Issue: January / February 2025

The aim of this article is to explore the principles of Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) and its crucial role in building strong supplier partnerships within the Biopharma industry. It highlights the importance of strategic supplier partnerships in creating a resilient supply chain and achieving operational excellence. The article discusses the need for a Governance Framework to manage supplier relationships effectively, emphasizing the significance of governance, transparency, and clear expectations. It also addresses the impact of effective supplier management on cost reduction, efficiency, and risk mitigation. The findings are based on a survey of nearly 200 Biopharma professionals, revealing that only a small percentage view their supplier relationships as highly effective. The article concludes by underscoring the benefits of collaborative engagement, continuous improvement, and aligned expectations in streamlining development and operational timelines to meet patient needs sooner.

Across core late-stage pharma R&D functions including Regulatory Affairs, Quality and Pharmacovigilance/Drug Safety, current process rigour and performance is linked primarily to SOPs. Yet these snapshot definitions of processes do not, of themselves, ensure efficiency. Indeed, the deliverables of those processes have too often become hazy and forgotten. MAIN5’s Tobias Hitziger reflects on the barriers preventing true end-to-end process transformation, and what is being lost as a result.