Europe Cancer Therapy Market Size and Share
Europe Cancer Therapy Market Analysis by Mordor Intelligence
The Europe Cancer Therapy Market size is estimated at USD 61.46 billion in 2025, and is expected to reach USD 79.87 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 5.38% during the forecast period (2025-2030).
This steady trajectory reflects regulatory harmonization by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the expansion of precision medicine under the EU Beating Cancer Plan, and sustained R&D investment in leading economies, such as Germany and France. Intensifying competition centers on antibody-drug conjugates and radioligand therapies, while the uptake of biosimilars accelerates cost containment efforts across public health systems.[1]European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations, “Cancer-care indicators,” efpia.eu Cross-border CAR-T manufacturing, digital biomarker deployment, and a surge in venture capital for radiopharmaceutical start-ups further widen the addressable demand. Cost pressures, divergent health-technology assessment (HTA) timelines, and gaps in nuclear-medicine infrastructure remain the principal obstacles to timely patient access.
Key Report Takeaways
- By therapy type, chemotherapy held a 42.35% Europe cancer therapy market share in 2024, while targeted therapy is projected to advance at a 6.23% CAGR through 2030.
- By cancer type, breast cancer accounted for 25.45% of the Europe cancer therapy market size in 2024; lung cancer is set to register a 6.89% CAGR to 2030.
- By drug class, PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors commanded 31.84% share of the Europe cancer therapy market size in 2024, whereas antibody-drug conjugates are poised for 7.12% CAGR growth.
- By mode of administration, intravenous formulations dominated with 68.82% share of the Europe cancer therapy market size in 2024; subcutaneous delivery is forecast to expand at 7.09% CAGR.
- By country, Germany captured 28.23% Europe cancer therapy market share in 2024, and France is projected to deliver the fastest 8.56% CAGR through 2030.
Europe Cancer Therapy Market Trends and Insights
Driver Impact Analysis
| Driver | (~) % Impact on CAGR Forecast | Geographic Relevance | Impact Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precision-Oncology Drug Approvals Surge Post-EMA Reforms | +0.80% | EU-wide, with early gains in Germany, France, Netherlands | Medium term (2-4 years) |
| Biosimilar Oncology Uptake Lowering Therapy Costs | +0.60% | Global, with accelerated adoption in CEE and Southern Europe | Short term (≤ 2 years) |
| Genomic Screening Roll-Outs in EU27 National Cancer Plans | +0.50% | EU-wide, led by Nordic countries and Netherlands | Long term (≥ 4 years) |
| Cross-Border CAR-T Manufacturing Hubs in Benelux Initiative | +0.70% | Benelux core, spill-over to Germany and France | Medium term (2-4 years) |
| VC Funding Boom for Radioligand Start-Ups | +0.40% | Global, with concentration in Switzerland, UK, Germany | Medium term (2-4 years) |
| AI-Driven Trial-Matching Platforms Shorten Recruitment Time | +0.30% | EU-wide, early adoption in UK, Germany, Netherlands | Short term (≤ 2 years) |
| Source: Mordor Intelligence | |||
Precision-Oncology Drug Approvals Surge Post-EMA Reforms
EMA modernization has accelerated precision-oncology pathways, with 28 oncology opinions in 2024 versus historical single-digit figures. Conditional marketing authorizations shortened time to market for biomarker-driven agents such as lazertinib, which reached European patients within 12 months of pivotal data read-out and delivered 23.7 months median progression-free survival against 16.6 months for comparator therapy. Companies now prioritizing real-world-evidence generation gain a durable competitive edge, whereas developers reliant on legacy models face erosion in launch velocity. Harmonized procedures also reduce duplicative submissions, freeing capital for late-stage trials and life-cycle management.
Biosimilar Oncology Uptake Lowering Therapy Costs
Europe’s biosimilar penetration triggered double-digit volume growth across molecules such as trastuzumab and rituximab, driving price erosion beyond 40% in leading markets. Physician confidence broadened adoption after real-world equivalence studies, enabling payers to reallocate savings to innovative therapies. Originators respond by emphasizing superior clinical differentiation and bundled service offerings. Multi-source competition intensifies procurement pressure, favoring manufacturers with high-throughput biologics capacity and robust pharmacovigilance data packages.
