PharmaSource Podcast

GLP-1 drugs have become a game-changer in treating obesity and type 2 diabetes, forecast to reach a $100 billion market value by 2029.

However, their rapid rise raises important questions about resource allocation in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing, as well as affecting the dynamics between patients, healthcare providers, and biopharma.

In the latest episode of the PharmaSource podcast, Ben Locwin, Chief Scientist at Black Diamond Networks, explains that GLP-1 drugs represent a significant breakthrough in the treatment of obesity and diabetes and the unintended consequences they are bringing to the industry.

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“Treat them as a partner, not just a supplier. It’s a mindset you need to get into.” – Federica Fraschetti, MSD

Federica Fraschetti, Associate Director of External Manufacturing at MSD, brings years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry and a passion for optimising partnerships with contract manufacturing organisations (CMOs).

In the latest PharmaSource podcast episode, Federica explains why getting supplier relationship management right is a key strategy for driving efficiency and fostering innovation in the biopharma industry.

Creating an effective CMC operating model is crucial when working with external partners. Federica emphasises the importance of a clear internal structure that is visible to CMOs:

“What is really key is the structure that you have internally and then externally. So what the CMO can see of your structure when dealing with partners,” she explains.

MSD utilises a ‘virtual plant team’ model, which includes representatives from key functions such as operations, technology, quality, supply chain, and procurement. This structure provides:

While it’s ideal to match these roles with counterparts at the CMO, Federica acknowledges that this isn’t always possible. “It doesn’t mean that each function needs to be one-to-one matched at the CMO, but you do need to know where it is matched, even if it is the same person or the same function,” she advises.

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“Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword in the pharmaceutical industry. It’s a critical business imperative,” says Hywel Woolf, Global Sustainability Manager at Sharp Services. “

“We’re seeing it become a golden thread in who organizations are and what they intend to deliver, driven by both compliance requirements and client demand.”

Hywel Woolf brings extensive experience in environmental management to his role as Global Sustainability Manager at Sharp Services, a leader in commercial packaging, clinical services, and sterile manufacturing for pharmaceuticals. With a background spanning consultancy, construction, and heavy manufacturing, Hywel now applies his expertise to drive sustainability initiatives across Sharp’s global operations.

In a recent interview at CPHI Milan, Hywel shared insights into Sharp’ sustainability journey, highlighting the company’s strategic approach to reducing environmental impact across its diverse business units. He explains how Sharp is tackling the challenges of sustainable packaging, managing scope 3 emissions, and collaborating with suppliers and industry partners to drive positive change in the pharmaceutical supply chain.

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“Manufacturing network strategy is about connecting the dots and seeing the interconnectivity between different brands,” explains Daniel Hurni, Director of Manufacturing Network Strategy and Business Intelligence at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS).

Daniel Hurni brings years of life sciences expertise to his role at BMS, where he is responsible for shaping overarching manufacturing network strategies across small molecules, biologics, and cell and gene therapy business units. His experience spans technical transfer projects, incident management, and long-term strategic planning.

In a the latest episode of the PharmaSource podcast, Daniel shared invaluable insights into the complexities of developing and implementing an effective manufacturing network strategy in the pharmaceutical industry.

He explains why a robust long-term manufacturing network strategy is crucial for optimizing costs, improving margins, and ensuring supply chain resilience in an increasingly complex global landscape.

Live from CPHI Milan 2024, this episode is a roundup of conversations with a number of key exhibitors Recipharm, Tjoapack, Renaissance Lakewood, Ecolab and NovaCina.

As you'll hear, it was a noisy event, so written transcripts are all available on PharmaSource.

"As Americans, we are very unaware of the value proposition of Poland," says Marty Henehan, highlighting the untapped potential of Central European biopharmaceutical manufacturing for North American biotechs.

Marty Henehan, Vice President of Business Development and Head of North America at Mabion sheds light on the advantages of partnering with a Polish CDMO for drug development and manufacturing services.

Speaking to the PharmaSource podcast during CPHI Milan, Marty explains how Mabion's transformation from a biosimilar company to a full-service CDMO has positioned them to offer cost-effective, high-quality solutions for biotechs worldwide, particularly those in North America.

