For a CDMO, Flexibility & Adaptability Are Key Attributes to Navigate the Evolving Healthcare Landscape

By: Peter Soelkner, Managing Director, Vetter Pharma International GmbH

The healthcare landscape continues to change at a rapid pace. The strong growth in the number of complex drugs, new therapeutic approaches and technologies, pricing issues and differing trade strategies in an integrated global supply chain environment are placing new demands on all players in the healthcare industry. The positive news is that the number of new drug approvals is still on a high, particularly injectables. However, along with this situation has been a reduction in the market size for many drug products. With ever-more targeted medicines being designed for smaller patient groups and newer, more precise diagnostic tools being developed, scientists are designing new research approaches that allow the physician to actually select a therapy or treatment protocol that is based on a patient’s specific physiological profile. This new approach to patient care will allow for improved and personalized medicine and play a major role in the pharma and biotech industry. All relevant players, from discovery to development to commercialization will be affected.  As solution providers, Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations (CDMO’s) should expect that more than ever before, customers will demand increasing support from their partners with the complex drug development and manufacturing process.

To help navigate this new landscape, CDMO’s are increasingly relying on digitalization, data and intelligence. As with other industries, the role of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence in healthcare is of increasing importance since it offers the industry a variety of new opportunities to help capitalize on patient and other datasets.  Around the world, companies are engaged in developing innovative solutions in the area of digital health including the application of ever-more friendly patient technologies. The incorporation of mobile phones into the medication process is but one example. Meanwhile, a growing number of mobile apps are being submitted to the FDA for clearance and approval. These new approaches contribute to the practice of healthcare and impact the discovery and development of medicines in a very positive way. It is expected that life sciences companies and their partners will continue investing in these innovative fields, both from a financial and staffing aspect. Successful CDMO’s will adapt to these advances and innovate along with their customers as trends, changes and evolutions created by digitalization, data and intelligence continue to emerge and offer complementary expertise in the support of modern drug development and manufacturing.

In this changing environment, what will make for a successful CDMO is having the flexibility to take on new, sometimes challenging tasks quickly and the expertise to offer added value in order to deliver an integrated approach to pharmaceutical development. Next to the high quality of deliverables it is this specialist expertise which can add value to both the project and the whole drug product. Along with the important aspects of quality, experience and a fitting service portfolio as well as having a customer and patient-centered attitude.