CDMO Sourcing Resource Center
Practical resources for biotech, pharma, and CMC teams on finding, comparing, and evaluating contract development and manufacturing organizations, organized by what you need to do.
Getting Started
Foundations of CDMO search and how project-based matching works.
- CDMO Search & Matching Platform See how PCN uses program requirements to support CDMO search, comparison, preliminary diligence, and sponsor-CDMO introductions.
- What Is a CDMO? Learn what a CDMO is, what CDMOs do, how they differ from CMOs and CROs, and what biotech and pharma teams should consider when choosing a manufacturing partner.
- How to Find a CDMO Learn how to find a CDMO based on modality, development stage, manufacturing capabilities, facility fit, scale, regulatory needs, timing, and other program requirements.
Selection & Sourcing
Comparing manufacturers, sourcing partners, and running RFI and RFP processes.
- How to Choose a CDMO Learn how to choose a CDMO using technical fit, facility capabilities, manufacturing scale, equipment, regulatory context, timing, development stage, and other selection criteria.
- CDMO RFP & RFI Guide Learn how to prepare a CDMO RFI or RFP, what information to include, what questions to ask manufacturers, and how to compare responses consistently.
- How to Compare CDMOs Learn how to compare CDMOs by project fit, facility capabilities, equipment, regulatory context, scale, timing, and other program-specific requirements.
- How PCN Matches Biotech Programs With CDMOs How PCN's CMC-derived matching methodology combines program requirements, qualification logic, weighted project fit, customizable priorities, facility-level data, and FDA regulatory context.
- Integrated CDMO vs. Specialized CDMOs Compare integrated CDMOs with specialized manufacturing partners, including tradeoffs in coordination, expertise, technology transfer, flexibility, cost, and supply risk.
- How to Switch CDMOs Learn how to switch CDMOs, evaluate replacement manufacturers, plan technology transfer, move methods and materials, and reduce manufacturing transition risk.
- CDMO Costs & Pricing Learn what drives CDMO pricing, why manufacturing quotes differ, what may be included or excluded, and how sponsors can compare proposals beyond headline cost.
Diligence & Risk
Preliminary diligence, regulatory history, capacity, and vendor qualification.
- CDMO Due Diligence Learn what to review during CDMO due diligence, including technical fit, facilities, equipment, regulatory history, FDA 483s, scale, and operational considerations.
- FDA Form 483s and CDMO Selection Learn what an FDA Form 483 means, how to review FDA 483 observations during CDMO due diligence, and why regulatory history should be evaluated in context.
- CDMO Capacity and Availability Learn how CDMO capacity and manufacturing availability affect project timing, what sponsors should ask, and why technical fit alone does not guarantee an available manufacturing slot.
- CDMO Site Visit Checklist Use this CDMO site visit checklist to review facilities, equipment, quality systems, project teams, capacity, technology transfer, and manufacturing fit before selection.
- CDMO Vendor Qualification Learn how CDMO vendor qualification differs from preliminary diligence, what sponsors may evaluate before approval, and how sourcing connects to formal supplier qualification.
Modalities
Finding manufacturing partners for specific product types.
- Biologics CDMO Find and compare biologics CDMOs based on development stage, manufacturing capabilities, facility fit, scale, equipment, regulatory needs, and project requirements.
- Small Molecule CDMO Find and compare small molecule CDMOs by API capabilities, drug product services, scale, equipment, development stage, regulatory needs, and project fit.
- Cell & Gene Therapy CDMO Find and compare cell and gene therapy CDMOs based on modality, manufacturing capabilities, facilities, scale, equipment, development stage, and project requirements.
- AAV CDMO Find and compare AAV CDMOs by vector manufacturing capabilities, production platform, scale, analytics, facility fit, regulatory context, and project requirements.
- mRNA CDMO Find and compare mRNA CDMOs by process development, mRNA manufacturing, purification, lipid nanoparticle capabilities, scale, analytics, and project fit.
- Oligonucleotide CDMO Find and compare oligonucleotide CDMOs by synthesis capabilities, purification, scale, analytics, facility fit, development stage, and manufacturing requirements.
- Peptide CDMO Find and compare peptide CDMOs by synthesis capabilities, purification, scale, analytical support, facility fit, regulatory context, and project requirements.
- ADC CDMO Find and compare ADC CDMOs by antibody, payload, linker, conjugation, containment, analytical, fill finish, facility, scale, and manufacturing requirements.
- Viral Vector CDMO Find and compare viral vector CDMOs by vector type, production platform, purification, analytics, scale, facility fit, regulatory context, and manufacturing needs.
- Plasmid DNA CDMO Find and compare plasmid DNA CDMOs by development stage, production scale, purification, analytics, facility fit, GMP manufacturing, and project requirements.
- Lentiviral Vector CDMO Find and compare lentiviral vector CDMOs by production platform, manufacturing capabilities, purification, analytics, scale, facility fit, and project requirements.
- Monoclonal Antibody CDMO Find and compare monoclonal antibody CDMOs by cell line, upstream and downstream capabilities, scale, analytics, facility fit, and manufacturing requirements.
- Vaccine CDMO Find and compare vaccine CDMOs by platform, manufacturing capabilities, scale, formulation, fill finish, facility fit, regulatory requirements, and project needs.
- API CDMO Find and compare API CDMOs by chemistry, process development, manufacturing scale, containment, equipment, facility fit, regulatory needs, and project requirements.
Manufacturing Services
Finding partners for specific development and manufacturing services.
- Fill Finish CDMO Find and compare fill finish CDMOs by container format, batch size, sterile manufacturing capabilities, equipment, lyophilization, facility fit, and project requirements.
- CDMO Technology Transfer Learn how CDMO technology transfer works, what information needs to move between sponsor and manufacturer, common risks, and what to assess before selecting a CDMO.
- CDMO Process Development Learn how CDMO process development supports pharmaceutical manufacturing, what to evaluate in a development partner, and how process maturity affects CDMO selection.
- CDMO Analytical Development Learn what CDMO analytical development includes, how analytical methods support manufacturing, and what to evaluate when choosing a pharmaceutical development partner.
- Sterile Injectable CDMO Find and compare sterile injectable CDMOs by formulation, aseptic manufacturing, container format, fill finish equipment, scale, facility fit, and project needs.
- Oral Solid Dose CDMO Find and compare oral solid dose CDMOs by formulation, tablet and capsule capabilities, manufacturing process, scale, equipment, packaging, and project needs.
- Lyophilization CDMO Find and compare lyophilization CDMOs by cycle development, sterile filling, lyophilizer capacity, formulation, scale, facility fit, and manufacturing requirements.
- CDMO Scale-Up Learn how pharmaceutical process scale-up works, what changes when production increases, common risks, and what to evaluate when choosing a CDMO for scale-up.
More guides on CDMO selection, due diligence, modalities, and manufacturing services are in development and will appear here as they are published.
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