The Outsourcing Pivot for Bio/Pharma Innovation

Facing a world of political risk and scientific hurdles, pharma companies are downsizing internal footprints to focus on portfolio management while leaning on CDMOs for specialized execution, explains Owen Murray from Bend Bioscience.

Geopolitical instability, rising demand for greater affordability, and increased therapeutic complexity are creating additional hurdles for bio/pharma companies. To learn more about the nuances of these challenges and how service providers are helping companies to overcome them, The Pharma Navigator sat down with Owen Murray, Chief Executive Officer from Bend Bioscience.

A Strategic Lever

TPN: Could you highlight any specific trends that are having a significant impact on the bio/pharma outsourcing market?

Murray: Political dynamics are reshaping pharma’s global footprint, with governments pushing for onshoring to secure supply chains. Yet for many companies, the promise of domestic production is more mirage than boon — limited by cost, labor, and infrastructure realities.

At the same time, cost pressures are driving pharma to downsize internal capabilities. What remains in-house is strategic: portfolio management, regulatory oversight, and program direction. What gets outsourced are the specialized, capital-intensive technologies that demand deep expertise and flexible scale.

Outsourcing is no longer just about saving money. It has become a strategic lever, with CDMOs acting as innovation partners, helping pharma companies stay nimble in a world where political risk and scientific complexity continue to rise.

Supporting a Sharper Focus

TPN: How is the push for greater cost efficiency and affordability, reshaping the bio/pharma outsourcing landscape?

Murray: The industry’s drive for cost efficiency and affordability is forcing a shift in how pharma approaches outsourcing. Instead of spreading resources thin across multiple avenues, companies are moving toward risk-based, science-driven decision making. The goal is to define what’s ‘good enough’ from a risk perspective, then double down on the one or two approaches most likely to succeed, rather than testing every possible option.

Outsourcing partners are being asked to support this sharper focus — delivering rapid data, specialized expertise, and flexible models that allow sponsors to make high-conviction bets. AI, in silico modeling, and advanced analytics are amplifying this trend, enabling pharma to triage possibilities earlier, de-risk development, and reduce wasted spend. The result is a more disciplined, partnership-oriented outsourcing landscape, where efficiency and innovation go hand-in-hand.  

Constant Innovation Required

TPN: As next-generation therapies become more prevalent, what specific technological and logistical challenges will CROs and CDMOs need to address to scale production and ensure quality and compliance?

Murray: As more complex molecular modalities, such as PROTACs [proteolysis targeting chimera] and other next-generation therapies move into the mainstream, CROs and CDMOs can no longer act as just a pair of hands — they must be true innovation partners with the infrastructure, expertise, and flexibility to scale.

For the few therapies that reach blockbuster status, providers will need to slot into global supply chains, where the competition will be on cost, efficiency, and reliability at scale. Yet the broader reality is that most emerging therapies are targeted and niche, serving smaller patient populations. This creates a different challenge: CDMOs must manage complex, multiproduct portfolios simultaneously, each with unique regulatory, quality, and logistical requirements.

Success in this environment will require constant innovation — from new drug delivery technologies to modular facilities and digital quality systems to supply chain orchestration — ensuring that next-generation therapies are both compliant and commercially viable.

Unlocking New Potential

TPN: How are advancements in AI and automation being leveraged by biopharma companies and their outsourcing partners to improve R&D, manufacturing, and supply chain efficiency?

Murray: For biopharma and their outsourcing partners, AI and automation are still in the early days. Only recently is the industry beginning to look seriously at how these technologies can reshape R&D, manufacturing, and supply chains. The near-term impact will be felt in the automation of recurring, algorithmic tasks — from data entry to routine quality checks — driving speed and efficiency across operations.

The bigger prize lies in AI’s ability to analyze vast and complex data sets, turning noise into actionable conclusions that support faster, smarter decision-making. From optimizing clinical trial designs to predicting supply chain bottlenecks, the potential is enormous. As adoption accelerates, AI and automation will shift from efficiency tools to strategic enablers, unlocking new levels of insight, productivity, and competitiveness.

Giving Way to Agile Environments

TPN: What is the future of the traditional ‘one line, one product’ manufacturing model, and how will contract organizations adapt to a more agile, multi-product environment?

Murray: The traditional ‘one line, one product’ model is giving way to a more agile, multi-product manufacturing environment. For captive, single-product facilities, this shift creates challenges — costly underutilization, rigid operations, and limited flexibility. By contrast, it plays directly to the strengths of CDMOs, which are designed to handle multi-product portfolios, balance capacity across clients, and scale resources as needed.

As therapies become more targeted and diverse, contract organizations will continue to refine flexible infrastructure, digital scheduling, and modular production systems. This adaptability positions CDMOs not just as cost-effective alternatives, but as the preferred model for the future of pharma manufacturing. 

Rethinking Sourcing Strategies

TPN: With an increasing focus on supply chain security and geopolitical tensions, what strategies can service providers employ to mitigate risks associated with international outsourcing?

Murray: With geopolitical tensions and supply chain vulnerabilities in the spotlight, service providers are rethinking traditional global sourcing strategies. One of the most effective approaches is to embrace local and regional supply models, reducing reliance on complex, multi-region sourcing networks.

For example, CDMOs can establish redundant manufacturing hubs within key markets — such as North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific — to ensure continuity even if trade routes are disrupted. Similarly, sourcing critical inputs like APIs, excipients, or packaging materials from regional suppliers can mitigate the risks of cross-border bottlenecks.

The future lies in designing supply chains that are resilient, modular, and closer to the patient — not just cheaper. By adopting this model, outsourcing partners can deliver both security and speed, giving pharma sponsors confidence that production will withstand political and logistical shocks.

At Bend Bioscience, we believe that the future of pharma outsourcing lies in bold thinking and precise execution. As scientific challenges grow more complex and market pressures intensify, CDMO partners must deliver more than just capacity — they must bring curiosity, commitment, and technical depth to every engagement. That’s why we’ve built our approach around high science and high service, providing a collaborative, solution-oriented experience that adapts to the unique needs of each program. Whether you're looking to accelerate an early formulation, scale a late-phase therapy, or solve for a multi-release dosage challenge, Bend Bioscience is here to make your molecule remarkable

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