$3450
$2760
The Europe Generic Drugs market size is projected to reach US$ 114032.33 million by 2031 from US$ 77959.6 million in 2024. The market is expected to register a CAGR of 5.8% during 2025–2031. The expansion of biosimilars is likely to bring in new market trends during the forecast period.
Europe Generic Drugs Market Analysis
Europe’s position in the global generic drugs market is supported by a well-established pharmaceutical industry that produces affordable alternatives to branded medicines. These aspects reduce healthcare costs and improve access to essential treatments across the region. Patients benefit from a wider availability of cost-effective therapies, strengthening public healthcare systems. However, Eastern European countries often face challenges related to access and regulatory delays compared to Western Europe.
Supportive regulatory policies, including faster approval pathways and incentives for biosimilar development, are driving market growth. In addition, advances in pharmaceutical manufacturing technologies and increasing investment in complex generics are expected to open new market opportunities.
Europe Generic Drugs Market Overview
The growth of the Europe Generic Drugs market is attributed to the rising chronic disease burden ,increasing demand for cost-effective treatments, government policies, and regulatory support for generic. Among European countries, Germany stands out as the fastest-growing market for generic drugs. Strong government support for generics, high healthcare spending, and a growing demand for affordable therapies are fueling this rapid growth.
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Europe Generic Drugs Market: Strategic Insights
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Europe Generic Drugs Market: Strategic Insights


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Mrinal will walk you through a 15-minute call to present the report’s content and answer all queries if you have any.

Europe Generic Drugs Market Drivers and Opportunities
Rising Chronic Disease Burden and Increasing Demand for Cost-Effective Treatments
Europe is facing an increase in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). 1 in 6 individuals succumb to these conditions before reaching the age of 70, with cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory illnesses being the primary contributors. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), in July 2024, ~64 million adults and ~300,000 children and adolescents had diabetes in the region, with one in three cases undiagnosed. By 2045, 1 in 10 Europeans may have diabetes, and Europe already carries the highest burden of type 1 diabetes globally. Also, the WHO reported over 4.47 million new cases and ~2 million cancer-related deaths in Europe in 2022.
According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) research conducted on OECD member countries in the European Union (EU), such as France, Spain, the Netherlands, Romania, and Portugal, published in February 2025, more than 70% of individuals in these countries living with multiple chronic conditions are prescribed with least three medications, and over one-third take four or more. France and the Czech Republic have the highest percentages of people with two or more chronic conditions, including mental health issues, at 77.24% and 70.13%, respectively.
The surging prevalence of chronic diseases in Europe is driving the healthcare systems and patients to seek affordable solutions to manage long-term conditions. Generic medications offer cost-effective alternatives to brand-name drugs, making them attractive options for healthcare providers and patients. According to Generics and Biosimilar Initiative, in Europe, generic medicines are generally 20–80% cheaper than brand-name medicines, resulting in significant savings. 67% of dispensed medicine prescriptions are for generics, yet they account for just 29% of total expenditure on medicines. Without competition from generic manufacturers, maintaining this level of access would cost Europe an additional US$ 113.82 billion (€100 billion) each year.
According to an article published by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) in 2025, cancer spending varies from less than US$ 169.75 (€150) per capita in Hungary, Croatia, Romania, Latvia, and Bulgaria to more than US$ 452.68 (€400) in Germany and Switzerland. The high cost of biologics for cancer treatment is contributing to the adoption of biosimilars which are relatively cost-effective options available in the market. According to WHO, biosimilars are ~ 60 % cheaper than their reference counterparts. Thus, the rising chronic disease burden is increasing the adoption of cost-effective generic medications for treatment, fueling the market growth.
Growing Patent Expiry and Loss of Market Exclusivity Opportunities in the Market
In the EU, a typical pharmaceutical patent is valid for 20 years. However, because of the prolonged regulatory approval procedure, this timeframe is frequently extended via a Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC), which can add up to 5 years, plus an additional 6-month extension is available if pediatric studies are performed. This extension makes up for the time spent during the approval process, thereby extending the market exclusivity of the original medication. After these protections expire, generic producers have the opportunity to manufacture and sell bioequivalent versions of the drug, resulting in heightened competition and lower prices. In Europe, the year 2024 experienced the expiration of exclusivity for various drugs across therapeutic areas. This expiration included well-known medications such as Cabometyx and Zavicefta, along with innovative treatments, including Tagrisso. The expiration of patents for weight-loss drugs such as Saxenda has led to the introduction of generic versions by companies, including Teva and Hikma Pharmaceuticals. This development is expected to lower prices and increase accessibility.
