Fill-Finish Contract Manufacturing: Trends, Challenges, And The Future

By Frank Tagliaferri, Ph.D. – Chief Scientific Officer at Pace® Life Sciences

Sterile fill-finish operations have emerged as both a critical bottleneck and a key differentiator in the commercialization of modern therapeutics. Over the past decade, the rise of biologics, cell and gene therapies, and mRNA vaccines has reshaped the scale and technical demands of aseptic processing. In parallel, regulatory expectations — most notably the revised EU Annex 1 — have elevated standards for contamination control, automation, and data integrity.

This white paper explores the macro forces redefining the contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) landscape for fill-finish services. It examines the operational and regulatory challenges sponsors face and details how Pace® Life Sciences is investing to support innovators from early clinical development through commercial supply.

Injectable drug products now account for more than half of today’s pharmaceutical pipeline. Whether delivered as solutions, suspensions, emulsions, or lyophilized powders, each requires precise aseptic processing to ensure safety and efficacy. The capital intensity, technical complexity, and regulatory scrutiny of sterile manufacturing have led many biopharma companies to partner with specialized CDMOs. For sponsors, navigating this outsourced market is no longer optional — it is mission-critical to securing a reliable, scalable, and future-ready path to market.