CordenPharma CEO on Scaling GLP-1 Production and Competing in Complex Modalities
“Our goal is to be recognized for exceptional reliability in our services and manufacturing, while helping our customers bring the most innovative medicines to market.” Dr. Michael Quirmbach, CEO and President of CordenPharma, has overseen remarkable growth at the full-service CDMO since joining in 2014. Under his leadership, the company has tripled its workforce to 3,000 employees and increased revenue from €245 million to nearly €1 billion while expanding capabilities across peptides, injectables, and high-potency oncology products.Michael, who holds a PhD in chemistry and began his career as a scientist before transitioning to business leadership, brings 25 years of CDMO experience to his role. In a recent PharmaSource podcast recorded at CPHI, he discussed CordenPharma’s €900 million expansion in peptide manufacturing, the company’s strategy for complex modalities, and how AI is transforming pharmaceutical manufacturing operations.Read more.
--------
14:40
--------
14:40
What BioPlan's 22-Year Data Reveals About the Future of Biopharmaceutical Outsourcing
"If you can't demonstrate international quality standards, nobody is going to take a chance on a million-dollar batch to save a few dollars on their manufacturing. It just won't happen."Eric Langer is President of BioPlan Associates, where he has systematically documented the evolution of the biomanufacturing industry since the early 2000s. In the latest PharmaSource podcast episode, Eric explains why biopharmaceutical outsourcing budgets are projected to surge 11% in 2025, the cost of talent constraints, and the rise of complex modalities like cell and gene therapies. He shares critical insights from BioPlan's 22nd annual report on what manufacturers must prioritize to succeed in an increasingly competitive landscape.Read more.
--------
34:35
--------
34:35
How Piramal Pharma Built a $1 Billion CDMO by Solving Client Problems, Not Selling Services
“The world can change overnight. We have to accept volatility as part of the world we live in.”Peter DeYoung, CEO of Piramal Global Pharma, has spent 13 years with the Piramal Group, navigating the complexities of pharmaceutical manufacturing across consulting, investing, and operating roles. His engineering background and cross-continental experience position him to lead a billion-dollar pharma operation spanning CDMO services, complex hospital generics, and consumer healthcare.In this PharmaSource podcast interview, Peter explains how Piramal competes for mindshare as pharma companies reassess their manufacturing footprints, why geographic flexibility matters more than ever, and how the company measures success through customer delight rather than satisfaction.Read more.
--------
33:23
--------
33:23
The End of Global Pharma Supply Chains: How Regionalization Will Impact Industry Profitability
"We are not in a transient moment - this will affect industry profitability for decades. The previous era of rule-based international trade is gone"Frank Binder, Managing Director at GSCA (Global Supply Chain Advisors) and former Head of Supply Chain at Santen and Celgene, has watched the pharmaceutical supply chain undergo unprecedented disruption in 2025. The wave of US tariff announcements, regulatory complexity, and forced regionalization has created what he calls a fundamental shift in how the industry must operate.Read full article
--------
23:11
--------
23:11
How KBI Biopharma’s “Analytical Powerhouse” Underpins Their Full-Service CDMO Growth
“We became an analytical powerhouse before we started offering integrated process development and manufacturing. That’s what differentiates us.”Sigma Mostafa, Chief Scientific Officer, and Katie Edgar, Chief Business Officer at KBI Biopharma, explain how technical depth in analytics and proprietary cell line technology create competitive advantage in an increasingly crowded CDMO market.Sigma brings 15 years of experience with KBI, joining as Director of Process Development in 2010 and advancing through the company’s exponential growth. Katie leads business strategy, focusing on long-term partnerships and proactive risk mitigation for customers ranging from virtual biotech startups to global pharmaceutical companies.In this PharmaSource podcast recorded live at CPHI Frankfurt 2025, Sigma and Katie reveal how KBI’s analytical foundation, combined with high-touch customer relationships and digital integration tools, supports molecules from early development through commercial manufacturing.Full article
Welcome to the PharmaSource podcast: the pharma and biotech podcast that explores the latest trends, challenges, and commercial opportunities shaping the biopharma manufacturing and outsourcing.
In each episode we'll be speaking with top executives, researchers, and outsourcing experts, who share their perspectives on topics such as building a smarter, more sustainable supply chain, how to partner with CDMOs, digital transformation, procurement and external manufacturing strategies, and plenty more besides.
Make sure to subscribe for your regular dose of pharma insight.
Netherlands