Top 10 Companies in the Microbial Polysaccharides for Pharmaceutical Industry (2025): Biotech Leaders Powering Next-Generation Drug Delivery

In Business Insights
December 19, 2025

The Global Microbial Polysaccharides for Pharmaceutical Market was valued at USD 1.84 Billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 2.87 Billion by 2030, growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 7.8% during the forecast period (2024–2030). This robust growth is fueled by the expanding biopharmaceutical sector, the rising demand for functional excipients in novel drug formulations, and the accelerating shift toward natural and sustainable raw materials in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

As the pharmaceutical industry increasingly seeks innovative solutions for drug delivery, stabilization, and targeted release, the role of specialized microbial polysaccharides has become paramount. These naturally derived polymers offer unparalleled biocompatibility and functionality. In this blog, we profile the Top 10 Companies in the Microbial Polysaccharides for Pharmaceutical Industry—a dynamic mix of established biochemical giants and specialized innovators shaping the future of advanced therapeutics.

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Global Microbial Polysaccharides for Pharmaceutical Market – View in Detailed Research Report


🔟 1. Deosen Biochemical

Headquarters: Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu, China
Key Offering: Hyaluronic Acid, Scleroglucan, Ergothioneine

Deosen Biochemical is a leading global manufacturer of natural-based ingredients, with a strong focus on microbial fermentation technologies. The company is a major producer of Hyaluronic Acid and Scleroglucan, which are critical polysaccharides used in injectables, ophthalmic solutions, and topical drug formulations for their superior rheological and moisturizing properties.

Innovation and Market Position:

  • World’s largest manufacturer of Hyaluronic Acid via fermentation

  • Extensive R&D in high-purity pharmaceutical-grade polysaccharides

  • Strategic partnerships with global pharmaceutical excipient suppliers


9️⃣ 2. CP Kelco

Headquarters: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Key Offering: Gellan Gum, Xanthan Gum, Pectin

CP Kelco is a prominent player in nature-based ingredient solutions, supplying high-performance polymers to the pharmaceutical industry. Its Gellan Gum is widely used as a gelling, suspending, and stabilizing agent in liquid and semi-solid dosage forms, including sustained-release formulations.

Innovation and Market Position:

  • Pioneer in Gellan Gum technology for controlled drug release

  • Global manufacturing footprint ensuring supply chain resilience

  • Focus on developing clean-label, multifunctional excipients


8️⃣ 3. Pharmacosmos

Headquarters: Holbaek, Denmark
Key Offering: CosmoFer® (iron carboxymaltose), Dextran-based products

Pharmacosmos is a specialist pharmaceutical company with deep expertise in carbohydrates, particularly iron-carbohydrate complexes and Dextran derivatives. The company is a world leader in medicines for iron deficiency, utilizing its proprietary polysaccharide technology for complex parenteral drugs.

Innovation and Market Position:

  • Unique expertise in carbohydrate chemistry for parenteral applications

  • Vertically integrated manufacturing from raw material to finished drug product

  • Strong regulatory track record with approvals in major markets (US, EU, Japan)


7️⃣ 4. pK Chemicals

Headquarters: Odense, Denmark
Key Offering: Pharmaceutical-grade Dextrans, FITC-Dextrans

pK Chemicals, a part of the DISPERSIX Group, specializes in high-purity Dextran polymers and derivatives. These products are essential in pharmaceutical research as molecular weight standards, drug carriers, and permeability markers, supporting the development of novel biologic and small molecule therapeutics.

Innovation and Market Position:

  • Leading supplier of characterized Dextrans for R&D and GMP applications

  • Custom synthesis services for specialized polysaccharide conjugates

  • Focus on applications in drug delivery and diagnostic imaging

Download FREE Sample Report:
Global Microbial Polysaccharides for Pharmaceutical Market – View in Detailed Research Report


6️⃣ 5. Hayashibara

Headquarters: Okayama, Japan
Key Offering: Pullulan, Trehalose, Isomaltooligosaccharides

Hayashibara Co., Ltd., a Mitsubishi Corporation subsidiary, is a global leader in bio-based ingredients. Its flagship product, Pullulan, a microbial polysaccharide, is valued in the pharmaceutical industry for forming oxygen-barrier films for tablets and as a binder and filler in oral dosage forms.

