Chemical and Enzymatic Pathways Shaping the DNA Synthesis Market

Custom DNA has become a basic input for biopharma, diagnostics and research laboratories, and how it is produced matters as much as how much is needed. According to Polaris Market Research, the DNA synthesis market was valued at USD 4.26 billion in 2025, with a 2026 estimate of USD 4.96 billion and a projection of USD 17.24 billion by 2034, reflecting a CAGR of 16.85% from 2026 to 2034. This article focuses on the production technologies behind those figures and what they mean for B2B buyers choosing suppliers and workflows.

Oligonucleotide Synthesis Anchors the Product Mix

By type, the report divides the industry into oligonucleotide synthesis and gene synthesis. Oligonucleotide synthesis held a 68.9% share in 2025, driven by uses such as PCR and next-generation sequencing. For laboratories running routine amplification and sequencing workflows, short custom oligonucleotides remain the everyday requirement, which is why oligonucleotide synthesis sits at the center of most supplier offerings. The page expects gene synthesis to grow at the highest rate over the forecast period, while biopharma expansion is driving demand for gene constructs, antibody libraries and synthetic vaccines. The report also segments the industry by application, covering diagnostics, therapeutics, and research and development.

Chemical and Enzymatic Production Compared

Polaris compares the two main production routes. Chemical DNA synthesis uses phosphoramidite chemistry and is well established, suited to short and medium oligonucleotides. Its accuracy declines as sequences get longer, and it generates significant chemical waste. Enzymatic DNA synthesis uses enzymes under biological conditions, is potentially faster, offers higher fidelity for long sequences and is more environmentally friendly. Its costs are expected to fall as the technology matures, although the page still describes it as emerging but gaining traction.

For procurement teams, the practical takeaway is that chemical DNA synthesis remains the proven route for shorter sequences, while enzymatic DNA synthesis deserves evaluation wherever long, high-fidelity sequences matter. An October 2025 development cited on the page, an enzymatic platform with an On-Time Guarantee that delivers sequence-perfect clonal DNA up to 50 kb, shows how suppliers are positioning around that need.

Restraints Buyers Should Weigh

The report lists several challenges: the high cost of long sequences, error rates that rise with sequence length, regulatory complexity across regions, scalability limitations, and technical complexity with specialized requirements. High R&D costs also appear in the table of contents. Buyers should weigh these constraints against the sequence lengths and volumes their programs actually require, and compare how each supplier addresses accuracy as constructs grow longer.

𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐬𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:

https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/dna-synthesis-market 

Automation and AI in Design Workflows

Polaris identifies the integration of automation and AI into DNA synthesis workflows as an opportunity. According to the page, AI can optimize synthesis based on protocol, sequence complexity and reagent analysis, enable adaptive control of temperature, timing and reagent flow, and identify failures, reagent degradation and contamination to reduce waste. It also supports automated sequence design. In the area of synthetic DNA design, the page cites an October 2024 example in which the CODA platform designed synthetic DNA components with high accuracy. Teams building design-to-order pipelines should ask suppliers how their synthetic DNA design tools connect to the synthesis workflow itself.

Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Supplier

Three questions can structure supplier conversations. First, how long are the sequences a program needs, given that chemical accuracy declines with length while enzymatic approaches offer higher fidelity for long sequences? Second, how does the supplier handle error rates and scalability, both of which the report lists among its challenges? Third, how well do its automation and AI features fit existing workflows? The answers will show whether a partner suits short, routine orders or more demanding long-sequence work.

Regional and Competitive Context

North America was the largest region in 2025 with a 42.4% share, and the US is projected to grow at a CAGR of 17.1% from 2026 to 2034. Asia Pacific is projected to grow at a CAGR of 17.6%, driven in part by genomics and vaccines, while India is projected at 17.5%. In March 2025, IDT partnered with Elegen to offer early access to its ENFINIA Plasmid DNA service for genes of 5-15 kb, a development relevant to buyers of gene synthesis.

Polaris lists 15 key players: BIONEER CORPORATION; Camena Bioscience Ltd.; DNA Script SAS; Eton Bioscience, Inc.; Eurofins Scientific SE; GenScript Biotech Corporation; IBA Lifesciences GmbH; Integrated DNA Technologies, Inc.; LGC Biosearch Technologies Limited; Molecular Assemblies, Inc.; Quintara Biosciences, Inc.; Synbio Technologies, Inc.; Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.; Touchlight Genetics Ltd.; and Twist Bioscience Corporation. Its Porter's Five Forces ratings are moderate for supplier power, low for the threat of new entrants, moderate for buyer power and for the threat of substitutes, and high for rivalry among existing firms.

Conclusion

The production route a supplier uses shapes what a buyer can order. Established chemistry remains well suited to shorter sequences, enzymatic approaches are gaining traction for longer ones, and AI-assisted workflows are emerging as an opportunity. Buyers should match technology to their sequence requirements and weigh cost, error rates and regulatory complexity before selecting a partner in the fast-growing DNA synthesis market.

More Trending Latest Reports By Polaris Market Research:

Legal Marijuana Market

Media Monitoring Tools Market

Prescription Drugs Market

Carbon Footprint Management Market

Healthcare Interoperability Solutions Market

Solar Panels Market

Crane Rental Market

Prefilled Syringes Market

Cell Culture Media Market