As the pharmaceutical industry pushes deeper into uncharted scientific territory, the rules of drug discovery are being rewritten. What once centred on relatively straightforward small molecules has evolved into a landscape dominated by highly complex therapies—each bringing new promise, and new challenges.
In a recent conversation with Oxford Global’s CEO Cerlin Roberts, Alastair Hay, Vice President of Peptides at Almac, offered a window into this shifting world. His message was clear: innovation is accelerating, but so too is complexity.
A Dual Challenge at the Core
At the heart of modern drug development lies a balancing act. “You have to manufacture the molecules—and you also have to analyse them,” Hay explained. As therapies such as ADCs, peptides, and RNA-based drugs become more intricate, the demands on both production and analytical science intensify.
Analytical technologies are becoming more sensitive and powerful, yet translating them into real-world industrial settings is far from straightforward. The challenge is not simply scientific—it is practical. Methods must be robust, scalable, and reliable under manufacturing conditions.
Crucially, progress cannot happen in silos. Advances in manufacturing must be matched by equally sophisticated analytical capabilities. One without the other risks failure.
Scaling the Unscalable
Process development has emerged as a critical battleground. For complex modalities, success depends on designing processes that can scale seamlessly from lab bench to full production.
This often means recreating manufacturing environments at small scale—building systems that mimic real-world conditions as closely as possible. It is here that experience matters.
Almac’s heritage in small molecule chemistry provides an unexpected advantage. By applying well-established chemical expertise to newer biological modalities, the company is helping bridge the gap between traditional and next-generation therapeutics.
Trends Shaping the Industry
If one trend has captured global attention, it is the rise of GLP-1 analogues. Originally developed for diabetes, these therapies have rapidly expanded into weight management, becoming one of the most talked-about areas in pharma.
But beyond headline-grabbing innovations, a quieter shift is underway: the move toward personalised medicine. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, treatments are increasingly being tailored to individual patients—or carefully defined subgroups—promising better outcomes and greater precision.
For companies like Almac, this is not theoretical. The capability to manufacture therapies for individual patients is already becoming a reality.
The Return of Peptides—This Time by Mouth
Among the most intriguing developments is the renewed interest in orally available peptides. Long limited to injections, peptides are now being re-engineered to survive the digestive system and reach their targets effectively.
It’s not an entirely new idea—but advances in stability and bioavailability are giving it new life. For patients, the shift could be transformative: replacing injections with simple tablets.
At the same time, innovation continues behind the scenes, particularly in analytical science and the pursuit of intracellular targets—areas expected to define the next wave of breakthroughs.
Collaboration: Essential, Yet Elusive
In such a complex environment, no single organisation can do it all. Collaboration between pharma, academia, and specialist partners is essential—but far from easy.
“The best collaborations are when you’re learning together,” Hay noted. Success depends on alignment: shared goals, mutual understanding, and active engagement from all parties.
When it works, the results can be powerful. When it doesn’t, even the most promising projects can stall.
A Different Kind of Stability
In an industry often shaped by mergers, acquisitions, and shifting priorities, Almac occupies a distinctive position. As a privately owned company, it benefits from long-term stability and the freedom to invest strategically.
Rather than attempting to be everything to everyone, the company is doubling down on depth—building expertise in specific areas and positioning itself as a specialist problem-solver.
It’s a model that reflects a broader shift across the industry: from breadth to depth, from scale to specialisation.
Looking Ahead
The future of drug discovery will not be defined by a single breakthrough, but by the convergence of many: more complex molecules, smarter analytics, personalised therapies, and stronger partnerships.
As Hay’s insights suggest, the winners in this new era will be those who can navigate complexity without losing focus—combining scientific rigour with practical execution.
In the end, innovation alone is not enough. It must be matched by the ability to deliver.