Recipharm’s Strategic Moves: Embracing Predictive Modeling and GLP-1 Trends

Jon Reed, Head of Strategic Business Planning at Recipharm, recently shared insights into the CDMO’s latest innovations and market strategies.

Speaking to the PharmaSource podcast at CPHI Milan, Jon explains how Recipharm, one of the largest CDMOs in the industry with 18 global manufacturing sites, focuses on oral solid dose, sterile products, and more recently, biologics through their ReciBioPharm division.

A key development for Recipharm in 2024 is the launch of ReciPredict, a modelling tool designed to address customers’ speed-to-market concerns. Reed explains, “ReciPredict is a modelling tool to be able to transfer products into one of our facilities in a shorter time frame. It’s all about modelling the actual product itself, looking at how the product would react within larger scale equipment.”

Recipharm is also expanding its capabilities in sterile liquids, responding to two market trends: the demand for high-volume GLP-1 products and the need for smaller-scale, more personalised medicines. Reed notes, “In our sterile facility, we not only have the large-scale capabilities, but we’re now also developing smaller scale, more flexible lines to address the emerging requirements from the industry.”

Regarding the GLP-1 trend, Recipharm is well-positioned to handle both injectable and oral formulations. “We can handle both large scale volumes in oral products as well as the sterile products,” Reed states, highlighting the company’s adaptability to this significant market shift.

Looking ahead to 2025, Reed expresses optimism about the industry’s stability. “I think we’re going into more of a stable environment now,” he says.

“GLP-1 is a product we start to see coming on board, and we start seeing what the impact could be. It won’t just be like COVID, where there was a big spike and then it went away.” This predictability, Reed believes, allows for better future planning in the industry.