Pharma’s Almanac: How are organizations balancing cost with regulatory, supply chain, & reputational risk when selecting partners or sites?

In Pharma’s Almanac’s latest industry roundtable, Abzena’s Chief Financial Officer, Thomas Castellano, shared his thoughts on how drug developers are balancing cost with regulatory, supply chain, & risk when selecting partners for their programs.

“Organizations are increasingly taking a risk-adjusted view of CDMO selection rather than choosing partners on lowest cost alone. While global cost advantages remain important, sponsors are placing greater value on technical expertise, regulatory certainty, supply reliability, proximity to decision-makers, and reputational protection.

This shift creates a strong advantage for U.S.-based CDMOs. A domestic partner can help reduce cross-border complexity, improve communication and oversight, shorten response times, and align more closely with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA_ expectations, customer audits, and U.S. market launch requirements.

Simply put, we help sponsors lower total risk while preserving competitive economics. By combining differentiated technical competency, compliant operations, transparent communication, and responsive program management, a U.S.-based CDMO can deliver the lowest risk-adjusted cost of compliant, on-time supply.”

Click Here to Access the Full Roundtable