A few months back at the beginning of summer we here at Contract Pharma felt optimistic about returning to the Hyatt in New Brunswick, NJ to host our annual Contracting and Outsourcing Conference and Tabletop Exhibition this September. However, that optimism was short lived. Due to restrictions and attendance limits imposed by the hotel in accordance with CDC guidelines, we realized it wasn’t possible for us to pull it off. At least not in the same spirit that has made the show successful. Plus, with the emergence of the virus variants, we are once again moving into the fall season unsure of what’s next and “when this will all be over.”

So, for the second year we will be hosting the Contract Pharma Conference Web Series that will once again feature a first-class line-up of speakers. The first session will air on September 13 at 11AM EST and the remaining sessions will be spread out over the course of 3 weeks.

The impact of COVID-19 will again be a major topic of discussion throughout the talks. Ben Locwin, our resident Clinically Speaking columnist and an expert on infectious disease epidemiology, has been on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic response, working closely with both the CDC and FDA on developing vaccine candidates, epidemiological modeling and case tracking. With his inside knowledge Ben will talk about what surprises COVID-19 will bring to us next and how FDA is preparing for the future with its new Data Modernization Action Plan (DMAP).

Another FDA regulatory expert, Frances Zipp from Lachman Consultants, will delve into the effects that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on FDA inspections, the downstream effects of the pause and the likely scenarios for recovery.

Dave Windley, from the investment firm Jefferies, will discuss how the COVID pandemic has ultimately raised the contract manufacturing industry’s profile in a positive way, accelerating the industry’s long-term growth opportunities.

In addition to these COVID-19-themed sessions, other talks will cover current outsourcing trends like, “Agile Sourcing Strategies for New Therapeutic Modalities,” which will be given by Pfizer’s senior director of external supply, Firelli Alonso; Enrico Polastro from Arthur D. Little and Michele Jermini from Alfa Chemicals (Suisse) will address small molecule API CDMO trends; and Valdas Jurkauskas from Black Diamond Therapeutics will talk about CDMO selection best practices. 

To get the full line-up details, speaker bios and learn about the event sponsors, turn to page 74 in this issue, or visit www.webseries.contractpharma.com, where you can also register if you haven’t done already. We look forward to your attendance!


Tim Wright, Editor
twright@rodmanmedia.com