U.S. Synthetic Biology - Industry Report

The U.S. synthetic biology market size was estimated at USD 6,132 million in 2024 and is projected to be worth around USD 30,760 million by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 17.50% from 2025 to 2034.

U.S. Synthetic Biology Market Report Highlights

• By product, the enzyme segment accounted for the largest market share, thus dominated the U.S. synthetic biology market.
• By product, the cloning technologies kits segment is considered the fastest growing segment in the market.
• By technology, the PCR segment accounted for the largest market share, thus dominated the market.
• By technology, genome editing technology is projected to witness fastest growth rate during forecast period.
• By application, the healthcare segment held largest market share, thus dominated the U.S.synthetic biology market.
• By application, the non-healthcare segment registered the fastest growth rate in the upcoming period.
• By end Use, the biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies segment dominated the market, accounting for the largest share in 2024.
• By end Use, the academic and research institutes segment is projected to expand rapidly in the market in the coming years.

The U.S. synthetic biology market is a sub-field of the synthetic biology market, which deals with the design and construction of innovative biological parts, devices, and systems that mimic natural biological systems that have already existed in nature. Synthetic biology is a multi-disciplinary field with elements of biology, bioengineering, and bioinformatics. The United States market has seen significant growth in the past few years due to major technological innovations, robust regulatory support, and increased investment. There is a growing demand for biologics and bio-based products in the region. Synthetic biology has various applications in a range of sectors like agriculture, medicine, energy, and environmental science. 

The U.S. synthetic biology market is being majorly driven by breakthroughs in gene editing, artificial intelligence (AI), and pharmaceutical science. The development of tools such as CRISPR-Cas9 has revolutionized the industry, allowing researchers the leeway to modify the genetic makeup of organisms. This technology has applications in gene-based therapeutics, creating tailor-made microbes for various industrial applications.  The integration of newer technologies has also led to major cost reductions and also shortened the time required to conduct genetic modifications.

The market is attracting significant investment from both private and public entities. The emergence of several major pharmaceutical companies in the region is fuelling this boom in investment. Venture capital funding in the space has soared in recent years, with investors bullish about the market potential, expecting high returns on biomedical innovations. Players in the space are also commercializing the technology, with varied applications in biofuels, as well as chemical and cosmetics ingredient manufacturing. There are several federal incentives to support such developments to reduce the country’s overall reliance on petrochemicals, a growing trend of companies adopting synthetic biology to drive sustainability and meet consumer demand for eco-friendly products.

Developments in the market are also influencing agriculture, offering solutions to food supply challenges and environmental sustainability. By engineering plants and microbes to improve crop yields, resistance to pests, and nutrient content, synthetic biology is helping meet the global demand for food while reducing the environmental footprint of agriculture. Developments such as nitrogen-fixing microorganisms are helping reduce the reliance on synthetic fertilizers, which are a major contributor to groundwater pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. 

While the U.S. synthetic biology market is growing, the sector does face limitations on market expansion. Regulatory and ethical concerns around the synthesis of such organisms remain strong. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) often revises guidelines for genetically engineered products, especially for those in the synthetic biology space. These regulations are aimed at ensuring public health and safety are maintained and the environmental impact of these biologics is mitigated. Public perceptions around the safety of genetically modified organisms remain skeptical, with some groups expressing concerns about the creation of entirely new organisms. To address these concerns, companies in the market are working closely with regulatory bodies and public interest groups to establish clear safety standards and promote transparency.

Artificial intelligence is emerging as a powerful tool, gaining notable traction in the U.S. synthetic biology market. Machine learning algorithms are deployed to optimize experimental designs, enhancing metabolic pathways for generating specific compounds and predicting the properties of new molecules. This leads to significant cost and time savings by helping researchers identify the most promising experimental conditions and predict the outcomes of experiments accurately. One of the most crucial applications of AI in synthetic biology has been dynamic pathway engineering. This involves designing metabolic production systems that are embedded with intracellular control mechanisms, which enable host cells to self-regulate the temporal activity of a production pathway in response to environmental changes.

AI algorithms are employed to identify architectures that optimize production, design synthetic gene circuits, and select optimal architectures in dynamic pathway engineering. AI integration is also leading to the rapid development of innovative proteins and enhancing the precision of gene editing technology such as CRISPR-Cas9. By using AI algorithms to predict the impact of gene editing on the host and their surroundings, scientists are reducing any unforeseen consequences and improving the overall safety of gene editing. AI is playing a huge role in the U.S. synthetic biology market, allowing researchers to address the growing medical challenges in the region, along with contributions to agriculture and manufacturing. 

There are several opportunities for growth in the U.S. synthetic biology market in the coming years. A global push toward environmental sustainability is driving innovation in the space. Concerns around global warming and the climate crisis, along with renewable resource initiatives, are expected to fuel growth in the space. Players in the market are increasingly focusing on developing bio-based chemicals, materials, and, most importantly, biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, to slowly help the economy transition out of reliance on petrol.