DCAT Week 2026: Aligning Science and Strategy
To secure the long-term continuity of global supply there needs to be a convergence of operational excellence and advanced chemistry, note Almac’s James Hurst and Prof. Tom Moody.
The global biopharmaceutical landscape of 2026 is being defined by a necessary tension between a need for geographical security and increasing molecular complexity. In this exclusive interview, The Pharma Navigator sits down with James Hurts, VP Operations & Charnwood Site Head, Almac Pharma Services, and Prof. Tom Moody, Vice President of API Development and Commercialization at Almac Sciences and Arran Chemical Company, to gain their insights on the rise of “right-shoring” and the integrated technologies needed to unlock the potential of today’s complex molecules..
Carefully Considering Regionalization
TPN: As a result of various factors, including geopolitical ones, industry is moving away from globalized supply chains towards more regionalized approaches. How can companies be sure that their re-shoring approach is best for their project? Is there any advice that you would offer pertaining to re-shoring or ‘right-shoring’ perhaps?
Hurst: To decide if re‑shoring is the right option, focus on two key areas: risk assessment and full lifecycle costs.
Start with risks, not geography. Identify what matters most for your product — API availability, cold‑chain requirements, regulatory complexity, or political risk. Some products benefit from being close to market, while others rely more on specialist expertise than physical location.
Consider the full lifecycle costs. Re‑shoring can improve resilience, but organizations often underestimate the cost and effort of changing regions, qualifying new suppliers, or recreating established capabilities. True resilience means ensuring consistent, reliable supply from development through commercialization.
In summary, re‑shoring isn’t a simple yes/no decision; it should be part of a broader continuity‑of‑supply strategy. Ask yourself: Where will my product be safest and most reliable? How quickly can we respond to disruption? And does my partner have the expertise to support long‑term supply?
At Almac, we help clients evaluate these questions. The goal isn’t just to bring supply ‘home’, but to build a resilient, future‑proof supply chain that protects both the product and the patient.
Moody: We are undoubtedly seeing a structural move toward regionalization as companies respond to rising raw material costs and the risks created by the heavy concentration of API supply in a few geographies. But reshoring is not a one size fits all solution. The right answer is what I call ‘rightshoring’ — placing each stage of development and manufacturing where regulatory agility, technical capability, and long-term resilience are best aligned.
A key consideration is understanding the regulatory burden. Site transfers often require substantial revalidation and dossier updates, which can introduce operational delays and cost exposure — particularly for older products. Companies also need to account for the growing import compliance complexity created by geopolitical shifts and evolving trade rules; waiting for clarity is no longer a viable strategy.
From an Almac perspective, the most successful programs start with a science and risk-based evaluation, not a geographic one. Route design, technology deployment opportunities, scalability and the availability of specialist expertise will often determine where a process truly belongs. For some assets, regionalization enhances resilience; for others, global optionality still offers the best balance of capability and cost.
A Broad Toolkit to Overcome Solubility
TPN: Poor solubility has long been an issue for drug developers and is only becoming more prevalent. What options are available to companies to help improve the solubility of their molecules that were once considered impossible to develop and what role do service providers play in helping sponsors in this area?
Moody: Poor aqueous solubility has challenged drug developers for decades, and as pipelines continue to shift toward increasingly complex, lipophilic small molecules, this issue is only becoming more pronounced. Yet, what was once considered ‘undruggable’ can now be progressed with the right combination of scientific insight and technology.
Today, companies have access to a far broader toolkit than ever before. Traditional approaches such as salt formation, particle-size reduction, and polymorph screening remain important, but we are seeing significant impact from more advanced enabling technologies; amorphous solid dispersions, lipid‑based formulations, and complexation strategies using cyclodextrins, for example. These solutions allow developers to overcome bioavailability barriers without fundamentally altering the pharmacology of the molecule.
Where service providers add real value is in integrating these disciplines. Sponsors often face solubility issues at multiple points — from candidate selection to final drug product — so having a partner with end‑to‑end capability across chemistry, solid-form optimization, and formulation is essential. At Almac Sciences, for instance, we routinely bring together our technology teams, material science experts, and formulation scientists to evaluate the molecule holistically rather than in isolation. That joined‑up approach helps identify the most appropriate and most scalable strategy earlier, reducing attrition and shortening time to clinic.
Equally important is experience. Solubility challenges are rarely textbook; each molecule behaves differently. Service providers bring the benefit of having solved hundreds of these problems before, using data-driven decision making, scalable processes, and proven technology platforms. For sponsors, that means de‑risking development programs that might otherwise stall and creating a clearer path to a differentiated, manufacturable drug product.
In short, solubility issues are increasing — but so too is our ability to solve them. With the right combination of innovative science and experienced partners, molecules once deemed ‘impossible’ are now very much within reach.
Hurst: Poor aqueous solubility has been a persistent challenge for drug developers, and as molecular complexity increases, it’s becoming even more common. The good news is that a broad toolkit now exists to enhance solubility and bioavailability for molecules that were once considered too difficult to progress.
From particle‑size engineering, amorphous solid dispersions (spray‑dried intermediates and hot‑melt extrusion), porous carrier materials, through to lipid‑based formulations — there are a lot of options available, each with their own benefits and drawbacks. The key is identifying the right technology for your product, supported by robust pre‑formulation and developability assessments to understand the molecule’s behavior, and benefits that the technology can deliver before selecting the most appropriate path forward.
This is where service providers play a critical role. A partner with deep scientific expertise, integrated development and manufacturing capabilities, and experience of enabling technologies can guide sponsors through those complex decisions. At Almac Pharma Services, we help clients de‑risk development by applying data‑driven screening, rapid prototyping and scalable process design, ensuring that the selected solubility‑enhancement strategy is not only scientifically sound but commercially viable.
Ultimately, our role is to help sponsors unlock the therapeutic potential of challenging molecules and ensure they can be developed safely, efficiently and with long-term manufacturability in mind.
Bridging Capability and Commercial Insights
TPN: Finally, what are you most looking forward to at DCAT Week 2026?
Hurst: DCAT Week is one of the most valuable opportunities in our calendar to engage directly with our partners, understand their evolving needs and explore how we can continue to support them as their programs progress.
It’s also a chance to connect with industry colleagues, share perspectives on where the market is heading and highlight the investments Almac Pharma Services is making to ensure we remain a trusted, future‑focused CDMO partner. Ultimately, DCAT is about building and enhancing relationships and I’m looking forward to the meaningful engagements that help drive mutual success.
Moody: DCAT Week is always a highlight in the calendar, and this year I’m particularly looking forward to the conversations that help shape where our industry is heading next. It’s one of the few events that brings together senior decision‑makers from across the global supply chain in such a focused, commercially driven environment.
For me, the real value comes from the strategic discussions — exploring new partnership models, understanding where our customers’ pressures are shifting, and identifying opportunities where innovative chemistry and technology can genuinely move the needle for their programs.
I’m also looking forward to reconnecting with long‑standing partners and meeting new ones. The pace of change in pharma is accelerating, and DCAT creates the perfect forum to align science, supply, and strategy in a meaningful way.
Ultimately, it’s about collaboration. When we bring together deep technical capability with the right commercial insight, we can help sponsors advance complex molecules more efficiently — and that’s exactly the kind of dialogue I expect from DCAT Week 2026.
About the Interviewees
James Hurst is the the VP Operations, and Charnwood Site Head at Almac Pharma Services. His primary responsibility is overseeing operational performance, strategic site leadership, and ensuring that the technical operations at Charnwood, and multi-site product development service offering continue to support Almac’s partners with their development and commercial programs.
James’ background spans extensive experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing, operations leadership and cross‑functional delivery across development, pre‑launch, launch, and commercial supply chains. He works closely with colleagues across multiple functions to drive consistency, operational excellence, and strong client outcomes.
Prof. Tom Moody is the Vice President of API Development and Commercialisation at Almac Sciences and Arran Chemical Company, and he is a recognized leader in biocatalysis, chiral chemistry, and advanced technology integration for pharmaceutical API manufacturing. Tom has nearly 30 years of combined academic and industry experience, driving innovative processes from early research through to commercial scale‑up. He has written and contributed to approximately 150 publications and patents, and holds an honorary professorship at Queen’s University Belfast.
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