PharmaSource Podcast

“AI doesn’t have to be the first port of call. Many organisations still need to focus on the paper-to-glass journey before they can think about more advanced technologies” 

Vishnu Dwadasi, Director of Life Sciences at West Monroe, brings extensive experience across pharmaceutical operations, consulting and business development from both the sponsor and CDMO sides. His career path through companies including Catalent, BioDuro, PII and now West Monroe has given him unique insights into the evolving pharmaceutical outsourcing landscape.

In the latest PharmaSource podcast episode, Vishnu shares his perspective on how private equity investments are reshaping the CDMO landscape, post-merger integration challenges, and the realistic pace of digital transformation within pharmaceutical manufacturing organisations.

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“Our goal is to be more than a service provider. We aim to be a strategic partner that grows with our clients from bench to bedside.” – Dr. Jim Li

Dr. Jim Li, President of CMC Solutions at BioDuro, brings extensive experience as a chemist and pharmaceutical industry veteran, having held leadership positions at global companies including Pfizer and Henkel before joining BioDuro to build up and manage the company’s CMC business.

In the latest PharmaSource podcast episode, Jim explains how BioDuro’s integrated CRDMO model creates higher value outcomes for clients while balancing cost considerations with speed to market.

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“Managing hundreds of products across multiple species requires a different approach to network strategy than human pharma,” explains Bernhard Boehm, Head of External Manufacturing for Animal Health at Boehringer Ingelheim.

Bernhard Boehm leads external manufacturing for animal health as VP of 3PM at Boehringer Ingelheim, bringing nearly 20 years of pharmaceutical experience across regulatory, quality, R&D, and site management roles before transitioning to animal health five years ago.

Ahead of CDMO Live, Bernhard explains how animal health manufacturing differs fundamentally from human pharmaceuticals, requiring specific strategies to manage a complex portfolio across multiple species while facing tighter margins and diverse customer needs.

Read Boehringer Ingelheim’s Six Strategic Approaches to External Manufacturing Networks

Exclusive interview for PharmaSource ahead of CDMO Live

“We’ve combined these two solid legacies into a new, agile CDMO with a unique focus on high-value small and medium-scale production,” says Bruce Vielle, CEO of the newly formed Meribel Pharma Solutions.

Bruce Vielle, an experienced industrial business leader with extensive expertise in lean manufacturing and managing multi-site operations across automotive, aerospace, and pharmaceutical sectors, is spearheading the launch of Meribel Pharma Solutions. Most recently serving as President and CEO of Synerlab, Bruce now leads this ambitious new contract manufacturing venture backed by Blue Wolf Capital Partners.

Ahead of CDMO Live next month, Bruce shares insights about this significant new entrant to the European pharmaceutical manufacturing sector, formed through Blue Wolf Capital Partners’ strategic acquisition of Recipharm sites and Synerlab. The new venture brings together 13 sites across Sweden, France, and Spain with specialised capabilities in development, sterile multi-dose products, and lyophilisation.

Meribel Pharma Solutions represents the culmination of a carefully orchestrated merger between Recipharm’s carved-out sites and Synerlab, completed at the end of 2024. Bruce explains that the integration brings together complementary capabilities that create significant market synergies.

“Our first challenge for 2025 is to bring the company under a single vision, building our culture, integrating systems, and aligning our operations,” Bruce says. “We’re accelerating investment in high-added value processes such as sterile multi-doses and lyophilisation, expanding our development services, and reinforcing our role as a premium partner for small and medium-sized pharma and biotech companies.”

The company operates across 13 sites in three countries, with three specialised in development and ten focused on manufacturing. This geographic spread provides both local expertise and international reach for clients seeking European manufacturing solutions.

“There is always in such integration a strong focus on people,” Bruce emphasises. “We really want to bring everyone together around this transformation and merger.”

Full interview

“Trust is what your customers need most. They take a great risk when they sign up with you to make their product. They need access within your organization to feel confident you’ll get things done the way they want.”

Thomas Thorpe, CEO of Afton Scientific, brings 45 years of pharmaceutical operations experience to his founder-led Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation (CDMO), which has grown from bootstrapped beginnings to a company with close to 100 employees specialising in sterile injectable manufacturing.

In the latest PharmaSource podcast episode, Tom explains how his experience working for large pharmaceutical companies shaped his approach to building a CDMO that prioritises customer relationships, regulatory compliance, and strategic growth investments—now culminating in a $200 million expansion plan.

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“What we’re witnessing is the rapid dismantling of the US research infrastructure… It’s also an opportunity for us here in Europe to step up” Dr. Oliver Schacht, Managing Director of Life Science Nord

Dr. Oliver Schacht, Managing Director of Life Science Nord and Chairman of the Board for BIO Deutschland, spoke at German Biotechnology Days 2025 (DBT) in Heidelberg about the challenges and opportunities this disruption presents for Germany and the European biotech ecosystem.

In an interview for the PharmaSource podcast, Dr. Schacht explains that in this rapidly evolving landscape, Europe now has a unique opportunity to strengthen its biotech position, fostering a more entrepreneurial research culture, developing strategic partnerships with China, and crafting a forward-looking regulatory framework that supports innovation and competitiveness.

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In the latest episode, we speak to  Payal Gandhi, Management Executive – Business Growth at Blue Jet Healthcare explains how the company transformation from a family-owned business to a publicly listed global CDMO since its IPO in 2023.

Today, Blue Jet Healthcare has positioned itself as a strategic partner in the pharmaceutical and healthcare arena, emphasizing their customer-first approach and technological capabilities that help bring innovations to life.

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“Europe has roughly double the population of the United States but lower pricing, so it’s a balancing act between how much volume can you get and how little price discount you give.” – Joshi Venugopal

Joshi Venugopal, Head of Region Europe for Novartis Gene Therapy & Rare Diseases and Senior Vice President, brings extensive experience spanning R&D, early pipeline development, and in-market commercialisation.

Ahead of his keynote at CDMO Live, Joshi shares valuable insights on how to successfully commercialise gene therapies in Europe, including innovative pricing models and critical success factors. His strategic approach offers essential guidance for biotechs and pharmaceutical companies looking to navigate the complex European landscape.

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“Being unique or special in something is crucial, a key factor in order to gain success in this field.” – Angela Molaschi

Angela Molaschi, Chief Commercial Officer at Fisiopharma, and Nicola Cadei, General Manager, bring decades of pharmaceutical industry experience to their leadership roles at this Italian injectable product specialist. Together, they’re expanding the company’s global presence while maintaining its reputation for quality and flexibility.

In the latest PharmaSource podcast episode ahead of CDMO Live 2025, Angela and Nicola explain how their medium-sized CDMO successfully navigates the competitive pharmaceutical manufacturing landscape by focusing on proactive customer service, quality excellence, and strategic capacity management.

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"Digital transformation is not about technology deployment. It's about a new way of doing business that allows you to make jumps which were not possible before, like reducing launch time from 70 weeks to 7 weeks." - Dr. Franziskus Kath

Dr. Franziskus Kath, former J&J executive and now independent consultant, brings over 26 years of healthcare industry experience spanning API manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, consumer health, and digital transformation. He most recently orchestrated J&J's quality digital transformation strategy across all sectors.

Ahead of CDMO Live 2025, Franziskus explains why becoming "bilingual" in both business and technology languages is the key to successful digital transformation in pharmaceutical manufacturing and quality operations.

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