Animal Model Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Animal Type (Mice, Rat, Guinea Pigs, Rabbits, Hamsters, Others), By Application (Cancer, Immunological Disease, Infectious Disease, Others), By Distribution Channel (Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies, Academic Research Institute, Contract Research Organization) By Region and Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 1.97 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	8.53%
Fastest Growing Segment	Infectious Disease
Largest Market	North America
Market Size (2031)	USD 3.22 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Animal Model Market will grow from USD 1.97 Billion in 2025 to USD 3.22 Billion by 2031 at a 8.53% CAGR. Animal models are living non-human organisms, such as rodents, primates, and zebrafish, utilized in scientific research to replicate human biological systems and disease pathology for the development of medical interventions. The market is primarily propelled by the escalating prevalence of chronic disorders and infectious diseases which necessitates extensive preclinical testing for the validation of new therapeutics. Furthermore, rigorous regulatory mandates enforced by health authorities, which require comprehensive safety and toxicity assessments prior to human clinical trials, serve as a critical catalyst for the sustained demand for these biological tools.

However, a significant challenge that could impede market expansion is the growing ethical scrutiny and the implementation of stringent international regulations regarding animal welfare, which are accelerating the development and adoption of alternative testing methods. According to 'Understanding Animal Research', in '2025', mice, fish, rats, and birds accounted for 95% of the 2.64 million scientific procedures carried out in Great Britain in 2024. This high dependence on specific species highlights the tension between the scientific necessity of in vivo models and the increasing regulatory pressure to replace them with non-animal technologies.

Key Market Drivers

The escalating trajectory of research and development (R&D) expenditures by pharmaceutical and biotechnology entities stands as a primary engine for market growth. As companies race to develop novel therapeutics for complex conditions, the necessity for robust preclinical validation using in vivo systems intensifies. This financial commitment ensures a steady procurement channel for various species used in toxicology and efficacy studies, directly linking investment volume to market demand. According to BioSpace, May 2025, in the 'Undeterred by Political, Economic Headwinds, Pharma Ups R&D Investment in 2024 and Beyond' article, drugmakers globally invested nearly $288 billion into research and development in 2024. This massive capital injection underscores the critical reliance on animal models to bridge the gap between laboratory discovery and clinical application. Illustrating the commercial magnitude of this sector, according to Charles River Laboratories, in 2025, the company reported full-year 2024 revenue of $4.05 billion, demonstrating the substantial revenue streams generated by the services and model supply chains supporting this industrial R&D activity.

Concurrently, the market is reinforced by a surge in government funding allocated to biomedical research, which provides essential liquidity for academic and public institutions. Unlike commercial entities driven by profit, government-backed projects often focus on foundational disease mechanisms and long-term scientific inquiries that heavily utilize genetically modified and disease-specific models. According to Congress.gov, December 2025, in the 'National Institutes of Health (NIH) Funding: FY1996-FY2026 Request' report, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) received a total program funding level of $46.995 billion for the fiscal year 2025. This robust federal appropriation acts as a stabilizing force, mitigating market fluctuations and ensuring continuous demand for biological tools required for grant-funded studies. Consequently, the availability of these public funds directly correlates with the sustained volume of model usage in university laboratories and government research centers, securing the market's long-term viability.

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Key Market Challenges

Stringent international regulations regarding animal welfare and intensifying ethical scrutiny serve as a primary impediment to the expansion of the "Global Animal Model Market." Regulatory frameworks are increasingly enforcing the '3Rs' principles—Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement—which mandate a systematic decrease in the utilization of live subjects for scientific experimentation. This environment forces pharmaceutical and biotechnology entities to contend with elevated compliance costs and protracted approval timelines for in vivo studies, directly disincentivizing the procurement of animal models. Consequently, the market faces reduced transaction volumes as research budgets are forcibly redirected toward compliance management and the validation of non-animal testing methodologies.

The impact of these restrictive pressures is quantitatively evident in recent volume contractions within the sector, demonstrating a clear downward trend in usage. According to the 'UK Bioscience Sector Coalition', in '2025', the volume of scientific procedures involving animals in the UK dropped to approximately 77% of the levels observed in 2019. This decline illustrates the erosion of the customer base for traditional models, effectively dampening revenue potential and stalling market growth as the industry is compelled to align with rigorous ethical standards.

Key Market Trends

The accelerated adoption of humanized immune system models is reshaping the sector as researchers demand higher translatability between preclinical studies and human clinical outcomes, particularly in immuno-oncology. These advanced biological systems, which replace murine immune components with functional human counterparts, are becoming indispensable for evaluating novel antibody therapeutics and reducing the risk of late-stage clinical failures. This surge in utilization is quantitatively reflected in the commercial traction of proprietary platforms; according to Biocytogen, June 2025, in the 'Biocytogen Secures Japan Patent for RenMab Platform' press release, the company had executed approximately 200 therapeutic antibody co-development and licensing agreements for its RenMice humanized model platforms by the end of 2024.