Notable drugs creating more space for generic alternatives include:
- Abilify Maintaina (Otsuka Pharmaceutical), an injectable antipsychotic with US$ 15.5 billion in sales in 2022, lost its patent by October 2024.
- Farxiga (AstraZeneca), an anti-diabetic drug generating ~US$ 4.3 billion annually, lost its patent in 2024.
- Lynparza (AstraZeneca), used in cancer treatment, with sales of ~US$ 2.7 billion, is set to lose its patent between 2024–2029.
- Komboglyze/Kombiglyze XR (AstraZeneca), an extended-release tablet for type-2 diabetes, will lose its patent in 2025.
- The combination patent for Entresto (sacubitril/valsartan) is expected to expire in Europe in July 2025.
- Latuda (Sunovion Pharmaceuticals), an antipsychotic with US$ 1.8 billion in sales, lost its patent in February 2024.
- Xarelto (Rivaroxaban), an anticoagulant, is losing its patent protection, with the main patents expiring in 2026.
- Xifaxan (Salix Pharmaceuticals), a gastrointestinal drug, is expected to lose its patent in February 2029 in Europe.
The date of expiry can vary between countries. In European countries, a patent generally expires 20 years after the date of application. However, there are exceptions and extensions possible, particularly for pharmaceutical and plant protection products through Supplementary Protection Certificates (SPCs). These SPCs can extend the patent term to compensate for delays in obtaining regulatory approval. The expiration of these pharmaceuticals has created opportunities for generic manufacturers to develop more cost-effective alternatives. This loss of exclusivity is anticipated to expand the market share for generics and biosimilars, reducing healthcare costs in Europe.
In 2025–26, Keytruda (developed by Merck for cancer immunotherapy), which generated over US$ 25 billion in sales in 2024, and Ozempic (produced by Novo Nordisk for diabetes and anti-obesity treatment), are set to lose their patents. This expiration will develop new opportunities for generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars. Other high-revenue drugs, such as Eliquis (Bristol-Myers Squibb's blood thinner) and Cosentyx (Novartis' immunology drug), are facing similar patent expirations, expanding the opportunity for generics. The expiration of patents for such drugs is expected to surge the adoption of generics and biosimilars.
Europe Generic Drugs Market Report Segmentation Analysis
Key segments that contributed to the derivation of the Europe Generic Drugs market analysis are product type, technology, application, and end user.
- Based on product type, the Europe Generic Drugs market is bifurcated into Small Molecule (Fluorouracil (5-FU), Methotrexate, Doxorubicin, Mitomycin, Asparaginase, Carboplatin, Capecitabine, and others) and biosimilar products. The small molecule segment held a larger share of the Europe Generic Drugs market in 2024.
- By drug class, the Europe Generic Drugs market is segmented into central nervous system, cardiovascular, urology, rheumatology, oncology, hematology, and others. The others segment held the largest share of the Europe Generic Drugs market in 2024.
- In terms of route of administration, the Europe Generic Drugs market is segmented into oral, injectable, topical, and others. The oral segment held the largest share in the Europe Generic Drugs market in 2024.
- As per type, the market is bifurcated into prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs. The prescription drugs segment held a larger share of the Europe Generic Drugs market in 2024.
- Based on distribution channel, the market is segmented into hospital pharmacies, retail pharmacies, and online pharmacies. The hospital pharmacies segment held the largest share of the Europe Generic Drugs market in 2024.
Europe Generic Drugs Market Share Analysis by Region
The scope of the Europe Generic Drugs market report focuses on Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, the Nordic Region, and other European countries. The market in Europe is experiencing strong growth owing to stringent EU regulations and advancements in biologics. Germany leads in innovation, the UK and France see strong R&D, while Italy and Spain expand clinical applications, collectively fueling market expansion.
