Outsourcing Trends in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Core Messages

• Pharma companies are using external service providers along the whole supply chain.
• Highly specialised research service providers are increasingly playing a more important role and are an integrative part of the pharma R&D processes.
• With the 'leased competence' model the external service providers are completely integrated into the process-oriented structures of the pharma company.
• Flexible structures within the network of service providers makes it possible for pharma research to be more effective and efficient.
• However, the interfaces have to defined in such a way that the complexity is reduced.
• Strategic outsourcing will however, take on an important role in the future with regard to increasing efficiency, as many new technologies are expensive and can not be vorgehalten in the company.
• In active pharmaceutical ingredients outsourcing has decreased due to the under-utilisation of internal capacities.
• A clear trend is seen to separate process development and production, as pharma companies want to be process owner.