Polyglycolic Acid Market – By Form, By Application and Forecast, 2025 - 2034

Polyglycolic Acid Market Size

The global polyglycolic acid market was valued at USD 9.1 billion in 2024 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of over 4.5% from 2025 to 2034. The demand for polyglycolic acid (PGA) in medical applications has been rapidly growing due to its high biocompatibility, biodegradability, and versatility, making it ideal for a range of medical and surgical uses. PGA is primarily used in absorbable sutures, providing a reliable solution for internal wound healing without requiring removal after the tissue has healed.
 

The polymer's predictable degradation rate allows for controlled absorption, making it suitable for applications in complex surgical procedures. Beyond sutures, PGA is increasingly employed in other bioresorbable implants, including tissue scaffolds and fixation devices, supporting tissue regeneration and minimizing long-term implant complications. Additionally, PGA’s usage in drug delivery systems is expanding as it allows for controlled release and eventual breakdown within the body, reducing the need for additional removal procedures. This growing demand across medical applications positions PGA as a critical material in advancing patient care, contributing significantly to the expansion of the market.
 

Polyglycolic Acid Market Trends

Polyglycolic acid (PGA) is gaining traction in the oil and gas industry due to its unique properties, which make it highly suitable for challenging applications in well drilling and hydraulic fracturing. PGA’s rapid biodegradability and controlled degradation are particularly valuable for temporary downhole applications, where materials need to perform effectively under high pressures and temperatures before breaking down naturally, minimizing retrieval costs and environmental impact. For instance, PGA can be used to create degradable frac balls and plugs that temporarily block zones within a well during fracturing and dissolve over time, eliminating the need for mechanical retrieval and reducing the potential for well obstruction.
 

In addition, PGA is proving effective as a material for diverting agents in hydraulic fracturing operations, allowing operators to better manage fracture flow paths and optimize resource extraction. As oil and gas operations increasingly look to enhance efficiency and reduce operational costs, PGA provides a sustainable alternative to traditional materials, aligning with industry efforts to minimize environmental impact and regulatory pressures associated with non-degradable materials. The expanding interest in PGA within the sector is also driven by the polymer’s ability to improve operational efficiency, lower downtime, and reduce waste and maintenance costs associated with debris recovery.
 

This growing range of applications for PGA in the oil and gas industry highlights its importance as an innovative material, bolstering the market’s growth as the sector seeks sustainable, efficient, and high-performance solutions for complex extraction processes.
 

Polyglycolic Acid Market Analysis

High production costs are a significant restraint in the polyglycolic acid (PGA) market, limiting its widespread accessibility and adoption across various industries. The synthesis of PGA requires specialized manufacturing processes and raw materials, both of which contribute to elevated costs. Additionally, the need for advanced technology to control PGA's properties, such as degradation rate and mechanical strength, further increases production expenses.
 

These high costs can be a barrier, especially for smaller companies or industries sensitive to material pricing. For applications like packaging, where cost-efficiency is critical, PGA often faces competition from less expensive biodegradable polymers, which limits its market reach. Consequently, high production costs restrict PGA's expansion in price-sensitive markets, challenging its growth potential in broader commercial applications.
 

Based on form, the market is segmented into fiber, film and others. Fiber dominates the market by generating USD 8.6 billion revenue in the year 2024. In the polyglycolic acid (PGA) market, fibers are a key product form due to their exceptional biodegradability, strength, and compatibility with medical applications. PGA fibers are widely used in absorbable surgical sutures, where they provide reliable tensile strength and predictable degradation rates, ensuring safe wound healing without the need for suture removal. Additionally, these fibers find applications in tissue engineering and biodegradable fabric production, where their biocompatibility supports sustainable innovation across healthcare and industrial sectors.
 

Based on applications, the polyglycolic acid market is segmented into medical, packaging, shale gas extraction and others. Medical hold a dominant market share of 90.4% in the market. In the polyglycolic acid (PGA) market, medical applications are a primary growth driver due to PGA’s high biocompatibility and biodegradability. PGA is widely used in absorbable sutures, tissue scaffolds, and bioresorbable implants, which support wound healing and tissue regeneration without requiring removal. Its controlled degradation rate and minimal inflammatory response make PGA ideal for advanced medical devices, positioning it as a preferred material in surgical and therapeutic innovations.
 

