Six of the Best

Germany-based CDMO Vetter received six nominations in the 2023 CDMO Leadership Awards at the annual ceremony in New York in March. Here, Carsten Press, Senior Vice President of Global Sales Organization and Supply Chain Management for Vetter, shares his thoughts on the achievement and potential challenges ahead.

You recently won in a number of this year’s CDMO Award categories…
 

That’s right. The Award reflects direct and honest feedback from our customer base, and we appreciate their opinion in everything we do. Demonstrating success in each of the six core award categories and additionally receiving Champion Status in the Quality, Expertise, and Compatibility categories is an excellent recognition for our whole team. 

What are the major roadblocks and bottlenecks faced by CDMOs today?
 

As a CDMO, you are acting in a volatile market environment, resulting from unpredictable global events and/or dynamically evolving markets. The COVID-19 pandemic, global supply chain disruptions, and the ongoing potential energy crisis stemming from the conflict between Russia and Ukraine are bottlenecks that required CDMOs to pivot, shift, and adapt – all while working to keep our products on the path to improve quality of life for patients. How an organization overcomes these issues is unique to its business, but we observe similarities across the board. A spirit of trust between a CDMO and its customers is important. But CDMOs must also listen to their customers, taking on board their priorities, needs, and feedback.

What part does partnership and collaboration play in overcoming these?
 

Collaboration plays a vital role in our industry. Drug owners demand more flexibility and efficiency than ever. To meet this demand, partners with complementary services must join forces to deliver and maximize the value of their individual offerings. The access to a comprehensive range of specialized services without the management-intensive, multi-partner network has tremendous benefits for our customers.  

Customers look for partners with well-positioned internal teams that can guide their organization through technical, cost, and supply challenges. As collaborations progress and more unpredictable challenges inevitably arise, we expect to see many more CDMO team-ups aimed at streamlining drug development and optimizing time to market.  

How will you maintain your high standards going forward?
 

We will continue our approach with a shared understanding of unprecedented and robust internal processes. I look ahead with reassurance from the stability and resilience that led us through the last three years. We remain as committed as ever – and, when I say “We,” I mean our 6,000 employees worldwide.