Advanced bioprocessing capabilities form a core pillar of Syngene's growth strategy

Alex Del Priore, Senior Vice President – Manufacturing, Syngene explains how his company is positioning itself as a global CRDMO leader, leveraging integrated end-to-end capabilities, advanced biomanufacturing technologies, and strategic investments to support the evolving needs of biopharma companies, in an exclusive interaction with Lakshmipriya Nair

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India is emerging as a biomanufacturing hub. So, how is Syngene positioning itself as a reliable and strategic partner in the global biopharma supply chain?

When you look at how pharma outsourcing has evolved, it was once largely limited to generics and API manufacturing, and India earned the reputation of being the “pharmacy of the world”, supplying nearly 20 per cent of global generics and over 60 per cent of vaccines. But as drug discovery and development became more complex and expensive, pharma and biotech companies began seeking specialist partners to manage different parts of the value chain. This shift gave rise to Contract Research, Development, and Manufacturing Organisations (CRDMOs) like Syngene. Initially services such as medicinal chemistry and biology were outsourced to leverage India’s strong scientific talent, especially in chemistry, where the country has long excelled. Over time, the scope of CRDMOs expanded significantly from offering discrete services to managing full drug development programmes end to end. Today, CRDMOs mirror the operations of pharma companies themselves, working across modalities including biologics, ADCs, peptides, PROTACs, and cell and gene therapies.

India’s CRDMO sector is currently valued at $3-3.5 billion and is growing at 15 per cent CAGR, nearly double the global average. This momentum is supported by several tailwinds. Global biopharma companies are rethinking their supply chains and increasingly looking beyond China, creating a $10 billion opportunity for Indian players. At the same time, the Indian government has provided policy and financial support, including the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and dedicated funding for biomanufacturing infrastructure. This ecosystem has encouraged more global companies to place their trust in Indian partners and has spurred sustained investments in capacity and capability building.