Cell Transfection Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity and Forecast, Segmented By Method (Electroporation, Lipofection, Calcium Phosphate, Viral Transfection, Others), By End User (Academic and Research Institutes, Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies, Contract Research Organizations, Others), By Region and Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 2.08 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	9.01%
Fastest Growing Segment	Electroporation
Largest Market	North America
Market Size (2031)	USD 3.49 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Cell Transfection Market will grow from USD 2.08 Billion in 2025 to USD 3.49 Billion by 2031 at a 9.01% CAGR. The Global Cell Transfection Market comprises the technologies, reagents, and instruments utilized to introduce exogenous nucleic acids into eukaryotic cells for the modification of gene expression and protein production. The sector’s expansion is fundamentally supported by the robust escalation in biopharmaceutical research funding and the operational scaling of cell and gene therapy manufacturing. According to the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy, in 2024, the volume of research activity in this field notably intensified, evidenced by a 12% increase in scientific abstracts presented at their annual meeting compared to the previous year. This metric underscores the heightened demand for transfection methodologies to support the growing number of pre-clinical and translational studies.

However, the market faces a significant impediment regarding the cytotoxicity and variable efficiency associated with standard transfection techniques. Many chemical reagents and physical delivery methods induce cellular stress or death, particularly in sensitive primary cells, which compromises experimental data integrity and restricts the utility of these tools in advanced therapeutic development.

Key Market Drivers

The rapid expansion of the global cell and gene therapy pipeline serves as a primary catalyst for the cell transfection market, creating critical demand for technologies that facilitate the delivery of genetic material into cells. As therapeutic programs advance from preclinical studies to commercial-scale manufacturing, biopharmaceutical developers require robust transfection methods to generate viral vectors and engineer cell-based medicines with high consistency. This developmental intensity is highlighted by the sheer volume of active candidates; according to the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy and Citeline, in their April 2024 report, there were more than 4,000 gene, cell, and RNA therapies in development globally. Consequently, this proliferating pipeline drives sustained procurement of transfection reagents and electroporation instruments essential for diverse delivery workflows.

Concurrently, rising investment in pharmaceutical and biotechnology R&D is significantly bolstering market growth, as major industry players aggressively fund new facilities to enhance drug discovery and production capacities. These financial commitments are increasingly directed toward advanced manufacturing centers that utilize transfection for recombinant protein synthesis and genomic medicine development. For example, according to Eli Lilly, in October 2024, the company announced a $4.5 billion investment to establish the Lilly Medicine Foundry, a facility designed to integrate research with advanced manufacturing. This trend of scaling operational infrastructure is widespread; according to DCAT Value Chain Insights, in December 2024, Novo Nordisk reported cumulative manufacturing investments of approximately $6.8 billion for the year to expand its global production network, underscoring the industrial-scale demand for bioprocessing technologies.

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Key Market Challenges

The cytotoxicity and variable efficiency associated with standard transfection techniques constitute a critical impediment that directly hampers the growth of the Global Cell Transfection Market. These technical limitations result in inconsistent gene transfer and reduced cellular viability, which significantly increases the risk of batch failure during the manufacturing of advanced therapies. When transfection reagents induce cellular toxicity or fail to meet potency standards, manufacturers encounter high rates of out-of-specification products, leading to substantial financial losses and extended production timelines. This unpredictability creates a barrier to scaling operations, forcing companies to allocate excessive resources toward quality control and process repetition rather than market expansion.

For instance, the inability to maintain cell health during the transfection process is a major cause of manufacturing attrition. According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, in 2024, data from commercial-stage cell therapy production revealed that out-of-specification rates for certain gene-modified therapies reached approximately 28%, with low cellular viability identified as a primary cause of these failures. Such elevated failure rates underscore the operational volatility caused by current transfection methods, thereby restricting the industry's capacity to reliably meet the surging demand for biopharmaceutical products.

Key Market Trends

The market is increasingly prioritizing the adoption of non-viral lipid nanoparticle vectors to overcome the safety concerns and manufacturing bottlenecks associated with viral delivery systems. Biopharmaceutical developers are rapidly integrating these synthetic carriers because they offer lower immunogenicity and streamlined scalability for delivering mRNA and gene-editing payloads compared to traditional viral vectors. This strategic shift towards advanced non-viral mechanisms is driving substantial capital investment into companies specializing in next-generation delivery technologies. For example, according to Capstan Therapeutics, in March 2024, the company secured $175 million in Series B financing specifically to advance its proprietary targeted lipid nanoparticle (tLNP) platform for the in vivo engineering of immune cells. This significant funding underscores the industry's confidence in lipid-based systems as the future standard for ensuring the precise and safe administration of complex genetic medicines.

