Most Consumed APIs in the Pharmaceutical Industry in 2024

What do Paracetamol, Metformin, and Amoxicillin have in common? They’re among the most consumed active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in the world—and their demand isn’t slowing down.

In 2024, global API consumption reflects more than just patient volume. It reveals shifting disease patterns, healthcare access, and how pharma supply chains are adapting post-COVID.

With billions of doses manufactured yearly, top APIs drive not only treatment protocols but also procurement decisions, regulatory focus, and R&D funding.

Understanding which APIs dominate the market—and why—is critical for pharma professionals looking to stay ahead of therapeutic demand and supplier trends.

This blog breaks down the top 10 most consumed APIs of 2024 by volume and value, along with their therapeutic uses and future outlook.

10 Most Consumed APIs in 2024 – By Volume and Market Value

Knowing the consumption rates and amounts of APIs helps procurement teams, manufacturers and R&D leaders to optimize their source alignment and formulation strategies with real-world demands.

The table below highlights the top 10 most consumed APIs globally, ranked by their total production volume and commercial market value.

Paracetamol

Volume in 2024: 205,000 metric tons
Market Value: USD 923 million

What’s Driving Demand

• High OTC sales across global markets
• Increased usage in combination formulations with antihistamines and caffeine
• Post-viral syndromes and fever management needs
• Expanding access in price-sensitive regions like Asia and Africa

Therapeutic Indication

Paracetamol is widely used to treat mild to moderate pain, fever, and flu-like symptoms. It’s a go-to antipyretic with minimal side effects and broad OTC approval.

Future Outlook

Despite its commoditized nature, demand remains strong. Rising self-medication trends and pandemic readiness plans will sustain global usage. Eco-efficient, high-purity manufacturing may become a competitive differentiator.

Ibuprofen

Volume in 2024: 77,000 metric tons
Market Value: USD 847 million

What’s Driving Demand

• Ibuprofen is everywhere — OTC shelves, prescriptions, combo packs.
• It's trusted for pain and fever, without the baggage of opioids.
• Used in everything from menstrual relief to post-operative care.
• Pediatric demand is growing fast, especially in liquid and chewable forms.
• Emerging markets prefer its affordability and multi-use flexibility.

Therapeutic Indication

Ibuprofen treats pain, inflammation, and fever. It's a go-to for arthritis, dental pain, migraines, and cramps. Doctors trust it. So do patients.

Future Outlook

Non-opioid pain management is trending. Ibuprofen fits perfectly. Expect growth in new delivery formats and higher-margin formulations. Global demand? Still going strong.

Amoxicillin

Volume in 2024: 23,220 metric tons
Market Value: USD 785 million

What’s Driving Demand

• Respiratory infections are back post-COVID, and Amoxicillin is the first line of defense.
• Pediatric prescriptions remain steady across most developing countries.
• Demand rises with seasonal illness spikes and antibiotic combination therapies.
• Hospitals and clinics rely on it for affordability and wide-spectrum coverage.

Therapeutic Indication

Amoxicillin treats a wide range of bacterial infections—ear, throat, chest, skin, and urinary tract. It’s effective, safe, and globally prescribed.

Future Outlook

Despite resistance concerns, Amoxicillin stays indispensable. Demand will grow in low-income regions. Fixed-dose combos and stewardship programs may shape its next evolution.

Metformin

Volume in 2024: 145,000 metric tons
Market Value: USD 593 million

What’s Driving Demand

• Type 2 diabetes is rising fast, especially in Asia and Latin America.
• Metformin remains the first-line treatment, recommended by every major guideline.
• Affordable, effective, and backed by decades of clinical use.
• Used off-label for PCOS and weight management in some regions.

Therapeutic Indication

Metformin is an oral antidiabetic used to manage blood glucose levels. It improves insulin sensitivity and reduces hepatic glucose production.

Future Outlook

Demand will track the global diabetes curve, upward. Extended-release versions and combo therapies will drive future growth. Generic supply remains stable.

Levetiracetam

Volume in 2024: 8,090 metric tons
Market Value: USD 486 million

What’s Driving Demand

• The growing cases on epilepsy worldwide (around 50 million), and the effectiveness of Levetiracetam in treating it.
• Clinicians prefer it for minimal drug interactions and ease of titration.
• It’s often the first choice for both adult-onset and pediatric epilepsy.
• Hospitals use it in emergency protocols for status epilepticus and seizure clusters.
• Growing use in oncology for seizure prevention during brain tumor treatment.

Therapeutic Indication

Partial-onset, myoclonic, and generalized tonic-clonic seizures management. When it comes to stabilizing the abnormal electrical activities in the brain, Levetriracetam is among the best choice.

