A fast-growing sector
The outsourcing of process development, manufacturing, and analytical testing in the viral product market has grown significantly over the past twelve months and shows no sign of slowing down.
Vaccine manufacturing is likely to be central to the ongoing rise in outsourcing for the next several years, and not just because of the need to implement mass vaccination programs globally. For instance, Fortune Business Insights predicts that the global market for influenza vaccines will be worth $7.34 billion by 2026 at an annual compound growth rate of 7.7% [1]. Increasing cases and the spread of influenza worldwide will be the major driving force behind this growth.
In addition to the viral vaccine market, other viral-based modalities are experiencing strong growth as well, with increasing future potential, especially the emerging class of oncolytic viral therapies (OVs). Kuick Research projects the global OV immunotherapy market to reach $750 million by 2026 with 500% absolute growth for the period [2]. In fact, currently there are more than 150 OVs headed for clinical trial.
The challenge of successful biopharma development
It takes tremendous technical capabilities and operational excellence to manufacture large-molecule biopharmaceuticals effectively. That’s why the industry is increasingly engaging competent external viral vector partners to develop and manufacture many of these highly sophisticated products.
More and more, CDMOs are specializing, focusing their operations to stand out and attract clients, leading to the growth of dedicated viral vector CDMOs. Vibalogics, for example, focuses specifically on OVs and viral vector vaccines and gene therapies, which has been a key reason for many of our clients choosing to work with us.
Support in bringing new therapies to market
Alongside dedicated viral vector and virotherapy expertise, CDMOs offer developers flexibility and adaptability – attributes that are particularly valuable when it comes to process development and early-phase clinical supply. CDMOs have unique experience in dealing with challenges that can delay development and commercialization, helping them to respond to issues before they occur so they can meet tight timelines and deliver for clients.
More and more CDMOs provide support at both the clinical and commercial stage of the drug development process. As a result, they are well placed to work closely with drug developers from concept to commercialization, streamlining the supply chain and minimizing time to market.
In addition, specialist CDMOs can provide drug developers with the capacity they need to bring their innovation to the clinical stage or the commercial stage. Viral vector vaccines and OVs use the same manufacturing platform, meaning that experts in both, like Vibalogics, can quickly switch production according to customer need. This allows them to offer the required capacity, whatever the project.
The future of virotherapy and vaccine outsourcing
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the strengths of the global pharmaceutical supply chain as well as its weaknesses. It became very clear early in the crisis just how willing companies were to collaborate with each other and with supply chain partners to deliver new treatments, with impressive results in terms of the quick turnaround on new vaccines.
In the future, we can expect this closer relationship between biopharma companies and their CDMO partners to continue. No longer are drug developers treating CDMOs as “vendors”, just engaging with them on a project-by-project basis. They are establishing more strategic, long term partnerships to the benefit of their projects.
With this willingness to collaborate, we will be in a good position to react quickly to future viruses and diseases. Working in partnership, we will have the ingenuity, capacity, and flexibility to produce effective vaccines and other virotherapy treatments as quickly as they are needed.
