The market for Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisations (CDMOs) and Contract Research Organisations (CROs) continues to grow strongly. As biotechnology companies increasingly outsource development as well as clinical and manufacturing processes, the sector remains one of the fastest-growing segments in life sciences. At the same time, the industry is entering a phase of consolidation, driven by rising demand for scale, specialised technologies, and global reach. The market is also attracting growing interest from venture capital and private equity investors. Meanwhile, competition is intensifying as Asian players are increasingly expanding into Europe through investments and acquisitions.
In our market overview, we had a closer look at this rapidly expanding sector and spoke with CROs and CDMOs about the new era of outsourcing in biotechnology. Investors share their perspectives on the added value these organisations provide, while start-up T-knife explains how collaboration worked in practice. From expectations and location selection to finding the right partner – discover the key success factors from page 5 onwards.
Growth is also the central theme of our cover interview: Dr Leila Jaafar-Thiel founded start-up Nuclidium in 2020 and, in May 2026, secured EUR 28.4 million in an extended series B financing round, bringing the total round volume to EUR 115 million. From page 9 onwards, she explains how the fresh capital will be deployed, what makes Nuclidium unique, and what medical breakthrough she expects within the next three years.
In the latest edition of our radiotheranostics series, you will find four success stories. ITM Radiopharma, TRIMT, CUP Contract Labs and Pentixapharm demonstrate what the future of radiotheranostics could look like. In addition, our Impact Life Sciences Special explores current technology trends, including Artificial Intelligence as a key growth driver of life sciences, the B2B healthtech sector, and quantum health.
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