BIO-Europe study finds biopharma is reworking globalization, not abandoning it

A new BIO-Europe survey finds biopharma companies are changing how they manufacture, source and partner as geopolitical and trade risk rises. Even so, 89% of respondents say the shifting landscape is creating new opportunities ahead of BIO-Europe in Cologne next week.

Why it matters: - Biopharma companies are rethinking supply chains and partnerships as geopolitical and trade uncertainty rises. - The shift could reshape where drugs are made, how services are outsourced and which partners get selected. - The findings suggest the industry is seeking resilience without giving up access to global markets.

What happened: - BIO-Europe released new research titled Globalization Reimagined: How Biopharma is Balancing Risk, Resilience & Growth. - Seventy percent of respondents expect geopolitical and trade-related uncertainty to have a greater impact over the next 12 months. - Eighty-nine percent of respondents see opportunities emerging from changes in the global biopharma landscape. - The survey found that three-quarters of respondents say uncertainty is changing their supply-chain strategy. - Seventy-eight percent say uncertainty is changing their approach to outsourcing.

The details: - Companies are diversifying suppliers and geographies rather than moving to one new operating model. - Respondents are increasing due diligence and reducing dependence on individual markets and partners. - Global footprints are changing, not disappearing, according to the research. - The report points to changing manufacturing models over the next year. - Partnering strategies are evolving with more focus on supply-chain exposure in due diligence. - Companies are prioritizing partners with multiple geographic locations. - Organizations are also expanding their pools of qualified partners. - No single outsourcing strategy has emerged. - BIO-Europe said the full report is available now.

Between the lines: - The results suggest biopharma leaders are treating globalization as a risk-management issue, not a binary yes-or-no choice. - Matthew Pullan, managing director of commercial partnering and investment at Informa Life Sciences, said the industry is becoming more deliberate about how globalization works. - Pullan said the core challenge is balancing cost and capability with resilience, geographic risk and access to the right partners. - The high share of respondents seeing opportunity suggests uncertainty is being viewed as both a threat and a catalyst for new collaboration.

What's next: - Global biopharma leaders will discuss these shifts at BIO-Europe in Cologne, Germany, on Nov. 9-11. - The 32nd annual BIO-Europe conference is expected to bring together partners and investors to advance collaborations and strategic deals. - The research implies more companies may keep adjusting sourcing, manufacturing and outsourcing plans over the next year.

The bottom line: - Biopharma is not retreating from globalization. It is trying to make global operations more selective, more resilient and less exposed to single-country or single-partner risk.