Chaos vs. Precision: New CRB Horizons Report Shows Biopharma Accelerating Amid Uncertainty

Report, built on a survey of 400 biopharma leaders, includes exclusive data and actionable insights on life sciences innovation, investment, and workforce trends

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- What happens when an industry built on precision and predictability is forced to navigate chaos?

CRB’s newest Horizons: Life Sciences report — available today as a free download — tackles that question head-on and reveals a sector recalibrating in real time, making bold, calculated moves to deliver therapies to more patients in more places.

“A new set of challenges has rapidly emerged, disrupting the industry from every angle, regulatory upheaval, supply chain instability, and shifting trade policies,” notes Noel Maestre, CRB’s Vice President of Life Sciences, in the report’s executive summary. “And yet, our data shows that companies in this industry aren’t just moving forward, they’re accelerating, even in the face of increasing uncertainty.”

Built on survey responses from 400 international R&D and manufacturing leaders, combined with the insights of CRB’s subject matter experts, the 2025 report captures how life science companies are rethinking strategies, pipelines, processes, and culture in the face of tariffs, regulatory shakeups, and relentless market pressure. The through-line is clear: Rather than retreat, the industry is choosing acceleration.

Data tells the story: Nearly six in 10 respondents say tariff pressures haven’t dented their investment plans, while 43% report actively accelerating them. Large pharmaceutical firms are leading the charge, committing historic sums to new capacity. And across 12 therapeutic modalities, from cell and gene therapies to antibody-drug conjugates, every single one is on track for expansion or increased investment, according to CRB’s survey.

The report explores how trade and regulatory dynamics are reshaping global strategies. Asia and Europe are emerging as hotbeds of R&D activity, even as U.S. investment accelerates in response to tariff uncertainty. At the same time, workforce data reveals that the industry’s progress is powered by a highly motivated and engaged talent pool, underscoring the importance of people alongside processes and pipelines.

Key themes from the new report include:

Navigating uncertainty: Companies are confronting trade uncertainty by exploring onshoring of major projects, reinforcing U.S. manufacturing capacity and re-evaluating global pipelines. Respondents expect regulatory changes, particularly staffing cuts at the FDA, to weigh on drug approval timelines, but most remain confident in continued R&D growth.
Product Strategy: Less than 3% of companies plan to halt work in any modality. Emerging therapies like GLP-1s and nuclear medicine are fueling new growth curves, while established platforms are being reinvented through novel combinations and advanced technologies.
Process Innovation: Efficiency is now a survival strategy. Nearly nine in 10 respondents say they are exploring standardization, and one in four have implemented it. Meanwhile, 65% of large companies are advancing toward end-to-end continuous manufacturing.
The Human Element: Despite industry pressures, 75% of respondents report being happy or very happy in their work. This highlights how mission-driven talent, facility design, and wellness initiatives sustain engagement and resilience in highly technical environments. “The benefits of true (employee) autonomy go deep, generating positive effects all the way to the neurophysical level and contributing to higher rates of productivity,” SMEs Maya DeHart and Scott McNallan write in a section of the report exploring the human element of biopharma manufacturing. “If life science companies can find meaningful ways to give employees greater control over their time and well-being, the downsides of mandatory in-person work may matter less.”

Faced with trade turbulence, rising costs, and shifting regulations, life sciences companies are reengineering their playbook. Company leaders know that efficiency alone won’t cut it, so many are opting to transform their process and people strategies to deliver speed, flexibility, and staying power in a volatile market.

“From standardizing operations to embracing intensified and end-to-end continuous manufacturing, the momentum is unmistakable,” said Peter Walters, a report author and CRB Fellow, Advanced Therapies. “These shifts go beyond technical upgrades to laying the foundation for a more resilient industry and a future where lifesaving therapies reach patients faster and more reliably around the world.”

Download the Full Report
Horizons: Life Sciences is now available for free download. To access the full report and explore the data, analysis, and expert commentary, download here.

About CRB

CRB is a leading provider of sustainable engineering, architecture, construction and consulting solutions to the global life sciences and food & beverage industries. From 21 offices across the United States, Canada and Europe, our professionals provide world-class solutions that drive success and positive change for our clients, our people and our communities. CRB is a privately held company with a rich history of serving clients throughout the world, consistently striving for the highest standard of technical knowledge, creativity and execution. See us at crbgroup.com, and follow us on LinkedIn.

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Christopher Clark
CRB Group, Inc.
816-674-0572
chris.clark@crbgroup.com

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