U.S. polyglycolic acid market was valued at USD 5.6 billion in 2024. In the U.S., the market is expanding, driven by increasing demand from medical and oil and gas industries. The country’s advanced healthcare sector relies on PGA for applications in absorbable sutures, tissue scaffolds, and bioresorbable implants, where the polymer’s biodegradability and strength are essential. Furthermore, the oil and gas industry in the U.S. leverages PGA for degradable downhole tools and diverting agents in hydraulic fracturing, promoting efficient extraction and reducing environmental impact.
 

In North America, the PGA market benefits from a well-established research and development ecosystem, particularly in the U.S. and Canada, fostering innovation in both medical and industrial applications. North American companies are increasingly investing in sustainable alternatives, positioning PGA as a key material for eco-friendly solutions in sectors ranging from packaging to biomedical engineering. The market is expected to grow as industries prioritize environmentally conscious materials and as regulatory support for sustainable practices strengthens across the region.
 

Polyglycolic Acid Market Share

BMG Incorporated is a leader in the production of biodegradable medical devices and materials. They utilize polyglycolic acid (PGA) in the creation of resorbable sutures and other medical products due to its biocompatibility and ability to degrade over time within the body.
 

Corbion is a global supplier of sustainable biochemicals and biomaterials, including polymers such as polyglycolic acid (PGA). The company focuses on using PGA for biodegradable plastics and medical applications, leveraging its properties for controlled degradation in medical devices and sutures.
 

DuPont is a science and technology company involved in a wide range of industries, including advanced materials and biopolymers. DuPont explores PGA as a material for sustainable applications, particularly in the medical and packaging sectors, due to its eco-friendly biodegradability and mechanical properties.
 

Ethicon is renowned for its surgical products, particularly sutures. They use polyglycolic acid in the production of resorbable sutures that provide strength during healing and gradually degrade as the wound heals, minimizing the need for removal. Evonik is a global leader in specialty chemicals, offering a range of high-performance materials. The company produces polyglycolic acid (PGA) and its copolymers, which are essential for creating biodegradable medical devices, surgical sutures, and drug delivery systems, thanks to their excellent biocompatibility and controlled degradation rates.
 

Polyglycolic Acid Market Companies

Major players operating in the polyglycolic acid industry are: 

• BMG Incorporated
• Corbion
• DuPont
• Ethicon
• Evonik
• Huizhou Foryou Medical Devices
• Kureha
• Shenzhen Polymtek Biomaterial
• Teleflex
• Others
   

Polyglycolic Acid Industry News

• In October 2021, the European Union-funded REFUCOAT project succeeded in creating an entirely novel set of methods for producing bioplastics in packaging food from renewable energy sources, intending to substitute conventional petroleum-based raw materials. Utilizing these bioplastics, REFUCOAT developed three distinct organic packaging systems for fresh chicken, crumbs of bread, and crisps.
   
• In July 2021, Sinopec, a worldwide leader, had an official opening for the initial stage of its 500,000 tons/year PGA factory in July 2021. It is a new form of recyclable plastic that is environmentally friendly, green, and useful to the ecosystem. Experts believe that PGA may be destroyed in a short amount of time, emitting just CO2 and water. Due to its excellent biodegradability and biocompatibility, it is an excellent plastic substitute. It can assist medical substances, materials for packaging, disposable items, and other industries.
   

The polyglycolic acid market research report includes in-depth coverage of the industry, with estimates & forecast in terms of revenue (USD Billion) & volume (Kilo Tons) from 2021 to 2034, for the following segments:

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Market, By Form

• Fiber
• Film
• Others (plate, rod)

Market, By Application

• Medical
• Packaging
• Shale gas extraction
• Others (civil engineering, filter)

The above information is provided for the following regions and countries:

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • UK
  • Germany
  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Russia
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • Australia 
• Latin America
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
• MEA
  • UAE
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa