Apheresis Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends and Forecast (2026 - 2031)

Global Apheresis Market Trends and Insights

Rising Prevalence of Hematologic & Autoimmune Disorders

Registry data from the American Society of Hematology and the European Hematology Association revealed an 18% increase in apheresis-eligible cases between 2024 and 2025, primarily driven by multiple myeloma and plasma cell dyscrasias. Myasthenia gravis and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy diagnoses rose 22%, reinforcing guideline upgrades that position therapeutic plasma exchange as first-line care. Japan added 14,000 reimbursable systemic lupus erythematosus patients after approving immunoadsorption apheresis in April 2025.^{[1]Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Japan, “Health Expenditure Statistics 2025,” mhlw.go.jp} An aging OECD population continues to raise baseline monoclonal-gammopathy rates, ensuring that procedure volumes remain resilient even when per-patient intensity plateaus. These epidemiologic shifts support stable device utilization and recurrent consumable revenue streams for vendors.

Technological Advances in Automation & Membrane Filtration

Fresenius Kabi’s Lovo system introduced optical hematocrit sensors, which reduced hypocalcemia events by 34%, reducing operator oversight requirements and broadening adoption in community hospitals. The FDA-cleared Aurora Xi separator utilizes 0.2-micron hollow-fiber membranes to minimize platelet damage associated with centrifugation, thereby increasing single-donor platelet yields by up to 22%. Terumo BCT integrated EHR connectivity into Spectra Optia in mid-2025, automatically populating patient parameters and reducing setup errors by 41% across six validation sites. Continuous-flow leukapheresis modules now process 15 liters of whole blood in under three hours, a 12-percentage-point yield gain over batch centrifugal systems.^{[2]European Medicines Agency, “Rise in Topical NSAID Registrations,” ema.europa.eu} Collectively, these upgrades reduce training time, improve safety profiles, and shorten facility turnover, amplifying installed-base refresh cycles.

Expansion of Cell & Gene Therapies Needing Leukapheresis

Seven CAR-T therapies cleared in 2024-2025 require autologous leukapheresis, converting the apheresis workspace into an essential node in the cell-therapy supply chain. YESCARTA lead time decreased from 28 days in 2023 to 19 days in 2024, following protocol optimizations that increased CD3+ cell recovery by 11 percentage points. ABECMA’s label now allows outpatient leukapheresis, trimming bed utilization by 2.4 days per patient and saving USD 8,200 in direct costs. KYMRIAH collections increased 31% year-over-year, as 42% of procedures were moved to community oncology facilities, expanding the addressable base for mid-tier separators. With 18 CAR-T candidates in Phase III, leukapheresis volumes are expected to grow at double-digit rates through 2028, solidifying recurring demand for consumables.

Growing Demand for Plasma-Derived Therapeutics & Blood Components

Immunoglobulin consumption increased by 7.8% in 2025, surpassing whole-blood donation and driving investment in high-throughput plasmapheresis devices by blood banks. Grifols added 14 U.S. plasma centers and reported a 9.2% rise in collected volume, illustrating the direct linkage between plasma demand and equipment installs. CMS expanded coverage for steroid-refractory graft-versus-host disease photopheresis, creating a USD 180 million annual reimbursement pool that encourages hospital upgrades. China’s approval of 14 new device models and India’s capacity-doubling plan underline how emerging markets are localizing plasma supply to reduce import dependency.^{[3]National Medical Products Administration China, “E-Pharmacy Licensing Data 2025,” nmpa.gov.cn} Sustained therapeutic demand ensures a predictable baseline for both device placements and consumable pull-through.

High Capital & Consumable Costs

Automated apheresis devices list between USD 85,000 and USD 140,000, while a 200-procedure facility spends USD 180,000–260,000 annually on disposables. Following an 18% CMS rate cut for hospital outpatient plasma exchange in 2025, profit margins narrowed to as little as USD 67 per session before overhead, which dampened new-equipment orders. Vendor-financed leasing and reagent-rental models have emerged, but adoption has been tepid because hospitals worry about being locked into consumables during supply disruptions. Until pricing models evolve, capital constraints will slow penetration in cost-sensitive regions.

Shortage of Trained Specialists

The American Society for Apheresis reported that 38% of U.S. hospitals struggled to recruit certified apheresis practitioners in 2025, up from 29% two years earlier. Europe introduced a 120-hour nurse-training certificate in 2024, yet only 340 professionals obtained it, covering fewer than 15% of new installations. Japan faces a 420-personnel deficit concentrated in prefectures pursuing CAR-T collection capacity. Staff turnover exacerbates the gap; the median nurse tenure has fallen to 3.2 years as hospitals redeploy personnel to higher-acuity units. Automation lowers skill thresholds, but regulations still require physician oversight, capping throughput when medical director availability is limited.

Segment Analysis

By Product: Consumables Gain on Sustainability Push

The devices segment retained a 67.43% value share in 2025; however, disposables are set to outpace the apheresis market at a 7.24% CAGR through 2031, driven by single-use kits that eliminate sterilization steps and align with ESG mandates. Hospitals adopting Amicus closed-loop sets shortened setup by nine minutes and reduced contamination risk by 62%, cementing locked-in consumable streams with 40% gross margins. Concurrently, device average selling prices slipped 4.3% as Chinese entrants priced their products 22–28% below those of incumbents, underscoring a shift in margin toward proprietary disposables.

