Key success factors in fostering and maintaining a long-term strategic partnership

Introduction
2012 will be regarded by many commentators as one of the most challenging years in the pharmaceutical industry’s history, due in no small part to numerous products facing patent expirations and increased global competition. It is now considered a sound strategic move by pharmaceutical companies, from big pharma to smaller players, to increasingly rely on outsourcing service providers to fulfil specific tasks, solve problems and improve efficiency and productivity. One of the growing trends is the outsourcing of late-stage scale-up and commercial manufacturing activities, evidenced by the fact that in the last three years, more than 100 manufacturing facilities owned by pharmaceutical companies closed their doors for business in the U.S. alone1. The global pharma contract manufacturing market is expected to reach $40.7 billion by 20152, according to a recent report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc.