Contract manufacturing became popular in many
industries during the 1990s as a way to counter rising
costs and to reinvestment. The pharmaceutical industry
has been slow to adopt this practice because of its
absolute need for secrecy.
However, with fewer blockbuster drugs in the pipeline,
companies are on the lookout for an enduring solution to meet market challenges. These include rising process costs, resulting from stricter quality control criteria, evolving technologies, which are becoming more complex and costly, and the increasing stringency of regulatory standards. To maintain or expand market shares, pharmaceutical companies must devise new strategies to remain competitive.
Finding a suitable contract manufacturer is, perhaps, one of the most viable options. The pharmaceutical
company can concentrate effort and money on research and development and marketing, while the contract manufacturer takes care of the manufacturing process, including validation, support for license application and packaging. In addition, outsourcing can be scheduled into the strategic planning of a drug’s lifecycle.