Capital refresh cycles still matter because CAR-T collection centers need EHR-integrated automation to meet chain-of-identity audit demands. Terumo BCT disclosed that 58% of 2025 Spectra Optia shipments supported leukapheresis capacity expansions. Even so, disposables command defensible moats; FDA-cleared connector geometries prevent third-party substitutes, thereby anchoring revenue despite hardware price erosion. This pivot toward recurring consumables underpins long-run profitability for leading vendors in the apheresis market.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By Procedure: Photopheresis Emerges as Growth Leader

Plasmapheresis accounted for 41.62% of the procedures in 2025, reflecting chronic immunoglobulin replacement and neurological plasma-exchange indications. Photopheresis, however, is expanding at an 8.35% CAGR, driven by FDA-approved CELLEX systems that reduce procedure time to three hours and secure broad CMS coverage for pediatric GVHD. Plateletpheresis remains indispensable to blood-bank logistics, while leukapheresis volumes climb in lock-step with CAR-T therapy rollouts.

Erythrocytapheresis is growing modestly at 4.1% because manual exchange still accounts for 54% of sickle-cell procedures in sub-Saharan Africa, where automated devices remain scarce. The American Society for Apheresis has upgraded automated red-cell exchange to Category I for the treatment of acute chest syndrome; however, uptake hinges on device affordability and technician training. Overall, a shifting procedure mix favors platforms that handle multiple modalities without hardware swaps, a capability that entrenches premium systems in the apheresis market.

By Application: Neurological Disorders Accelerate After Guideline Upgrade

Hematological indications held a 37.88% share of the apheresis market size in 2025. Still, neurological disorders are projected to rise at a 6.85% CAGR as first-line status for plasma exchange in myasthenia gravis and Guillain-Barré syndrome drives procedure frequency. An aging population and improved autoantibody testing raise diagnostic rates, ensuring sustained utilization.

A Lancet Neurology meta-analysis showed a 41% reduction in disability progression with biweekly plasma exchange, further legitimizing the modality. Autoimmune and renal applications grow at 5.2% and 4.9% respectively, but remain niche compared with hematology and neurology volumes. As guideline evidence matures, reimbursement certainty will channel capital and consumable spend into high-growth neurology segments of the apheresis market.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By End User: Blood Banks Surge on Plasma Demand

Hospitals maintained a 47.74% revenue share in 2025; however, blood banks are on track for an 8.68% CAGR, driven by the increasing demand for plasma-protein therapeutics as a result of aging populations. U.S. blood centers adopting Haemonetics’ MCS+ have seen yields increase by 22% and cut donor chair time by 14 minutes, showcasing operational gains that justify the purchase of the device.

Ambulatory clinics captured 14.3% of revenue as CMS site-neutral payment cuts shifted chronic plasma exchanges out of hospital outpatient settings. Fresenius Medical Care’s co-located dialysis-apheresis centers in Europe demonstrate how shared staffing models reduce fixed costs by USD 152,000 per site, enabling competitive pricing while protecting margins. The end-user mix, therefore, tilts toward settings with lower overhead and high procedure throughput, reinforcing consumables pull-through in the apheresis market.

Geography Analysis

North America led with a 43.35% market share in 2025, servicing the therapeutic, blood-bank, and CAR-T collection needs of 4,200 devices. CMS outpatient rate cuts redirected plasma-exchange volumes to ambulatory clinics, reducing overhead by 32% and driving demand for compact, technician-friendly systems. Canada’s nine new plasma centers reduced import reliance by 14%, driving PCS2 device sales up 19%. Mexico expanded coverage to 12 hospitals yet device penetration remains under 40% because of budgetary limits.

EMA clearance of the CliniMACS Prodigy enabled decentralized CAR-T processing at 18 sites, resulting in a savings of EUR 12,000 per patient in logistics. Germany reimbursed photopheresis for steroid-refractory GVHD, adding 1,600 patients and driving CELLEX installs. The United Kingdom increased plateletpheresis by 6.8% after rolling out Trima Accel in 14 regions. Southern Europe lags amid lower reimbursement rates.

Asia-Pacific is forecast to expand at an 8.08% CAGR through 2031, the fastest pace globally. China approved 14 device models and raised plasma fractionation capacity by 18% in 2024 to hedge against import constraints. India aims to double the number of collection centers by 2027 and has ordered 80 devices from Fresenius Kabi and Haemonetics, although the rupee's weakness challenges affordability. Japan’s aging cohort increased plasmapheresis for autoimmune diseases by 12%, but a shortage of 420 trained staff curbs rural expansion. Australia and South Korea are widening coverage for LDL-apheresis and portable collection devices, respectively, supporting steady growth.

The Middle East and Africa capture 6.2% of revenue, with GCC states investing in plasma self-sufficiency and South Africa expanding plateletpheresis by 22%. Manual red-cell exchange dominates sickle-cell care in sub-Saharan Africa because automated devices remain scarce.