Concurrently, there is a definitive transition to scalable cGMP-compliant electroporation platforms designed to maintain high transfection efficiency while meeting rigorous regulatory standards for commercial manufacturing. As therapeutic programs progress from discovery to clinical application, firms are replacing manual techniques with automated physical delivery systems that ensure consistent performance across large production volumes, thereby mitigating the risk of batch variability. This increasing reliance on validated, high-throughput instrumentation is evidenced by major technology adoptions within the sector. According to MaxCyte, in May 2024, the company entered into a strategic platform license with Legend Biotech, granting rights to use its Flow Electroporation technology for the clinical and commercial development of a diverse cell therapy portfolio. Such agreements highlight the critical role of standardized, automated electroporation workflows in securing the supply chain for advanced cellular therapies.

Segmental Insights

Electroporation represents the fastest-growing technology segment within the Global Cell Transfection Market, driven by its critical role in the advancement of cell and gene therapies. This method is increasingly preferred for its ability to efficiently deliver genetic material into difficult-to-transfect cell types, such as stem and primary cells, which are essential for regenerative medicine. The expansion is further supported by a rise in clinical research and product approvals by regulatory authorities like the U.S. FDA, creating a strong demand for reliable non-viral delivery systems. Consequently, the need for versatile and scalable transfection solutions continues to accelerate segment growth.

Regional Insights

North America holds the leading position in the global cell transfection market, driven by extensive investments in biomedical research and the strong presence of established biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. The region benefits from substantial government funding through institutions like the National Institutes of Health, which supports academic and clinical research. Additionally, favorable regulatory frameworks implemented by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration facilitate the approval and commercialization of new cell and gene therapies. This collaborative environment between industry and regulatory bodies ensures the sustained adoption of transfection methods for drug discovery and therapeutic development.

Recent Developments

• In February 2025, MaxCyte entered into a strategic platform license agreement with TG Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company focused on B-cell diseases. Under the terms of this collaboration, TG Therapeutics obtained non-exclusive clinical and commercial rights to utilize MaxCyte’s Flow Electroporation technology and ExPERT platform for the development of its allogeneic CAR-T cell therapy program. This partnership highlights the continued adoption of scalable electroporation technologies in the cell transfection market to support the discovery and commercialization of next-generation cell-based therapeutics for autoimmune diseases and other indications.
• In January 2025, CellFE announced the launch of T-Rest, a first-in-class transfection media product specifically engineered for resting T cell workflows. Unveiled during Advanced Therapies Week, this new kit allows for the efficient gene editing of quiescent T cells without the need for prior activation, a process intended to preserve stem cell memory and improve the durability and potency of CAR-T cell therapies. This development addresses a significant challenge in the cell transfection market by offering a solution that minimizes cellular stress and reduces the risk of chromosomal abnormalities during the manufacturing of cell-based treatments.
• In August 2024, Merck KGaA completed the acquisition of Mirus Bio, a US-based life science company specializing in transfection reagents, for approximately US$ 600 million. This strategic transaction was designed to bolster the company's capabilities in the viral vector manufacturing sector, a critical component of the global cell transfection market. By integrating Mirus Bio's leading transfection technologies, such as TransIT-VirusGEN, into its Life Science business, Merck KGaA aimed to provide a comprehensive, integrated solution for cell and gene therapy development, covering steps from preclinical research to commercial production.
• In July 2024, STEMCELL Technologies commercially launched the CellPore Transfection System, a new platform designed to advance cell engineering research. This system utilizes mechanoporation technology, which the company secured through the acquisition of assets from SQZ Biotechnologies earlier in the year. The CellPore system enables the delivery of cargo into mammalian cells by creating temporary pores in the cell membrane through controlled deformation, offering an alternative to traditional electroporation methods. This product launch expanded the company's portfolio in the cell transfection market, providing researchers with tools intended to support the development of novel cell therapies.

Key Market Players

• Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.
• Promega Corporation
• Lonza Group AG
• QIAGEN NV
• F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.
• Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc.
• Merck KGaA,
• OriGene Technologies, Inc.
• MaxCyte, Inc.
• Polyplus-transfection SA

By Method	By End User	By Region
Electroporation Lipofection Calcium Phosphate Viral Transfection Others	Academic and Research Institutes Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies Contract Research Organizations Others	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

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

• Cell Transfection Market, By Method:

• Electroporation
• Lipofection
• Calcium Phosphate
• Viral Transfection
• Others

• Cell Transfection Market, By End User:

• Academic and Research Institutes
• Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies
• Contract Research Organizations
• Others

• Cell Transfection 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