Unlocking Value Through Strategic Alignment and Flexibility
Emerging biotech and pharmaceutical companies consistently face the intricate challenge of balancing time, cost, and risk. As these organisations strive to develop novel therapies and bring them to market, meticulous resource management is paramount to ensuring company success. Franciane Chevot, Senior Business Development Manager at Almac Sciences, led a roundtable at CDMO Live 2025 with representatives from biotech, consultancy, and contract manufacturing organisations , discussing how to maximise every euro when developing a smart CMC strategy.
From this roundtable, three key takeaways were highlighted on which all participants agreed had an important contribution to developing effective CMC strategies.
1. Due Diligence: The Foundation of Successful Partnerships
Due diligence should be the first step before engaging with any partner. It is essential when selecting a CDMO partner to ensure they meet regulatory standards, possess the necessary technical capabilities, and align with your quality expectations. It also helps mitigate risks related to supply chain reliability, intellectual property protection, and long-term strategic fit.
Information based on parameters such as referrals, previous experience, detailed request-for-information documents, website content, case studies, and many more factors is essential to establishing whether the partnership could be a good outsourcing fit.
A technical match for each request is essential. Procurement teams within large companies possess a comprehensive understanding of the service provider landscape. In contrast, emerging biotech firms often lack the time and resources to dedicate to this task. In such instances, consultants can provide substantial value by leveraging their technical expertise and industry understanding.
Finally, examining a company’s culture should not be neglected. Cultural fit is crucial when engaging with a CDMO partner, as aligned values, communication styles, and expectations foster smoother collaboration, faster decision-making, and stronger long-term relationships. “Almac welcomes customers to visit their facilities and meet the technical team at their manufacturing sites. We’ve found this approach to be the best way of demonstrating the quality of our communication and our expertise,” said Franciane.
2. Strategic Alignment: The Cornerstone of Value
Strategic alignment ensures that both the sponsor and CDMO share a unified vision, enabling efficient scope definition, resource allocation, and value delivery throughout the development lifecycle. By aligning on goals, culture, and communication from the outset, companies can avoid costly missteps and foster resilient, long-term partnerships that adapt to evolving project needs. This was strongly agreed upon by all panel participants and is key to “maximising every euro” within a project.
Franciane summarised the panel’s thoughts: “Sharing strategy helps to align scope, thereby ensuring optimal value for money.” This insight underscores the importance of early and transparent communication amongst all stakeholders to guarantee that everyone is working towards unified objectives. All proposal writers at Almac have a strong scientific background, which adds an extra layer of scrutiny to the activities to be undertaken to reach the desired outcome. By clearly defining the project’s scope from the outset, biotechs can avoid costly missteps and ensure that every euro is deployed effectively.
3. Flexibility: Adapting to Evolving Projects
Flexibility in CDMO partnerships enables rapid adaptation to evolving project needs, minimising delays and ensuring continuity from early development through to commercialisation. This theme emerged as a pivotal element in the panel discussion, with participants highlighting the necessity for CDMOs to be capable of reallocating resources as project scopes evolve, especially in the early stages of drug development.
Projects often undergo significant changes as new data and information become available. CDMOs that possess the capability to adapt to these changes and reallocate resources accordingly are invaluable partners. Their ability to pivot and adjust ensures that emerging biotechs can continue to progress without being hindered by rigid planning.
Implementing Smart CMC Strategies
To effectively implement smart CMC strategies, emerging biotechs should focus on fostering strong relationships with their CDMOs. This involves setting clear expectations, maintaining open lines of communication, and being prepared to adjust plans as necessary. Franciane shared that Almac Sciences’ project managers – all with scientific backgrounds – effectively bridge the gap between diverse project activities and provide proactive support for project delivery.
By cultivating a collaborative environment, biotechs and CDMOs can work together to achieve shared goals and optimise resource allocation.
In summary, the panel concluded that smart CMC strategy should focus on strategic alignment, flexibility, and thorough due diligence, without neglecting the cultural aspect. Implementing this smart CMC strategy could maximise every euro to its most effective use, utilise resources for the best outcome which, in turn, will support long-term company success.
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