Ulcerative Colitis Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Drug Type (Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, Anti-TNF biologics, Immuno-suppressants, Calcineurin Inhibitors, and Other), By Disease Type (Ulcerative Proctitis, Proctosigmoiditis, Left-sided Colitis, Pancolitis or Universal Colitis, and Fulminant Colitis), By Region and Competition. 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 8.06 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	5.89%
Fastest Growing Segment	Ulcerative Proctitis
Largest Market	North America
Market Size (2031)	USD 11.36 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Ulcerative Colitis Market will grow from USD 8.06 Billion in 2025 to USD 11.36 Billion by 2031 at a 5.89% CAGR. Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease characterized by continuous inflammation and mucosal ulceration in the colon and rectum, creating a sustained demand for pharmacotherapies including aminosalicylates, corticosteroids, and advanced biologics. The primary drivers propelling market growth include the rising global incidence of autoimmune conditions and an aging population increasingly susceptible to gastrointestinal comorbidities, which fundamentally expand the patient base requiring long-term disease management. Furthermore, improved diagnostic infrastructure in emerging economies is converting previously undiagnosed patient pools into active seekers of medical intervention, thereby broadening the addressable market.

However, a significant challenge impeding market expansion is the prohibitive cost of novel biologic and small molecule therapies, which creates substantial access barriers in cost-sensitive healthcare systems. According to the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation, in 2024, more than 10 million people worldwide were living with inflammatory bowel disease, a statistic that underscores the immense yet often under-served therapeutic demand due to economic constraints. This disparity between high clinical need and financial accessibility remains a critical hurdle for global market penetration.

Key Market Drivers

The accelerated approval of novel biologics and small molecule therapies serves as a primary catalyst for market expansion, directly addressing the clinical needs of patients refractory to conventional treatments. Regulatory agencies are increasingly authorizing agents with distinct mechanisms of action, such as interleukin-23 inhibitors and Janus kinase inhibitors, which diversifies the therapeutic arsenal available to gastroenterologists. This regulatory momentum ensures a steady influx of advanced treatment options that offer improved remission rates and safety profiles, encouraging healthcare providers to switch patients from older protocols to newer, more effective regimens. According to AbbVie Inc., June 2024, in the 'U.S. FDA Approves SKYRIZI (risankizumab-rzaa) for Ulcerative Colitis' press release, the regulatory body authorized the first IL-23 specific inhibitor for adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis, significantly widening the treatment landscape.

Concurrently, the growing adoption of targeted therapies, including integrin antagonists and S1P receptor modulators, is driving substantial revenue growth within the sector. As clinical guidelines evolve to favor early intervention with high-efficacy biologics, healthcare providers are prioritizing medications that demonstrate long-term mucosal healing, leading to higher prescription volumes for premium pharmacotherapies. This shift toward advanced disease management is evidenced by the commercial performance of established biologics. According to Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, May 2024, in the 'Consolidated Financial Results for the Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2024', the company reported that global revenue for Entyvio reached 800.9 billion JPY, underscoring the robust demand for gut-selective treatments. Furthermore, the market is bolstered by the sustained performance of incumbent blockbusters. According to Johnson & Johnson, in 2024, the company reported full-year 2023 worldwide sales of $10.9 billion for Stelara, highlighting the immense financial scale of the current immunological therapy market.

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Key Market Challenges

The prohibitive pricing of novel biologic and small molecule therapies constitutes a severe restraint on the growth of the global ulcerative colitis market. Although these advanced treatments provide necessary clinical remission, their substantial costs compel public and private payers to implement stringent cost-containment measures, such as tiered formulary placement and rigorous prior authorization requirements. These financial barriers frequently force physicians to reserve high-efficacy drugs for only the most severe cases, effectively capping the sales volume of premium products and slowing revenue generation across the sector.

This affordability gap significantly limits patient access and adherence to optimal treatment regimens, creating a disconnect between clinical innovation and market uptake. According to Crohn's and Colitis Ireland, in 2024, 62% of respondents in a national survey indicated that the disease imposes a significant financial burden on their lives. This statistic exemplifies the broader economic friction within the market, where the high financial load on patients and healthcare systems prevents the widespread adoption of breakthrough therapies. Consequently, the market struggles to convert the high prevalence of ulcerative colitis into proportionate commercial value.

Key Market Trends

The proliferation of cost-effective biosimilars for major biologics is fundamentally reshaping the global ulcerative colitis market by dismantling the exclusivity of incumbent blockbusters. As patent protections for flagship therapies like ustekinumab and adalimumab expire, the aggressive entry of high-quality biosimilars is driving price competition and expanding patient access to biologic treatments previously restricted by prohibitive costs. This shift is accelerating the displacement of originator products, with payers and healthcare systems increasingly prioritizing these affordable alternatives to manage soaring healthcare expenditures and broaden therapeutic coverage. According to Korea Biomedical Review, February 2025, in the 'Celltrion's 2024 revenue hits record high on blockbuster drug growth' article, Celltrion reported that sales of its adalimumab biosimilar, Yuflyma, in the United States increased 2.4-fold to 349.1 billion won in 2024, highlighting the rapid commercial uptake of these agents.