Future Outlook

As awareness and diagnosis improve, usage will grow in low- and middle-income countries. Demand for extended-release and IV formulations is also increasing.

Naproxen

Volume in 2024: 7,710 metric tons
Market Value: USD 274 million

What’s Driving Demand

• Musculoskeletal disorders among older adults and sedentary workers is one of the primary reasons.
• Convenient twice-daily dosing, that results in sustained pain relief.
• Better that ibuprofen for treatment of long-term arthritis management, reason being it’s extended half-life. 
• Increasing demand from prescription and OTC channels across North America.
• Increasing use in seasonal flu kits and cold-pain combo medications.

Therapeutic Indication

Naproxen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) indicated for pain, inflammation, and stiffness. It is widely used in arthritis, tendonitis, menstrual cramps, and gout flare-ups.

Future Outlook

As chronic pain and arthritis cases grow worldwide, Naproxen is expected to maintain steady demand. Newer formulations with gastroprotective coatings may improve patient compliance and market longevity.

Gabapentin

Volume in 2024: 7,920 metric tons
Market Value: USD 239 million

What’s Driving Demand

• Neuropathic pain is increasing. Gabapentin helps where traditional painkillers fall short.
• Doctors prefer it for diabetic neuropathy, fibromyalgia, and shingles-related pain.
• Demand surged as opioid alternatives gained traction, especially in the U.S.
• It's also prescribed for anxiety and off-label conditions like alcohol withdrawal.
• Oncology teams use it to manage nerve damage from chemotherapy.

Therapeutic Indication

Gabapentin treats seizures and nerve pain. It works by calming overactive nerves. Doctors often prescribe it when first-line therapies fail.

Future Outlook

Chronic pain cases are rising fast. With off-label use expanding and mental health ties deepening, Gabapentin’s global footprint is expected to grow steadily.

Sulfamethoxazole

Volume in 2024: 19,900 metric tons
Market Value: USD 213 million

What’s Driving Demand

• Go-to antibiotic for respiratory, urinary and gastrointestinal infections due to combination with Trimethoprim.
• Popular in humans and veterinary medications, mainely in developing regions. 
• Prescribed frequently for opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients, including those with HIV/AIDS.
• Broad spectrum and low cost.
• Still a reliable antibiotic for rural and low-resource markets.

Therapeutic Indication

Sulfamethoxazole is an antimicrobial used mainly in combo with Trimethoprim. It inhibits folate synthesis, disrupting bacterial DNA replication.

Future Outlook

Antibiotic resistance is a concern, but demand stays solid. Improved surveillance and stewardship programs may shape future usage more than innovation.

Metamizole (Dipyrone)

Volume in 2024: 10,430 metric tons
Market Value: USD 116 million

What’s Driving Demand

• Strong analgesic and antipyretic effects.
• Best results in post-operative pain, high fevers and server colic. 
• Popular among opioid restricted markets as an effective replacement of paracetamol.   
• Banned in some Western countries due to rare agranulocytosis risk—yet demand persists elsewhere.
• Remains a low-cost, high-efficacy alternative in many public healthcare systems.

Therapeutic Indication

By reducing prostaglandin synthesis, and offering rapid symptom relief, metamizole treats acute pain and fever.

Future Outlook

Despite safety debates, its utility in pain and fever management secures its role. Usage likely to remain regional, driven by affordability and clinical effectiveness.

Aspirin

Volume in 2024: 10,540 metric tons
Market Value: USD 63 million

What’s Driving Demand

• Doctors prescribe it widely for heart attack and stroke prevention.
• Cardiologists trust it for its blood-thinning properties.
• It’s often taken daily by patients with cardiovascular risk.
• Some demand now comes from post-COVID care, where clotting risks are elevated.
• Though pain relief use has dropped, its cardiac role keeps it essential.

Therapeutic Indication

Aspirin is used to reduce fever, relieve pain, and prevent clot formation. It inhibits platelets, helping reduce the risk of strokes and heart attacks.

Future Outlook

As cardiovascular disease rises, so will its demand. Its low cost and proven efficacy will keep it in treatment plans—especially for aging populations.

Conclusion

In 2024, APIs like Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, and Metformin aren’t just high in volume—they represent shifting treatment needs, global health trends, and evolving regulatory priorities.

From pain relief to chronic disease management, these active pharmaceutical ingredients form the backbone of modern healthcare. Their demand signals where pharmaceutical investments, procurement focus, and R&D innovation are headed next.

For pharma professionals, understanding these API trends isn’t optional—it’s strategic. Staying informed on global API consumption helps optimize sourcing, mitigate supply chain risks, and anticipate market changes.

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