Why Agility Matters When Choosing an API Contract Manufacturing Partner

A company’s ability to pivot and adapt — its agility — is more than just an asset. In today’s dynamic contract manufacturing landscape, it’s a necessity. Agility allows a CDMO to respond and adapt quickly and efficiently to changes in the marketplace.
In fact, according to observations at the 2023 CPHI worldwide pharma industry event, flexibility in response to project demands— such as scope expansions, volume increases, project termination or adjustments in response to research outcomes—is considered the single most important characteristic of CDMOs.
Pharmaceutical contract manufacturers must always stay aware of and keep pace with ongoing supply chain disruptions, unprecedented technological advances, geopolitical instability, regulatory uncertainties, environmental changes and more. The nature of this current industrial reality makes agile manufacturing more important than ever.
This post explores five crucial ways in which agility helps your API CDMO partner respond to your changing needs – ensuring they have the flexibility and production capacity to scale and speed delivery of your products.
The Benefits of Agility in a CDMO
Agility supports competitive advantage, reduces downtime, and leads to significant cost savings, all of which drive profits for pharma companies and their manufacturing partners. Time saved means more support for further research and testing. And all of this ultimately paves the way to increased market share and higher profits.
Here are five ways agility drives speed to market.
Enhanced Risk Management
Risk mitigation is based on a proactive approach to management that helps reduce downtime in the manufacturing process. Agile CDMOs can more easily mitigate risks related to market volatility. Since agile companies are by nature more productive and efficient, they can quickly adapt to market changes, supply chain challenges or changing customer needs and are well equipped to find new solutions to potential problems before they escalate into major issues.
Optimized Cost Management
Agile manufacturing systems are responsive by design. This means agile API manufacturers offer their partners optimized cost management and efficient resource allocation. This avoids the financial implications of process inefficiency. And more efficient processes not only increase productivity, they reduce waste, which also adds to cost savings.
Accelerated Time-to-Market
Ideal contract manufacturing partners offer accelerated time-to-market. Rapid scaling of processes ensures timely product launches. This is critical in a highly competitive industry. Whether changes are being driven by consumer demand, technology, or market dynamics, an agile manufacturer can keep pace, delivering on time as needed.
Agile projects have been shown to reduce time to market by 55 percent or more. This reduction in time to market can lead to earlier realization of revenue, from which higher profits result.
Innovation and R&D
Agile API contract manufacturers collaborate seamlessly with drug sponsor R&D teams in support of new drug formulations. This is essential as new drug formulations often require novel manufacturing processes and techniques.
Contract requirements can also change suddenly due to results of clinical trials and other research outcomes. Swift adaptation to research, development, and market changes is made possible by integrating emerging technologies and responsively iterating novel innovations and adaptations. The responsiveness of teams ensures effective collaborations that support timely product launches and efficient processes.
Regulatory Compliance
The regulatory environment of the pharmaceutical industry is constantly changing. The inherent responsiveness of agile processes makes them ideal for adapting to evolving global regulatory standards and requirements.
The ultimate end result of properly implemented agility is stakeholder satisfaction. Agile manufacturers are adept at ensuring a consistent and timely API supply, which boosts stakeholder confidence.
Source: Neulandlabs