Concurrently, the integration of artificial intelligence in endoscopic diagnostics is revolutionizing disease monitoring and cancer surveillance for ulcerative colitis patients. Advanced computer-aided detection systems are being deployed to overcome the limitations of conventional colonoscopy, particularly in identifying subtle dysplastic lesions that are often masked by chronic mucosal inflammation. These AI-driven tools enhance the precision of endoscopic examinations, significantly reducing the miss rate of pre-cancerous polyps and standardizing the quality of care across varying operator skill levels. According to Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News, November 2025, in the 'Using AI During Colonoscopy and Upper Endoscopy' article, a prospective study demonstrated that the adenoma detection rate was 36.1% with computer-aided detection assistance compared to 26.6% without it, underscoring the technology's capability to improve diagnostic sensitivity in clinical practice.

Segmental Insights

The Ulcerative Proctitis segment is currently positioning itself as the fastest-growing area within the Global Ulcerative Colitis Market. This accelerated expansion is primarily driven by the increasing diagnosis of localized inflammation and a rising patient preference for targeted topical therapies. Specialized treatments, including rectal foams and suppositories, offer focused relief with fewer systemic side effects, prompting higher adoption rates among patients. Furthermore, ongoing approvals of novel formulations by regulatory entities such as the U.S. FDA continue to broaden access to effective care, thereby fueling the sustained development of this market segment.

Regional Insights

North America maintains a dominant position in the Global Ulcerative Colitis Market, primarily driven by the region's high prevalence of inflammatory bowel diseases. The United States reports significant diagnosis rates, creating strong demand for effective treatments. This leadership is supported by established healthcare infrastructure that facilitates widespread access to advanced therapies, including biologics. Furthermore, major pharmaceutical entities actively invest in research and development within the region. Regulatory support from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accelerates market expansion by approving novel therapeutic agents, ensuring continuous innovation in patient care.

Recent Developments

• In October 2025, Eli Lilly and Company announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a single-injection, once-monthly maintenance regimen for Omvoh (mirikizumab-mrkz) for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis. This new authorization allowed for a more convenient subcutaneous administration option using a prefilled pen or syringe following the initial intravenous induction. The approval was supported by clinical data confirming that the simplified dosing schedule delivered efficacy and safety profiles consistent with the previously established regimens, helping patients achieve and maintain long-term clinical and endoscopic remission.
• In September 2024, Johnson & Johnson obtained approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Tremfya (guselkumab) to treat adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis. This development introduced the first fully-human, dual-acting monoclonal antibody that blocks interleukin-23 while simultaneously binding to the CD64 receptor on cells that produce IL-23. The approval was based on data from the Phase 2b/3 QUASAR study, which showed that the treatment induced significant rates of clinical remission and endoscopic normalization in patients who had previously demonstrated an inadequate response or intolerance to conventional therapies, biologics, or JAK inhibitors.
• In June 2024, AbbVie received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Skyrizi (risankizumab-rzaa) for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis. This regulatory milestone established the drug as the first interleukin-23 specific inhibitor approved for both moderate to severe ulcerative colitis and moderate to severe Crohn's disease. The decision was supported by results from two Phase 3 clinical trials, the INSPIRE induction study and the COMMAND maintenance study, which demonstrated that patients treated with the therapy achieved the primary endpoint of clinical remission along with significant endoscopic improvement compared to placebo.
• In March 2024, AbbVie expanded its presence in the Global Ulcerative Colitis Market by acquiring Landos Biopharma, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel oral therapeutics for autoimmune diseases. This strategic transaction, valued at approximately $137 million, added the lead investigational asset NX-13 to the company's portfolio. NX-13 is a first-in-class oral NLRX1 agonist designed to regulate immunometabolism and inflammation, providing a differentiated mechanism of action compared to existing treatments. The acquisition underscored the organization's commitment to advancing research and addressing unmet needs for patients suffering from ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

Key Market Players

• Johnson and Johnson
• Allergan, Inc.
• Merck & Co., Inc.
• Novartis AG
• Bausch Health Companies Inc.
• AstraZeneca Plc
• Eli Lilly & Company
• Pfizer Inc.
• Sanofi SA
• GlaxoSmithKline Plc.

By Drug Type	By Disease Type	By Region
Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Anti-TNF biologics Immuno-suppressants Calcineurin Inhibitors and Other	Ulcerative Proctitis Proctosigmoiditis Left-sided Colitis Pancolitis or Universal Colitis and Fulminant Colitis	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

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

• Ulcerative Colitis Market, By Drug Type:

• Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
• Anti-TNF biologics
• Immuno-suppressants
• Calcineurin Inhibitors
• and Other

• Ulcerative Colitis Market, By Disease Type:

• Ulcerative Proctitis
• Proctosigmoiditis
• Left-sided Colitis
• Pancolitis or Universal Colitis
• and Fulminant Colitis

• Ulcerative Colitis 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