Off Script: A Pharma Manufacturing Podcast

Off Script: A Pharma Manufacturing Podcast

The Off Script podcast offers in-depth interviews and discussions with industry experts about hot-button topics in pharma, and goes behind the scenes of Pharma Manufacturing’s print and online coverage, which follows the industry’s biggest issues surrounding scale-up, technology innovations, regulations and more!

Episodes

October 17, 2025 16 mins

This episode of Off Script: A Pharma Manufacturing Podcast features a conversation with Jana Falkenberg, senior legal counsel and corporate compliance officer at Vetter Pharma, a global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) headquartered in Germany.

Falkenberg, who is responsible for the continuous improvement of the compliance management system at Vetter, makes the case that corporate compliance encompasses le...

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Building on insights from CRB’s Horizons: Life Sciences 2025 report, this second installment of our conversation with Peter Walters, Fellow of Advanced Therapies at CRB, explores the modalities driving forward momentum across the life sciences industry, the expanding role of standardization in manufacturing networks, and how tariffs and domestic investment strategies are shaping the future of pharma manufacturing.

If you missed Par...

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Based on insights from CRB’s Horizons: Life Sciences 2025 report, this episode of Off Script: A Pharma Manufacturing Podcast features a conversation with Peter Walters, Fellow of Advanced Therapies at CRB. Walters discusses how the industry is advancing toward continuous manufacturing, highlighted by a key finding from the report — 65% of large companies are pursuing end-to-end continuous manufacturing.

This is part one of a two-pa...

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Large biopharma companies in recent months have pledged billions of dollars in capital expenditures for U.S. manufacturing and R&D facilities. What if it’s not accurate? Greg Slabodkin Read by Brittany Duncan  https://www.pharmamanufacturing.com/editors-review/article/55314470/editors-review-it-matters-if-big-pharma-is-fudging-its-us-investment-numbers 
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The wildly popular drugs, prescribed for weight loss and type 2 diabetes, are putting a strain on the capabilities of contract development and manufacturing organizations. Greg Slabodkin Read by Brittany Duncan https://www.pharmamanufacturing.com/sector/contract-manufacturing/article/55314756/can-cdmos-keep-up-with-the-increasing-demand-for-glp-1-medications 
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  While the agency’s PreCheck regulatory framework is a good first step, it remains to be seen whether the program boosts U.S. drug manufacturing, says former FDA official. Greg Slabodkin   Read by Brittany Duncan   https://www.pharmamanufacturing.com/all-articles/article/55309136/fdas-program-to-speed-up-us-manufacturing-buildouts-is-short-on-detail 
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  The Garden State, called the “medicine chest” to the world, continues to show robust activity with life sciences firms accounting for nearly 30% of all Q2 leasing activity. Greg Slabodkin   Read by Brittany Duncan    https://www.pharmamanufacturing.com/all-articles/article/55308250/new-jersey-remains-hot-life-sciences-hub-despite-macroeconomic-funding-headwinds 
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Generics, which make up approximately 90% of prescription volume in the U.S., are produced primarily in India as Hikma looks to onshore production of these critical drugs. Greg Slabodkin Read by Brittany Duncan  https://www.pharmamanufacturing.com/all-articles/article/55302441/hikmas-planned-1b-us-investment-comes-at-critical-time-for-generic-medicines-supply 
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While macroeconomic uncertainty weighs on the sector, there are glimmers of hope in some areas of pharmaceutical outsourcing and services. Greg Slabodkin Read by Brittany Duncan  Read Article Here: https://www.pharmamanufacturing.com/editors-review/article/55299879/editors-review-is-the-biopharma-industrys-glass-half-empty-or-half-full 
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Smart manufacturing is “nearly universal” with 95% of manufacturers saying they are using or evaluating smart technology, according to a new survey from Rockwell Automation.

Greg Slabodkin Read by Brittany Duncan
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While the pharmaceutical industry has been slow to adopt continuous manufacturing, it appears to be gaining momentum. Greg Slabodkin Read by Brittany Duncan  Enjoy the article Here: https://www.pharmamanufacturing.com/all-articles/article/55295669/flow-state-the-evolving-shape-of-continuous-manufacturing 
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Hydrogenation can serve as a critical link in chemical synthesis, particularly between nitration and phosgenation. When integrated strategically, it helps enable safer, more efficient production processes.

To better understand this connection, we spoke with Dr. Luca Mantilli, R&D Chemist at Valsynthese, the fine chemicals division of Société Suisse des Explosifs Holding (SSE). Dr. Mantilli discussed how hydrogenation was implem...

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The three Big Pharma companies on their earnings calls this week tried to reassure investors that they have the global footprints to mitigate the effects of tariffs.

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The good — Thermo Fisher opens center to boost cell therapy development The bad — FDA cites Aurobindo plant after Raleigh inspection The ugly — Trump probes pharma imports as tariff threat looms

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Join us each week as we do a quick review of three compelling stories from the pharma world — one good, one bad, and one ugly. Up this week:

The good — Novartis to invest $23B in U.S. manufacturing and R&D, including seven new sites The bad — U.S. urged to invest $15B to counter China’s biotech rise The ugly — Trump signals ‘major’ tariffs on pharma, urging manufacturing shift back to U.S.

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Join us each week as we do a quick review of three compelling stories from the pharma world — one good, one bad, and one ugly. Up this week:

The good — Cellares, Cabaletta validate automated CAR T production The bad — FDA warns Aspen over sterility issues The ugly — FDA rejects Hengrui, Elevar cancer combo again

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Join us each week as we do a quick review of three compelling stories from the pharma world — one good, one bad, and one ugly. Up this week:

The good — Axplora expands its antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) manufacturing capacity to support growing demand.

The bad — Merck KGaA’s CDMO business reports a decline

The ugly — The FDA issues a warning letter to Granules India over manufacturing violations

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Join us each week as we do a quick review of three compelling stories from the pharma world — one good, one bad, and one ugly. Up this week:

The good — Eli Lilly expands manufacturing to boost supply

The bad — FDA blocks imports from two Indian API makers over manufacturing violations

The ugly — ICU Medical recalls potassium chloride injection bags over labeling error

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Join us each week as we do a quick review of three compelling stories from the pharma world — one good, one bad and one ugly. Up this week:  

The good — Novartis boosts Slovenia investment to $3.6B

The bad — Trump tariffs unsettle biopharma FDI

The ugly — FDA warns Global Calcium, blocks US imports

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Join us each week as we do a quick review of three compelling stories from the pharma world — one good, one bad and one ugly. Up this week:  

The good — FDA approves Opdivo subcutaneous version

The bad — Marinus Pharmaceuticals sells operations

The ugly — Novo Nordisk pushes back against compounding pharmacies 

 

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