Genomic Screening Roll-Outs in EU27 National Cancer Plans
The EU Beating Cancer Plan targets 90% population-wide genomic screening by 2025, supported by Horizon Europe funding for sequencing infrastructure. Early-adopter countries integrate next-generation sequencing into reimbursement schedules, catalyzing demand for companion diagnostics and matched targeted regimens. Standardized biomarker panels accelerate trial enrollment and encourage pan-European label expansions. Disparities persist, however, in Central and Eastern European reimbursement timelines, prompting dual launch strategies and tiered access models for diagnostics suppliers.
Cross-Border CAR-T Manufacturing Hubs in Benelux Initiative
Europe’s cancer therapeutics market is undergoing a significant transformation, with Benelux emerging as a CAR-T manufacturing powerhouse. Johnson & Johnson’s USD 150 million expansion in Ghent aims to produce over 10,000 Carvykti doses annually, positioning Belgium as a central hub. The Benelux framework is streamlining cross-border regulatory access, reducing patient wait times, and enhancing scalability. Bristol Myers Squibb’s USD 380 million partnership with Cellares highlights the global shift toward automated, distributed production. Academic centers in Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Germany are building a resilient, knowledge-sharing ecosystem. Wallonia’s EUR 81 Million (USD 93.7 million) ATMP investment further strengthens the region’s infrastructure. Together, these efforts are reshaping CAR-T accessibility across Europe.
Restraint Impact Analysis
| Restraint | (~) % Impact on CAGR Forecast | Geographic Relevance | Impact Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Divergent HTA Reimbursement Timelines Across EU-5 | -0.9% | EU-5 (Germany, France, Italy, Spain, UK), with spillover effects | Long term (≥ 4 years) |
| Hospital Capacity Gap for Nuclear-Medicine–Based Therapies | -0.6% | EU-wide, acute in CEE and Southern Europe | Medium term (2-4 years) |
| Oncology Workforce Shortages in CEE Nations | -0.4% | Central and Eastern Europe, with migration effects to Western Europe | Long term (≥ 4 years) |
| Rising Supply-Chain Risk for Critical API Imports | -0.5% | Global, with heightened vulnerability in import-dependent EU nations | Short term (≤ 2 years) |
| Source: Mordor Intelligence | |||
Divergent HTA Reimbursement Timelines Across EU-5
The W.A.I.T. (Waiting to Access Innovative Therapies) indicator survey shows an average 531-day lag between EMA approval and patient availability across the five largest markets, reflecting heterogeneous evidence and pricing requirements. While the 2025 Joint Clinical Assessment regulation aims to align methodologies, transitional frictions may widen gaps as national agencies recalibrate their value frameworks. Larger pharmaceutical firms leverage multi-disciplinary market-access teams to navigate parallel submissions, whereas smaller innovators risk launch postponements and revenue shortfalls.
Hospital Capacity Gap for Nuclear-Medicine–Based Therapies
Supply constraints for molybdenum-99 and limited shielded treatment suites restrict rollout of radioligand therapies, especially in Central and Eastern Europe where capital budgets trail Western counterparts. Workforce shortages further strain throughput, with nuclear-medicine specialists in the EU growing only 2% annually against double-digit treatment-demand growth. Manufacturers increasingly co-finance infrastructure upgrades and offer clinician-training modules to accelerate site accreditation.
Segment Analysis
By Therapy Type: Targeted Approaches Realign Treatment Standards
Chemotherapy retained a 42.35% share of the Europe cancer therapy market size in 2024, reflecting its entrenched role in combination regimens. Yet targeted therapy is forecast to post a 6.23% CAGR, propelled by HER2-low breast cancer approvals and next-generation EGFR inhibitors that extend progression-free intervals. A maturing immunotherapy backbone is increasingly paired with precision inhibitors, enabling deeper responses across various tumor types and elevating biomarker testing rates.
Increasing clinical trial density underscores a strategic emphasis on tumor-agnostic indications, with basket study designs compressing development cycles. Biosimilar erosion in traditional cytotoxics accelerates revenue migration toward precision platforms, prompting legacy manufacturers to replenish pipelines via licensing or bolt-on acquisitions. The shift also reorients hospital formularies toward outpatient administration, reinforcing payer preference for cost-effective, biomarker-guided protocols.
Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase
By Cancer Type: Innovation Pivots Growth Toward Lung Cancer
Breast cancer dominated the Europe cancer therapy market, accounting for a 25.45% share in 2024, driven by established screening programs and well-established treatment algorithms. However, lung cancer is slated for the fastest 6.89% CAGR through 2030 as first-line immunotherapy combinations and exon-20 insertion inhibitors unlock previously refractory segments.
Environmental policy tightening on smoking and air-quality metrics may gradually reduce incidence. Yet, the rapid adoption of molecular diagnostics broadens eligible patient pools for targeted regimens in the near term. Pharmaceutical companies thus prioritize portfolio depth across genomic subsets, balancing blockbuster volume in hormone-positive breast cancer with high-growth revenue in niche lung-cancer mutations.
By Drug Class: ADCs Headline the Innovation Pipeline
PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors captured 31.84% of 2024 revenue, cementing immune-checkpoint blockade as a multimodal backbone. Antibody-drug conjugates now lead the growth league with a 7.12% CAGR, reflecting advances in linker-payload technology that widen therapeutic windows. Enhanced potency has spurred label expansion into earlier lines, while competitive differentiation revolves around site-specific conjugation and bystander-kill payloads.
Meanwhile, tyrosine-kinase inhibitors are transitioning toward fourth-generation agents that overcome solvent-front mutations, and CDK4/6 inhibitors are migrating into adjuvant settings. Pipeline clustering amplifies deal-making for proprietary conjugation platforms, with out-licensing models offering capital-efficient entry for mid-cap firms seeking to gain exposure to the rapidly scaling ADC arena.
Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase
By Mode of Administration: Subcutaneous formats reshape service delivery
Intravenous infusion maintained a 68.82% share in 2024; however, subcutaneous formulations are projected to expand at a 7.09% CAGR through 2030 as health systems champion home-based care. On-body injectors for monoclonal antibodies reduce chair time and free oncology-day-unit capacity, dovetailing with workforce-optimization targets.
Oral oncology pipelines also flourish, supported by adherence-monitoring apps and digital pill dispensers that mitigate compliance risks. Manufacturers investing in formulation science and device partnerships gain first-mover advantage, while payer scrutiny intensifies on intravenous price premiums absent clear clinical benefit over patient-centric routes.
Geography Analysis
Germany generated 28.23% of Europe cancer therapy market revenue in 2024, underpinned by growing annual pharmaceutical R&D outlays and dense Phase III trial networks in oncology centers of excellence. Early-benefit assessments facilitate rapid reimbursement for breakthrough therapies, encouraging manufacturers to prioritize German launches.
France, projected to log an 8.56% CAGR through 2030, accelerates through national genomic-screening rollouts and expedited HTA pathways, which have cut average review times by 15% since 2023. Coupled with centralized hospital purchasing, the reforms streamline market entry for targeted agents, enlarging addressable patient pools in both urban and regional cancer institutes.
The United Kingdom maintains a sizable demand despite post-Brexit realignment, as the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) mutual-recognition initiative preserves access to EMA dossiers. Italy and Spain advance through biosimilar uptake and increased oncology spending allocation, while Nordic countries leverage digital registries to optimize precision medicine deployment. Central and Eastern European markets, though smaller, record double-digit nominal growth supported by EU Cohesion Fund investments in radiotherapy infrastructure.
Competitive Landscape
Europe’s cancer therapeutics market exhibits moderate concentration, with a few key players holding significant market share in 2024. Roche, Novartis, and AstraZeneca defend their leadership through life-cycle management and broad tumor-type coverage, exemplified by Roche’s three immunotherapy combinations, which achieved survival gains of over 20% in pivotal studies.
Strategic M&A activity intensified in 2024, with Novartis acquiring MorphoSys for EUR 2.7 billion and Merck KGaA acquiring SpringWorks for USD 3.9 billion to secure next-generation targeted assets. Antitrust vigilance remains high; the European Commission has levied fines of EUR 780 million (USD 902.3 million) for anti-competitive conduct between 2018 and 2022.[2]European Commission, “Competition Enforcement in Pharmaceuticals 2018-2022,” ec.europa.eu Joint ventures between big pharma and AI specialists, such as AstraZeneca’s USD 200 million oncology-AI pact, accelerate molecule-discovery velocity and refine trial-design efficiencies.
Mid-cap firms bridge innovation gaps through risk-sharing collaborations; Genmab’s antibody engineering expertise and Regeneron’s bispecific platform alignment exemplify symbiotic models that de-risk capital-intensive indications. Radiopharmaceutical newcomers attract escalating valuations as isotope supply chains stabilize, while biosimilar pure-plays, such as Sandoz, parley manufacturing scale into competitive price bids that constrain originator margins.
Europe Cancer Therapy Industry Leaders
-
Amgen Inc.
-
AstraZeneca PLC
-
Bayer AG
-
Bristol-Meyrs Squibb Company
-
F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd
- *Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order
Recent Industry Developments
- July 2025: Bayer secured EU approval for darolutamide plus androgen-deprivation therapy in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.
- May 2025: EMA’s CHMP backed inavolisib for PIK3CA-mutated ER-positive breast cancer after a 57% progression-risk reduction.
Europe Cancer Therapy Market Report Scope
According to the report's scope, European cancer therapies are drugs that block the growth and proliferation of cancer by interfering with specific molecules, such as DNA or proteins, involved in the development or expansion of cancerous cells.
The Europe Cancer Therapy Market is segmented by Therapy Type (Chemotherapy, Target Therapy, Immunotherapy, Hormonal Therapy, Other Therapy Types), Cancer Type (Breast Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Lung Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, Hematologic Cancer, Other Cancer Types), Drug Class (PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitors, Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors, CDK4/6 Inhibitors, Hormone Antagonists, Antibody-Drug Conjugates, Other Drug Classes), Mode of Administration (Intravenous, Subcutaneous, Oral, Other Mode of Administration), and Country (Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Rest of Europe). The report offers the value (in USD million) for the above segments.
| Chemotherapy |
| Targeted Therapy |
| Immunotherapy |
| Hormonal Therapy |
| Other Therapy Type |
| Breast Cancer |
| Lung Cancer |
| Colorectal Cancer |
| Prostate Cancer |
| Hematologic Cancers |
| Other Cancer Types |
| PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitors |
| Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors |
| CDK4/6 Inhibitors |
| Hormone Antagonists |
| Antibody-Drug Conjugates |
| Other Drug Classes |
| Intravenous |
| Subcutaneous |
| Oral |
| Other Mode of Administration |
| Germany |
| United Kingdom |
| France |
| Italy |
| Spain |
| Rest of Europe |
| By Therapy Type | Chemotherapy |
| Targeted Therapy | |
| Immunotherapy | |
| Hormonal Therapy | |
| Other Therapy Type | |
| By Cancer Type | Breast Cancer |
| Lung Cancer | |
| Colorectal Cancer | |
| Prostate Cancer | |
| Hematologic Cancers | |
| Other Cancer Types | |
| By Drug Class | PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitors |
| Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors | |
| CDK4/6 Inhibitors | |
| Hormone Antagonists | |
| Antibody-Drug Conjugates | |
| Other Drug Classes | |
| By Mode of Administration | Intravenous |
| Subcutaneous | |
| Oral | |
| Other Mode of Administration | |
| Country | Germany |
| United Kingdom | |
| France | |
| Italy | |
| Spain | |
| Rest of Europe |
Key Questions Answered in the Report
Which countries generate the largest and fastest growth in European oncology sales?
Germany contributed 28.23% of 2024 revenue, while France is forecast for the quickest 8.56% CAGR to 2030.
What therapy classes are expanding quickest in European cancer care?
Antibody-drug conjugates are projected to post the highest 7.12% CAGR through 2030 and are reshaping targeted-delivery strategies.
How will EMA reforms influence drug-launch timelines?
Conditional approvals and joint clinical assessments are cutting filing-to-launch intervals, allowing biomarker-driven agents to reach patients within one year of pivotal data.
Why is subcutaneous delivery gaining ground?
Patient preference for home treatment and hospital cost-containment targets drive a 7.09% CAGR for subcutaneous oncology formats through 2030.
What obstacles most hinder new therapy uptake?
Divergent national HTA reviews and limited nuclear-medicine facilities slow radiopharmaceutical adoption despite regulatory clearance.
Page last updated on: