Pharma Market resources- Contract manufacturing Interview – Part 4

Recent reports indicate that in the pharma market, contract manufacturing  will be worth US$40.7 billion by 2015 - Are you effectively leveraging external supply and managing the risks involved to make the most of your outsourcing options?

As the pharmaceutical industry relies on faster drug development and cost containment to maintain growth, there has never been a more important time to develop strategic CMO alliances to facilitate entry into emerging markets, reduce costs and increase product revenue. But with so many CMOs to choose from, how can you guarantee that you have the right partner to provide the services you require with minimal risk and maximum efficiency?

This is the last part in our interview series with Jim Browne, GPCM Advisor at GlaxoSmithKline, Sascha Basten- Associate Director at MS-TechOps and Dr Ian Walker Head of Project Leadership at Acacia Pharma. For the rt of the series, and for other vital information for your business, please visit our pharma market resource centre.

The term ‘strategic partnership’ is being used more and more across the outsourcing landscape, what do CMOs mean by this term and how can they demonstrate it in practice?

J BrowneCMO’s must start to work with Pharma Companies on a long term basis with mutual trust and openness so that they complement each other, rather than focus on short term profits if there are to develop true strategic partnerships. This is also true in reverse for the Pharma companies who will have to make long term commitments to their CMO’s in order to develop a true strategic partnership which is beneficial for both parties.

S BastenI agree, the basis for a partnership is a different mindset on both sites. Openness and trust on both sides and an honest willingness to cooperate is key to overcome cost pressure, increasing GMP and quality standards and to manage life cycle projects.

I WalkerAgree with the above comments, would add that key to mindset changes is when the pharma company effectively regards CMO as internal resource rather than purely a contractor and the CMO pro actively contributes technical support and expertise into the manufacturing process.

For other vital information on contract manufacturing and other topics across the pharma market, please visit our pharma market resource centre. Alternatively please download our whitepapers, webinars and articles from Pharma IQ.