I Outsource, Therefore I Exist
By Louis Garguilo, Chief Editor, Outsourced Pharma
I recently wrote an article featuring a fictional CEO taking the reins of leadership at a biotech that had established new technologies and was about to bring lead compounds from discovery into development and manufacturing. Here is some of what that CEO had to say as she faced her new colleagues for the first time:
“Why do we outsource? What is our most fundamental objective? Is it a function of funding and financial resources? Of time and human resources? Is it related more to our specific technology and unique compounds? Yes, all of those. But how about on a larger plane: Is it a function of our strategic operation, the actual business model for us and so many other biopharmas? Yes, of course. But there’s even more: We outsource so we can continue to exist, so our company can continue to compete, to survive as a drug development business. At the deepest level, this is our existential exercise. If none of the things we need to decide and take effective action on over the next months existed — analytical services support, new processing assistance, access to larger-scale equipment, and advancing supply-chain technologies — would our company continue to exist?” The CEO concluded: “We outsource, therefore we exist.”
Now, this may be somewhat exaggerated for readers at bigger and more established biopharmas, but I’m sure you get the picture. Today, the success of your programs have never been more contingent upon selecting and working effectively with your service partners. This is what our annual CMO Leadership Awards are all about.
These awards assist you in analyzing who the best CMOs are and identifying which are a fit for your company. Winners are recognized for the highest level of accomplishment when aiding you in reaching your development and manufacturing objectives. In fact, these awards are most meaningful because recipients are evaluated by only the customers (our readers) with whom they have actually worked. Companies are evaluated in the following critical categories: capabilities, compatibility, expertise, quality, reliability, and development. An award in any of these categories adds to the distinction and reputation of CMOs throughout our industry. Additionally, my colleagues at Industry Standard Research (ISR), who manage our survey and data for these awards, also focus on the key attributes biopharma companies tell us are most essential: quality, reliability, capabilities, expertise, compatibility, and development.
Along with details of the award winners, within this special annual issue you will find articles including some of the most experienced professionals in our industry talking about topics such as gene and cell therapy supply chains, nanotechnology, blockchain, and analytical testing. I’d like to personally thank Tim Scott, CEO of Tega Therapeutics, who in our cover story provides an outstanding analysis of the differences in thought processes between executives running biopharmas and those at CDMOs.
Whether you are new to working with CDMOs, or someone who’s been at this for years, I’m certain you’ll derive measurable value from this special issue on the existential activity of outsourcing.