Life Sciences Knowledge Hub caught up with Jessica Madigan, Director, Business Development, Nucleic Acid Modalities, at BIOVECTRA, a Canadian CDMO. In our interview, Madigan spoke on the company’s flexible partnership model, environmental sustainability, market trends, and more.

BIOVECTRA’s flexible partnership model is based on the premise that different models are needed for different companies. The company does offer the traditional CDMO model wherein a fixed capacity is reserved via existing production assets, but many others are also offered. The dedicated facility model allows for the building or reservation of an entire facility for a customer, whereas fractional ownership builds a single facility for several clients in the pursuit of flexible capacity. The company also offers condo arrangements, where a customized manufacturing suite can be dedicated within a larger site​, and enterprise partnerships, where BIOVECTRA assumes management of a customer owned facility.

“We know that drug development is challenging. We want to make it easier,” said Madigan. “That’s why we offer several partnering models for our customers. ​Each development program is different and we know that flexibility at a CDMO can be key to advancing drug development.”

Madigan also discussed the company’s efforts to promote sustainability throughout the supply chain. The company targets waste reduction, pollution prevention, energy use efficiency, water use efficiency, and sustainable sourcing into its environmental policy. This takes shape in, for example, the company using “less hazardous chemical synthesis practices and designing processes that use safer chemicals” to ensure that the entire development cycle places less overall strain on the environment.

“By establishing a sustainability culture and mindset among those involved in every phase of drug development affords meaningful efficiencies in establishing a green process that will minimize the negative impacts to our environment and have positive business impacts without compromising the quality, effectiveness, or safety of the products we make,” said Madigan.

When discussing trends in the overall BioPharma market, Madigan expressed that she is seeing a lot of optimism for growth in the market as development backlogs are resolved by a recovery in biotech funding. In terms of product trends, she pointed to anti-obesity medications, personalized medicines, and cell and gene therapies as emerging product trends in the industry. In terms of practices, she highlighted her own company’s emphasis on environmental sustainability and also spoke at length on the company’s efforts to work toward a more diverse workforce.

“We believe that all employees want to contribute to a positive and welcoming workplace, but we too must acknowledge that in terms of honoring Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion there is much more we can each do to learn and improve upon,” said Madigan. “We have recently launched a significant step forward towards fostering a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace by launching a program for diagnostics and assessment, training, e-learning and coaching for diversity. By the numbers – BIOVECTRA has 30% of women in leadership roles and 50% of women in our workforce.”