Reading Between The Lines: How To Compare CDMO Proposals

When biotech and biopharma firms seek a CDMO for drug development and/or manufacturing, price is the second most important consideration behind the combination of technical fit, capabilities that match the project, and track record.¹ However, getting a complete answer on CDMO pricing and what exactly the stated figures cover — allowing for true apples-to-apples comparisons between vendors — is difficult. No standard guides how biotech/biopharma firms should prepare their requests for proposal (RFPs), nor does a standard guide how CDMO proposals are prepared and presented.

Nonetheless, understanding best practices in preparing an RFP well-suited to your project’s current stage is a strong first step toward a prosperous, transparent partnership with your CDMO. Additionally, knowledge of what to expect from a CDMO’s proposal as well as the questions to ask when some aspect of the service appears to be missing or unusually priced, helps establish clear communication and expectations from the project outset.