Joerg Ahlgrimm brings over two decades of experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing and operations to his role as Chief Executive Officer at SK pharmteco.

His distinguished career includes leadership positions at Schering, Baxter, and Lonza, where he managed 35 facilities during a period of unprecedented growth. He was one of the founding members of the Center for Breakthrough Medicines (CBM), where he served as employee number four and helped build the operation from scratch before the CDMO was acquired by SK pharmteco.

In this exclusive interview, Joerg shares insights into SK pharmteco’s strategic vision, the future of pharmaceutical outsourcing, and why making outsourcing “easy” is crucial for success in the evolving CDMO landscape. His unique perspective comes from having experienced both sides of a major acquisition, overseeing the integration of CDM into SK pharmteco.

Joerg Ahlgrimm, CEO of SK pharmteco, believes the CDMO industry is heading for significant consolidation: “If you fast forward 10 years, there will probably be 10-15 large, multi-modality CDMOs, with many smaller and specialised ones being bought.” Read the full article on PharmaSource

"In underserved markets, there's always a challenge of reaching patients due to political and economic pressures. Through smart packaging, logistics, and distribution, we're committed to providing healthcare solutions across our network of more than 100 distributors," says Samir El Nasharty, Chief Operations Officer at Acino.

Samir El Nasharty leads an experienced global team of over 1,000 Tech Ops professionals at Acino, a Swiss pharmaceutical company established in 1836. As part of the Arcera Life Science platform, established by ADQ, an Abu Dhabi-based investment and holding company, Acino focuses on delivering high-quality pharmaceutical products to emerging markets across the Middle East, Africa, Ukraine, CIS, and Latin America.

Speaking to the PharmaSource podcast at CPHI Milan, Samir provides detailed insights into managing complex manufacturing networks, implementing digital transformation initiatives, and steering the company's strategy through challenging market conditions while ensuring consistent medical supply to underserved regions.

“The GLP-1 agonist market is seeing unprecedented growth, and we’re investing €900 million to capture a fair amount of that business,” says Dr Mimoun Ayoub, Senior VP and Global Head of Sales at CordenPharma, outlining the CDMO’s most ambitious expansion plan to date in response to surging demand for peptide manufacturing.

Dr Mimoun Ayoub serves as Senior VP and Global Head of Sales and Key Account Management at CordenPharma, a full-service CDMO operating an extensive network of 11 cGMP facilities across Europe and the US. With decades of experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing and a deep understanding of the CDMO landscape, he oversees the company’s global sales strategy and manages relationships with key pharmaceutical and biotech partners.

Speaking to the PharmaSource podcast at CPHI Milan, Dr Ayoub provided detailed insights into CordenPharma’s expansion plans, particularly in the rapidly growing GLP-1 market, and discussed how the CDMO is positioning itself to support pharmaceutical companies’ evolving needs across multiple technology platforms.

“The industry is back, and we’re uniquely positioned to provide end-to-end services, including clinical trials. That’s what we mean by CDMO plus CRO – it’s a complete 360-degree set of operations,” says Dr. Anil Kane, Executive Director and Global Head of Technical & Scientific Affairs at Thermo Fisher Scientific.

Dr. Kane leads Thermo Fisher’s technical and scientific initiatives, bringing extensive experience in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing. His expertise spans multiple modalities, from small molecules to advanced therapies, positioning him at the forefront of innovative drug development solutions.

Speaking to the PharmaSource podcast at CPHI Milan, Dr. Kane explained Thermo Fisher’s latest initiative, Accelerator™ Drug Development, which combines their Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation (CDMO) capabilities with Contract Research Organisation (CRO) services from their PPD acquisition. This integrated approach aims to streamline the complex journey from pre-clinical development to commercialisation, offering a truly connected and customisable suite of services.

The 2021 acquisition of PPD marked a pivotal moment in Thermo Fisher’s evolution, enabling the creation of a comprehensive service offering that spans the entire drug development spectrum. This integration brings together:

“This combination of services brings efficiency, reducing cost and time for our partners to run drug development from very early stage, through clinical phases, to approval and bringing medicines to patients faster,” explains Kane. “We help our clients even put documentations together for IND, NDA, and other regulatory submissions.”

Read the full interview on PharmaSource