Reducing pharma vendor complexity: Why integration matters more than ever
As injectable drug products become increasingly sophisticated, the path from development to commercial manufacturing is becoming harder to manage. Formulation development, analytical testing, manufacturing readiness, regulatory planning and fill-finish activities often involve multiple specialist providers, each responsible for a different piece of the puzzle.
As injectable drug products become increasingly sophisticated, the path from development to commercial manufacturing is becoming harder to manage. Formulation development, analytical testing, manufacturing readiness, regulatory planning and fill-finish activities often involve multiple specialist providers, each responsible for a different piece of the puzzle.
For emerging biotech companies and lean development teams, this fragmented model can create a challenge that is quickly becoming a significant operational hurdle.
The reality is that many development teams are spending significant time managing handoffs between vendors, aligning timelines and resolving communication gaps instead of focusing on the product itself. As development timelines tighten and expectations increase, reducing pharma vendor complexity has become a critical factor in program success.
The hidden cost of fragmented outsourcing
Outsourcing remains an essential strategy across the pharmaceutical industry. In a recent survey, 57% of biopharma executive respondents reported having increased their use of contract development manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) between 2024 and 2025 [1]. This growing demand is reflected in the global CDMO market, which was valued at approximately $273.4 billion in 2026 and projected to grow to over $580 billion by 2034 [2].
Access to specialist expertise and external capacity can accelerate progress and provide flexibility. However, when multiple partners operate independently, inefficiencies can quickly emerge.
When the core development, testing and manufacturing stages of a program are managed in isolation, the underlying scientific strategy also risks becoming fragmented. Every transfer of information introduces potential risk. Development knowledge may be lost between organizations. Analytical methods may require additional clarification. Manufacturing teams may inherit decisions without full visibility into the rationale behind them.
These disconnects can lead to:
- Delayed decision-making
- Increased project management burden
- Additional technical transfer activities
- Greater risk of rework
- Slower progression toward clinical and commercial milestones
For small and mid-sized biotech companies in particular, managing multiple outsourcing partners can place significant strain on already limited internal resources. Teams often find themselves acting as coordinators between suppliers rather than strategic leaders of their development programs.
Why operational simplicity matters
Complex injectable drug products already present enough scientific challenges. High-concentration biologics, highly viscous formulations, fusion proteins, peptides, oligonucleotides and other modalities like exosomes each bring their own development, testing and manufacturing considerations. Operational complexity should not become another obstacle.
An integrated pharma outsourcing strategy helps reduce friction by bringing development, manufacturing and testing activities together within a connected framework. Rather than operating in isolated workstreams, experts collaborate around shared objectives and a common understanding of the product always with the final user – the patient – in mind.
At ten23 health, we approach this by evaluating the formulation, the primary packaging and the delivery device as an interconnected system from day one. All elements need to serve the patient. For example, by anticipating how a viscous formulation interacts with specific syringe components or materials early on, we can design for both manufacturability and the best usability for the patient, simultaneously.
This approach creates several advantages:
- Connected knowledge across the product lifecycle
Decisions made during formulation development can directly inform analytical strategies and manufacturing plans. Potential risks can be identified earlier, before they evolve into costly delays.
- More efficient communication
Cross-functional teams can work in synchronization, reducing the need for extensive coordination across multiple organizations.
- Greater development agility
When teams have visibility across activities, they can respond more effectively to changing requirements, technical challenges and evolving project priorities.
- Better acceptance by the patient
Having the patient in mind since step 1 supports the best decision for the administration route of the product, as it needs to serve the patients’ needs.
For organizations seeking biotech operational efficiency, integration is not simply about convenience. It is about reducing development risk while improving execution.
A more connected approach for lean teams
For emerging biotechs, success often depends on making the most of limited resources. Scientific innovation must be balanced against operational realities, investor expectations and aggressive development timelines.
As programs become more complex, many companies are looking for pharmaceutical development partner strategies that provide more than individual services. The most effective partnerships combine scientific expertise with operational alignment, helping teams spend less time managing vendor interfaces and more time advancing their programs.
At ten23 health, this philosophy is reflected in a model that brings development, manufacturing and testing services together through our “brains and connected hands” approach. This integrated approach is designed to support the full sterile drug product lifecycle, mapping out a molecule's early biophysical and molecular behavior and carrying those insights directly through to GMP manufacturing and release.
By using our small-scale, representative and customer-built non-GMP testing facility (line 0) early in the cycle, we can map out critical manufacturing parameters and predict downstream behavior. This not only protects expensive drug substance but also allows lean teams to solve scalability challenges long before they reach the GMP filling facility. Development, manufacturing and testing activities operate in synchronization, creating a more seamless experience for customers navigating complex injectable drug programs.
Looking ahead
The future of injectable drug development will continue to bring greater scientific complexity. Novel modalities, advanced delivery systems and increasingly demanding timelines will require deeper expertise and stronger collaboration.
Companies that reduce fragmentation today will be better positioned to navigate those challenges tomorrow. Achieving this operational simplicity means creating an environment where expertise, communication and execution work together seamlessly – for the benefit of patients. For pharmaceutical and biotech teams seeking to accelerate progress while minimizing risk, an integrated development model offers a clear path forward.
Ready to simplify your development journey?
Contact ten23 health to explore how an integrated approach to development, manufacturing and testing can help reduce complexity and support your next milestone.
References
- Cytiva. (2025). The innovation illusion: Why biopharma breakthroughs aren't moving the market (Global Biopharma Index)
- Fortune Business Insights. (2026). Contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) market size, share & trends | Growth analysis [2034].
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