Pfizer CentreOne is an “altogether different kind of CDMO”. Unlike a pure play contract development and manufacturing partner, they don’t own their own plants and pharmaceutical development centres. Instead their customers can leverage the wealth of expertise and state-of-the-art facilities Pfizer possesses.
Ahead of CDMO Live 2024 we sat down with Thomas P. Wilson, VP of Global Contract Manufacturing at Pfizer CentreOne, to discuss how their integrated business model sets them apart from other contract manufacturing partners.
Best in class expertise
Pfizer CentreOne offers a comprehensive range of services including small molecule API, solid oral dose, sterile injectables, biologics, and cell & gene therapies.
“Pfizer spends over a billion dollars every year to maintain our global network of 38 plants.” says Tom.
“When we bring a client partner on board, they get access to the same manufacturing work centres, scientists, and analysts that Pfizer uses for its products. We have robust ways of controlling intellectual property, ensuring we’re protecting our clients and our own IP.”
“Pfizer’s main mission statement is ‘time is life’. We bring that patient centricity to our CDMO practice. Clients are usually surprised that we’re not talking immediately about our technology, but instead about their patient’s journey, then how can we help make a difference.”
Balancing Capacity for Customers
To ensure that Pfizer always has enough capacity for clients long term, they utilise a capacity management tool that goes down to the worksite with a 10-year utilisation outlook.
“When we do our capacity modelling, we do everything based on demonstrated performance, not on theoretical performance. That’s how we protect our client partners,” Tom explains.
Navigating Disruptions and Black Swan Events
In recent years, the pharmaceutical industry has faced numerous disruptions, from delays in clinical trials during COVID-19 to new legislation and acquisitions. “All this has introduced a lot of risk for innovating pharma companies who are having to take action, sometimes with tech transfer, to recover their timelines and patient base,” says Tom.
“We’re seeing a lot of customers coming to us asking, what we can do creatively to mitigate the impact on their timelines.”
“Pfizer has been doing launches forever. We’re 175 years old so there aren’t too many hurdles that we haven’t faced before. If we don’t already have a solution for it, we have a series of mitigating actions that we’ve done in the past that have been successful and proven.
Advice for Finding the Right Partner
“When you are picking a CDMO you’re picking a marriage partner,” says Tom. “It is so complex and expensive, to move off of an existing relationship, particularly if you’re moving through the approval process.”
He advises both sides of the table to think about their journey together. “Do you have the same set of underlying values? Do you look at the world the same way? Do you have the same objectives? Can you bring your cultures together?” These are all underlying things to consider because “If you’re going to have to have this product that’s your child, you need to raise that child together properly!”
The importance of expectation management
The greatest challenge in this industry is often misaligned expectations. It’s crucial to share expectations upfront. “If I’m on the buy side, I want to make sure that the CMO that I’m talking to, and eventually the CMO that I select, understands my expectations and vice versa,” says Tom
If both sides are clear about what’s important to each other, they can find a successful path forward.
Given the global nature of the industry, it’s essential to use a common language and understand what the other party is saying. “Whether you’re doing that in English, French, German, or Mandarin, it doesn’t matter. You’ve just got to make sure that both sides are clear upfront,” he concludes. This clarity can help prevent misunderstandings and ensure a smooth, productive partnership.
Connect with the Pfizer CentreOne team at CDMO Live in June. Register here for your ticket
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