Innovation and Market Position:

  • World’s primary producer of high-purity Pullulan

  • Patented applications in orally disintegrating tablets (ODTs) and films

  • Commitment to sustainable production through enzymatic processes


5️⃣ 6. Jungbunzlauer

Headquarters: Basel, Switzerland
Key Offering: Xanthan Gum, Citrates, Gluconates

Jungbunzlauer is a leading producer of biodegradable ingredients of natural origin. Its pharmaceutical-grade Xanthan Gum serves as a versatile suspending, thickening, and stabilizing agent in syrups, creams, and ophthalmic preparations, prized for its consistency and safety profile.

Innovation and Market Position:

  • Vertically integrated fermentation-based production from renewable raw materials

  • High-quality standards meeting international pharmacopoeia (USP, EP, JP)

  • Strong focus on sustainability and eco-friendly manufacturing processes


4️⃣ 7. Meito Sangyo

Headquarters: Nagoya, Japan
Key Offering: Dextran, Succinyl Dextran, Cyanogen Bromide-activated Dextran

Meito Sangyo is a Japanese specialist in carbohydrate chemistry, with a long history of producing Dextran and its numerous derivatives. The company’s products are critical tools in bioconjugation, chromatography media, and as plasma volume expanders, serving both diagnostic and therapeutic markets.

Innovation and Market Position:

  • Expertise in custom-modified polysaccharides for advanced applications

  • Strong presence in the Asia-Pacific pharmaceutical and biotech sector

  • R&D focus on novel polysaccharide-protein conjugates for vaccines


3️⃣ 8. Polydex Pharmaceuticals

Headquarters: Toronto, Canada
Key Offering: Dextran, Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS)

Polydex Pharmaceuticals, through its subsidiary UPI, is a key manufacturer of Dextran and Dextran Sulfate Sodium. Dextran Sulfate is particularly important in cell culture media for virus propagation and is used in research models, playing a supportive role in biologics manufacturing and drug discovery.

Innovation and Market Position:

  • Specialized production of high-purity Dextran Sulfate for research and bioprocessing

  • Strategic supplier to the veterinary and human pharmaceutical industries

  • Ongoing development of Dextran-based APIs and intermediates


2️⃣ 9. Shandong Jinyang Pharmaceutical

Headquarters: Linyi, Shandong, China
Key Offering: Chondroitin Sulfate, Hyaluronic Acid, Heparin

Shandong Jinyang Pharmaceutical is a major Chinese manufacturer of biochemical products, with a significant output of Chondroitin Sulfate and Hyaluronic Acid. While some are animal-derived, the company also utilizes microbial fermentation for high-purity grades used in osteoarthritis treatments, eye drops, and wound healing applications.

Innovation and Market Position:

  • Large-scale production capacity for glycosaminoglycans and related polysaccharides

  • Investment in fermentation technology to ensure batch-to-batch consistency

  • Expanding international regulatory filings for pharmaceutical ingredients


1️⃣ 10. Lushang Freda Pharmaceutical

Headquarters: Jinan, Shandong, China
Key Offering: Hyaluronic Acid, Chondroitin Sulfate

Lushang Freda Pharmaceutical is a significant player in the Chinese pharmaceutical excipient and API market. The company produces microbial polysaccharides, including Hyaluronic Acid, which is crucial for ophthalmic viscosurgical devices (OVDs), intra-articular injections, and advanced topical drug delivery systems.

Innovation and Market Position:

  • Integrated production from fermentation to finished pharmaceutical-grade product

  • Strong focus on quality control compliant with cGMP standards

  • Strategic expansion into high-value, specialty drug delivery applications

Get Full Report Here:
Global Microbial Polysaccharides for Pharmaceutical Market – View in Detailed Research Report


🧬 Outlook: The Future of Microbial Polysaccharides is Precise and Personalized

The microbial polysaccharides market is at the forefront of pharmaceutical innovation. While established products like Xanthan and Gellan Gums continue to see steady demand, the future lies in engineered and functionalized polysaccharides designed for targeted drug delivery, improved bioavailability, and personalized medicine.

📈 Key Trends Shaping the Market:

  • R&D into polysaccharide-based nanoparticles and hydrogels for controlled release

  • Growing adoption in biologics stabilization and novel vaccine adjuvants

  • Stringent regulatory emphasis on quality and traceability of raw materials

  • Increasing preference for plant-based and allergen-free excipients over animal-derived alternatives

The companies listed above are not merely supplying ingredients—they are enabling the next generation of pharmaceutical therapies with safer, more effective, and sustainable solutions.

Get Full Report Here:
Global Microbial Polysaccharides for Pharmaceutical Market – View in Detailed Research Report