A strategic shift toward outsourcing model generation to Contract Research Organizations (CROs) is concurrently redefining operational workflows, driven by the increasing complexity and cost of maintaining sophisticated genetic lines in-house. Pharmaceutical developers are progressively relying on specialized external providers to manage the intricate production of genetically engineered strains, thereby converting fixed infrastructure costs into variable service expenditures while accessing superior technical expertise. This migration of activity is evident in the financial performance of major service providers; according to Charles River Laboratories, February 2025, in the 'Charles River Laboratories Announces Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year 2024 Results' report, the Research Models and Services (RMS) segment generated $829.4 million in annual revenue, driven by the sustained industry reliance on outsourced model management and production capabilities.

Segmental Insights

The Infectious Disease segment currently exhibits the most rapid expansion within the Global Animal Model Market. This growth is primarily fueled by a heightened global priority on developing novel vaccines and antivirals in response to recent viral outbreaks and the rising threat of zoonotic pathogens. Consequently, increased funding from major organizations, such as the National Institutes of Health, accelerates preclinical research activities utilizing specific animal strains. These models are indispensable for deciphering complex disease mechanisms and validating therapeutic safety prior to human clinical trials, thereby sustaining robust demand in this sector.

Regional Insights

North America holds a dominant position in the Global Animal Model Market, primarily driven by extensive research and development activities within the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. This leadership is sustained by substantial government funding from institutions such as the National Institutes of Health, which facilitates continuous biomedical studies. Additionally, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration mandates strict preclinical testing requirements for new drug approvals, ensuring a consistent demand for diverse animal models. The presence of established research infrastructure and major industry players further strengthens the region's status as a central hub for preclinical drug discovery.

Recent Developments

• In June 2025, Taconic Biosciences entered into an exclusive license agreement with Helmholtz Munich to utilize a patented CRISPR-based gene editing technology. This collaboration was designed to enhance the company's ability to generate custom genetically engineered animal models with greater precision and speed. By integrating these advanced editing tools into its existing platform, the company aimed to support preclinical researchers in uncovering the genetic basis of diseases more effectively. The partnership strengthened the organization's position in the global market by expanding its portfolio of high-quality, complex model generation services for biomedical discovery.
• In April 2025, GemPharmatech significantly expanded its footprint in the United States by opening a new facility in San Diego, California. This strategic move was intended to provide local researchers with direct access to the company's extensive library of genetically engineered mouse models and preclinical services. The new site featured a state-of-the-art vivarium and dedicated laboratory space to support breeding and in vivo pharmacology studies. This expansion allowed the company to offer faster turnaround times and enhanced technical support to pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients developing novel therapies in the North American market.
• In July 2024, The Jackson Laboratory highlighted significant progress by its MODEL-AD Consortium, which successfully engineered a new mouse model known as LOAD1 to better represent late-onset Alzheimer's disease. This development involved creating mice that carried humanized versions of specific risk genes, providing a more accurate tool for studying the complex genetic factors associated with the condition. The researchers utilized these models to explore disease processes such as neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment independent of amyloid accumulation. This breakthrough offered the scientific community a crucial resource for testing potential therapeutic approaches for the most common form of dementia.
• In March 2024, Biocytogen Pharmaceuticals announced a strategic collaboration with ABL Bio Inc. to develop novel bispecific antibody-drug conjugates. This partnership leveraged Biocytogen's proprietary RenLite mouse platform, which is engineered to produce fully human antibodies with diverse epitopes and high affinity. These specialized animal models enabled the generation of antibodies in a common light chain format, facilitating the creation of complex therapeutics with improved developability and manufacturing efficiency. The joint effort was established to expedite the discovery of innovative cancer treatments by combining the unique strengths of both companies in antibody engineering and drug development.

Key Market Players

• Charles River Laboratories International Inc.
• The Jackson Laboratory
• Taconic Biosciences, Inc.
• Janvier Labs S.A.S.
• HBM Holdings Limited
• Crown Bioscience Inc.
• Inotiv Inc.
• Biocytogen Pharmaceuticals (Beijing) Co., Ltd.
• BioSpherix, Ltd

By Animal Type	By Application	By Distribution Channel	By Region
Mice Rat Guinea Pigs Rabbits Hamsters Others	Cancer Immunological Disease Infectious Disease Others	Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies Academic Research Institute Contract Research Organization	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Animal Model Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Animal Model Market, By Animal Type:

• Mice
• Rat
• Guinea Pigs
• Rabbits
• Hamsters
• Others

• Animal Model Market, By Application:

• Cancer
• Immunological Disease
• Infectious Disease
• Others

• Animal Model Market, By Distribution Channel:

• Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies
• Academic Research Institute
• Contract Research Organization

• Animal Model Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE