The benefits of outsourcing your pharmaceutical testing requirements

Outsourcing analytical testing is an extremely attractive solution to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. With the inherently competitive nature of the life science sector as a whole, companies are eager to come to market at a faster pace, meaning a continuous pressure for both drug development and subsequent testing requirements.

Given the ever-increasing level of pharmaceutical analysis to be conducted before new, compliant, products hit the shelves, more and more companies are finding it difficult to perform extensive analytical testing in-house.

Outsourcing to a third-party provider is often chosen as a cost-effective solution to pharmaceutical testing, with the increasing complexity of regularity demands as another key motivator for the shift from in-house testing to outsourcing. It has become an increasingly attractive business decision, and is responsible for the pharmaceutical outsourcing market’s dramatic growth, with the global pharmaceutical analytics testing market boasting a predicted CAGR of 8.5% over the next decade.

Based on our extensive market knowledge, here’s why outsourcing to a third-party specialist is an attractive choice for pharmaceutical companies:

A cost-effective solution

Both the complexity and strict protocol adherence of pharmaceutical testing means in order to conduct testing in-house, you will need to provide or have access to all the necessary resources and specialised capabilities. Most companies don’t initially have the specific expertise or in-house ability readily available, so the cost of employing a brand-new test facility will far outweigh the upfront cost of an outsourced testing provider.

In simple terms, conducting testing requires businesses to account for recruitment costs and overhead expenses for required staff skillsets (such as Quality Managers and Analytical Chemists) along with any additional training costs they might need. Not only will businesses incur additional lease agreement costs for any testing workspaces, they must also be able to finance a full range of testing equipment.

Unless you’re producing a large quantity of licensed products, financing the above doesn’t present as a sensible business decision and ultimately, risks the future of your business. Outsourcing means that you won’t need financial resources for in-house ability, freeing additional budget to drive further innovation and facilitate your business growth agenda.

Test complexity

Pharmaceutical testing in general is an inherently complex process with intrinsically lengthy areas. One such example is stability testing, which requires highly specialised environmental conditions.

The very nature of stability testing is complex as it involves the assessment of how a particular drug can withstand environmental influencers, from temperature to humidity and light. Similar to all other areas of required pharmaceutical testing, the process of stability testing is time-consuming, requires dedicated specialists and is deemed impossible to conduct in-house without the right equipment. 

From our experience, this is one of the most commonly provided third-party tests with most companies recognizing the benefits of outsourcing stability testing. Utilising a highly specialised contract provider that can handle all your testing requirements will allow for an easier, seamless service process. HMR labs offers an all-in-one testing solution for complete product testing, from method development and validation to stability and finished product assessment, managing all your testing requirements with ease.

Pure focus on business objectives 

Utilising industry experts allows the company to fully utilise their business resources. Here, you’re able to prioritise current business objectives, as opposed to focusing your resources on the challenges and demands of in-house pharmaceutical testing.

The ability to focus solely on your business objectives gives your company a competitive edge over the market, optimising business performance that is purely focused on delivering further innovation.

Regulation compliance

With pharmaceutical testing comes compliance regulations. Your company must be GMP accredited and fully compliant with regulatory standards in order to conduct any part of pharmaceutical testing. To maintain compliance, your company will require regular approvals, which cannot be failed; it’s vital that if you are to conduct in-house testing that you also abide by compliance regulations, because your business reputation depends on it.

With the simultaneous increase in regulatory documentation processes, it’s far simpler to outsource instead of completing it yourself. Overall, it is a complex and costly process to ensure your business is compliant with pharmaceutical testing regulations. This tends to become a drawback, especially for those companies with only a few licensed products. When outsourcing to analytical specialists, you can rest assured that compliance is guaranteed.

Increased speed to market

With so many product variations available in the healthcare market and taking into account that innovation is a key aspect of government investment, speed to market is usually a priority for many businesses.

Utilising an experienced third-party contractor that is already approved is far more likely to produce faster results. Once samples are delivered, analysis can begin almost immediately, and is conducted through the use of a highly experienced team of specialists.

Specialist testing means that you can take advantage of a knowledgeable, expert workforce and fully equipped labs. This also provides the opportunity to gain third-party insight into any challenges and how to overcome them. If speed to the marketplace is high on your business agenda, it’s also highly advantageous to work with a provider that not only produces results, but values a consultative, partnership approach. HMR services include a comprehensive range of pharmaceutical testing services, with their in-house expertise allowing for a collaborative approach to drug development, helping you achieve your results faster.

The speed in which you can access such pharmaceutical testing services also has a greater impact on business development. You’ll have the opportunity to produce new innovations at a faster rate, as a third-party tester can manage various lengthy testing responsibilities, leaving your in-house team to focus on further product developments.

Looking to outsource your test requirements? Providing a comprehensive range of pharmaceutical testing services, HMR is a leading provider in stability, microbiological, inhaled products, API testing and more.

Our consultative approach and in-house capabilities allow us to work with our clients end-to-end, from method development and validation to finished product testing. Get in touch today.