The major factors driving the growth of the market in Germany include rising healthcare costs, strong government initiatives promoting the use of generics, and growing patient demand for affordable medicines. The country’s emphasis on reducing public healthcare spending and increasing access to high-quality treatments is boosting the adoption of generic drugs.
Europe Generic Drugs Market Report Scope
Europe Generic Drugs Market News and Recent Developments
The Europe Generic Drugs market is evaluated by gathering qualitative and quantitative data post primary and secondary research, which includes important corporate publications, association data, and databases. Below are a few of the key developments witnessed in the Europe Generic Drugs market:
- Sun Pharmaceutical Industries and Taro Pharmaceutical Industries agreed to a merger, with Sun purchasing Taro’s outstanding shares at $43 each, totaling $348 million. Sun, which already holds a 78.5% stake in Taro, a maker of generic and OTC medications, expects the merger to close in the first half of 2024.
- AbbVie Launched PRODUODOPA (foslevodopa/foscarbidopa) in the EU for patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease experiencing severe motor fluctuations and involuntary movements. The treatment is intended for cases where current Parkinson’s medications have failed to deliver satisfactory results.
Europe Generic Drugs Market Report Coverage and Deliverables
The "Europe Generic Drugs Market Size and Forecast (2021–2031)" report provides a detailed analysis of the market covering below areas:
- Europe Generic Drugs market size and forecast at regional and country levels for all the key market segments covered under the scope.
- Europe Generic Drugs market trends, as well as market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, and key opportunities.
- Detailed PEST and SWOT analysis.
- Europe Generic Drugs market analysis covering key market trends, global and regional framework, major players, regulations, and recent market developments.
- Industry landscape and competition analysis covering market concentration, heat map analysis, prominent players, and recent developments for the Europe Generic Drugs market.
- Detailed company profiles.

Report Coverage
Revenue forecast, Company Analysis, Industry landscape, Growth factors, and Trends

Segment Covered
This text is related
to segments covered.

Regional Scope
North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, South & Central America

Country Scope
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to country scope.
Frequently Asked Questions
The market is expected to register a CAGR of 5.8% during 2025–2031.
The Europe Generic Drugs market value is expected to reach US$ 114032.33 million by 2031.
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, Viatris Inc, Sandoz Group AG, STADA Arzneimittel AG, and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. are among the key players operating in the market.
The Expansion of Biosimilars is likely to emerge as a new growth trend in the market in the coming years.
The Rising Chronic Disease Burden and Increasing Demand for Cost-Effective Treatments and Government Policies and Regulatory Support for Generics are among the significant factors fueling the market growth.
Germany dominated the market in 2024.
The List of Companies - Europe Generic Drugs Market
- Teva Pharmaceutical Industries
- Viatris Inc
- Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd
- Novartis AG
- Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd
- AbbVie Inc, AstraZeneca Plc
- Sanofi SA
- Aurobindo Pharma Ltd
- Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd
- Hikma Pharmaceuticals Plc
- Cipla Ltd
- GSK Plc
- Eli Lilly and Co
- medac Pharma LLP
- Lupin Ltd
The Insight Partners performs research in 4 major stages: Data Collection & Secondary Research, Primary Research, Data Analysis and Data Triangulation & Final Review.
- Data Collection and Secondary Research:
As a market research and consulting firm operating from a decade, we have published many reports and advised several clients across the globe. First step for any study will start with an assessment of currently available data and insights from existing reports. Further, historical and current market information is collected from Investor Presentations, Annual Reports, SEC Filings, etc., and other information related to company’s performance and market positioning are gathered from Paid Databases (Factiva, Hoovers, and Reuters) and various other publications available in public domain.
Several associations trade associates, technical forums, institutes, societies and organizations are accessed to gain technical as well as market related insights through their publications such as research papers, blogs and press releases related to the studies are referred to get cues about the market. Further, white papers, journals, magazines, and other news articles published in the last 3 years are scrutinized and analyzed to understand the current market trends.
- Primary Research:
The primarily interview analysis comprise of data obtained from industry participants interview and answers to survey questions gathered by in-house primary team.
For primary research, interviews are conducted with industry experts/CEOs/Marketing Managers/Sales Managers/VPs/Subject Matter Experts from both demand and supply side to get a 360-degree view of the market. The primary team conducts several interviews based on the complexity of the markets to understand the various market trends and dynamics which makes research more credible and precise.
A typical research interview fulfils the following functions:
- Provides first-hand information on the market size, market trends, growth trends, competitive landscape, and outlook
- Validates and strengthens in-house secondary research findings
- Develops the analysis team’s expertise and market understanding
Primary research involves email interactions and telephone interviews for each market, category, segment, and sub-segment across geographies. The participants who typically take part in such a process include, but are not limited to:
- Industry participants: VPs, business development managers, market intelligence managers and national sales managers
- Outside experts: Valuation experts, research analysts and key opinion leaders specializing in the electronics and semiconductor industry.
Below is the breakup of our primary respondents by company, designation, and region:
Once we receive the confirmation from primary research sources or primary respondents, we finalize the base year market estimation and forecast the data as per the macroeconomic and microeconomic factors assessed during data collection.
- Data Analysis:
Once data is validated through both secondary as well as primary respondents, we finalize the market estimations by hypothesis formulation and factor analysis at regional and country level.
- 3.1 Macro-Economic Factor Analysis:
We analyse macroeconomic indicators such the gross domestic product (GDP), increase in the demand for goods and services across industries, technological advancement, regional economic growth, governmental policies, the influence of COVID-19, PEST analysis, and other aspects. This analysis aids in setting benchmarks for various nations/regions and approximating market splits. Additionally, the general trend of the aforementioned components aid in determining the market's development possibilities.
- 3.2 Country Level Data:
Various factors that are especially aligned to the country are taken into account to determine the market size for a certain area and country, including the presence of vendors, such as headquarters and offices, the country's GDP, demand patterns, and industry growth. To comprehend the market dynamics for the nation, a number of growth variables, inhibitors, application areas, and current market trends are researched. The aforementioned elements aid in determining the country's overall market's growth potential.
- 3.3 Company Profile:
The “Table of Contents” is formulated by listing and analyzing more than 25 - 30 companies operating in the market ecosystem across geographies. However, we profile only 10 companies as a standard practice in our syndicate reports. These 10 companies comprise leading, emerging, and regional players. Nonetheless, our analysis is not restricted to the 10 listed companies, we also analyze other companies present in the market to develop a holistic view and understand the prevailing trends. The “Company Profiles” section in the report covers key facts, business description, products & services, financial information, SWOT analysis, and key developments. The financial information presented is extracted from the annual reports and official documents of the publicly listed companies. Upon collecting the information for the sections of respective companies, we verify them via various primary sources and then compile the data in respective company profiles. The company level information helps us in deriving the base number as well as in forecasting the market size.
- 3.4 Developing Base Number:
Aggregation of sales statistics (2020-2022) and macro-economic factor, and other secondary and primary research insights are utilized to arrive at base number and related market shares for 2022. The data gaps are identified in this step and relevant market data is analyzed, collected from paid primary interviews or databases. On finalizing the base year market size, forecasts are developed on the basis of macro-economic, industry and market growth factors and company level analysis.
- Data Triangulation and Final Review:
The market findings and base year market size calculations are validated from supply as well as demand side. Demand side validations are based on macro-economic factor analysis and benchmarks for respective regions and countries. In case of supply side validations, revenues of major companies are estimated (in case not available) based on industry benchmark, approximate number of employees, product portfolio, and primary interviews revenues are gathered. Further revenue from target product/service segment is assessed to avoid overshooting of market statistics. In case of heavy deviations between supply and demand side values, all thes steps are repeated to achieve synchronization.
We follow an iterative model, wherein we share our research findings with Subject Matter Experts (SME’s) and Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) until consensus view of the market is not formulated – this model negates any drastic deviation in the opinions of experts. Only validated and universally acceptable research findings are quoted in our reports.
We have important check points that we use to validate our research findings – which we call – data triangulation, where we validate the information, we generate from secondary sources with primary interviews and then we re-validate with our internal data bases and Subject matter experts. This comprehensive model enables us to deliver high quality, reliable data in shortest possible time.
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