J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference 2026: Targeting a Competitive Future

For Jeremie Trochu from Ardena, therapeutic selectivity, regional manufacturing resilience, and operational connectivity will prove to be critical themes for the industry over the coming months.

As bio/pharma industry leaders convene in San Franciso from Jan. 12, 2026 to set the agenda for the year to come, certain high-conviction priorities, such as therapeutic selectivity and operational connectivity, are becoming apparent. In an exclusive preview interview with The Pharma Navigator, Jeremie Trochu, CEO of Ardena, offers his insights into the trends that will define the competitive landscape in 2026 and beyond.

The Next Wave of Precision Medicine

TPN: Is there a specific emerging therapeutic modality that you believe will experience the most significant jump in development interest at this year’s event?

Trochu: Two areas are gaining clear development momentum: next-generation drug conjugates and advanced nanomedicine platforms, both driven by the same underlying need for more precise and controlled delivery of potent payloads.

The drug conjugate field is expanding beyond classical ADCs [antibody-drug conjugate] into a broader XDC [X-drug conjugate] landscape, supported by advances in linker chemistry, payload design and targeting modalities, complemented by more robust translational biomarker frameworks that help refine target selection and patient stratification. Together, these developments are extending conjugation approaches across a much wider range of targets, payloads, and disease areas.

In parallel, nanomedicines are increasingly used to address delivery and formulation challenges such as controlling biodistribution, protecting sensitive payloads and enabling the development of complex or unstable drugs. While technically distinct from traditional antibody drug conjugates, both approaches share a common scientific principle: combining a payload with a carrier or targeting mechanism to improve selectivity, efficacy and safety for unmet patient needs.

At Ardena, we see this firsthand. With more than a decade of GMP experience across multiple nanoparticle platforms, including lipid, polymer, and metal-based systems, we support dozens of clinical programs where conjugation and advanced delivery strategies increasingly converge. This is shaping the next wave of precision medicine and will be a defining theme for the industry in 2026 and beyond.

Evolving into a More Structured Approach

TPN: How is the conversation around onshoring and domestic manufacturing resilience evolving this year compared to previous years, particularly within the context of risk management for long-term supply?

Trochu: The onshoring conversation has evolved from a reactive response to recent disruptions into a more structured approach to long-term risk management. Rather than fully reshoring supply chains, biopharma companies are prioritizing regional resilience, ensuring critical manufacturing steps can be executed locally where it matters most, while maintaining flexibility and redundancies across regions.

This has led to a re-balancing of global manufacturing footprints. Investors and regulators increasingly expect credible regional optionality, such as US-for-US and EU-for-EU supply, combined with enterprise-wide standardization of quality systems, processes and data. The objective is not duplication for its own sake, but predictable execution, transparency and control across a global resilient network.

At the same time, the focus is shifting away from building sheer capacity toward improving operational productivity and responsiveness. New investments are centered on flexible infrastructure, digital oversight, faster tech transfer and more resilient supplier strategies, allowing manufacturers to adapt to volatility without compromising quality or long-term supply commitments.

Gaining a Competitive Edge Through Connectivity

TPN: Finally, if you had to name one operational priority that biopharma peers must master in 2026 to remain competitive, what would it be?

Trochu: In 2026, competitiveness will be defined by how effectively companies turn complex data into confident, compliant execution across development and manufacturing.

AI [artificial intelligence] and digitalization are becoming essential enablers of that capability. The strongest returns are emerging where AI is embedded into data-heavy, routine workflows such as analytical development, process monitoring, deviation management, tech transfer, and regulatory documentation. Faster and more consistent interpretation of complex datasets directly improves cycle times, execution quality, and operational reliability.

The real challenge is integration. Fragmented data environments limit impact, and in GMP settings AI outputs must be explainable and auditable to be used at scale. Companies that succeed will be those that invest in connected data architectures and embedded digital tools that support day-to-day decisions, strengthening execution under uncertainty rather than treating AI as a standalone initiative.

About the Interviewee

Jeremie Trochu is the CEO of Ardena, where he leads a global team of talented scientists delivering advanced drug development, manufacturing and bioanalytical services for biopharma companies developing complex and innovative molecules. Over the course of the past 20 years, Jeremie has worked across the healthcare and life sciences sectors, building and scaling businesses globally. Prior to joining Ardena, he held senior leadership roles at Catalent, where he supported the company’s evolution into a global Tier 1 CDMO and led various businesses across small and large molecules, development, manufacturing, and analytical services.

Attending the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference this year, Jeremie’s focus will be on how industry continues to adapt to sustained volatility and uncertainty, while supporting clients as they navigate these challenges and enabling innovation. Since becoming CEO of Ardena in June 2024, Jeremie has been guiding the company through this new environment by expanding its scientific depth, strengthening the operational discipline, investing in additional capacity and capabilities to help biopharma innovators advance the next generation of precision medicines to reach patients faster.

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