Discover Pharma caught up with Katie Edgar, chief business officer at KBI Biopharma, at CPhI to discuss the company’s global manufacturing capabilities, investments in ADCs and biologics, and how digital transparency and AI are shaping the future of CDMO partnerships.

Q: Katie, could you start by telling us about your role at KBI Biopharma?

I’m the chief business officer here at KBI Biopharma, and I’ve been with the company for just under three years. I lead both the commercial organisation as well as our marketing and communications team. I was originally hired into a strategic role to help build corporate strategy and corporate development, and over time I’ve integrated our commercial strategy with business development, sales operations, marketing and brand into one cohesive commercial team.

Q: What did KBI Biopharma showcase at CPHI this year?

First and foremost, we wanted to highlight the depth of services and technical expertise that we bring on a global scale. KBI was founded as an analytics and formulation services company—technical expertise is at our core. Where we’ve seen tremendous growth is in both clinical and commercial manufacturing.

As we continue to evolve, it’s important that people understand not just our technical capabilities but also our global manufacturing footprint. There’s significant demand for onshoring here in the US, driven by geopolitical uncertainty. That’s created opportunities for partners who can strategically support those needs and ensure product can be released domestically.

So our messaging is really about speed, trust, and competitive operations—meeting market needs quickly, reliably and efficiently.

Q: What areas of growth or innovation are you focusing on?

We’ve seen huge investment across the biologics development space, particularly in antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and conjugation technologies, which are growing rapidly. We’re now offering transitional services into the ADC space, including ADC testing out of our Geneva facility and new lyophilisation capabilities.

We’ve also made a heavy investment in our SUREtechnology platform, which is our proprietary Selexis-based cell line development service. That’s giving us a unique opportunity to respond to market needs and expand what we can offer our partners.

Q: What key trends or innovations stood out to you at this year’s CPHI?

There’s a lot happening, but a few themes stand out. Conjugation technologies and biologics acceleration—ADCs, XDCs—are growing at an exponential rate. Everyone is trying to define how to capitalise on that.

We’re also seeing consolidation across the industry: large pharma getting larger, smaller biotechs being acquired. As a mid-sized, bespoke CDMO, our agility is a strength. We’re focusing on partnerships that allow us to deliver truly integrated, end-to-end offerings.

At the same time, we’re thinking carefully about where our true expertise lies—analytics, formulation development, Selexis technology—and how we can help customers accelerate from IND-enabling work through to commercial success. Speed to clinic is at the forefront of every conversation right now.

Q: How is KBI adapting its operations in response to these trends?

Given the increased activity in smaller-scale, high-potency ADC and XDC programs, we recognised the need for smaller-scale offerings alongside our established 2,000-litre global footprint. This year, we’ve introduced a small-scale manufacturing option for customers to stay competitive.

We’re also investing in a new ADC non-GMP lab, which will further accelerate our ability to serve customers in this fast-growing area. These investments ensure we continue to meet market demand and maintain flexibility as the industry evolves.

Q: What do you think is the big “buzz theme” at this year’s conference?

It’s still AI, without question. But I’d add that data transparency and reliability are becoming just as important.

One thing we’re showcasing is our PROGRAMview portal, which gives customers real-time access to their data. What used to take days or weeks to receive is now instantly available through the portal. That’s a major differentiator for us.

While AI is making access to data easier, it also raises concerns around privacy, security and accuracy. So for us, it’s about providing the innovation customers want—but with the trust and GMP assurance that their data is safe and reliable. That balance is something I think the whole industry is grappling with.

Q: What else are people talking about in the industry right now?

There’s a lot of conversation around US policy, tariffs and biosafety legislation, and how these factors affect investment decisions. Risk mitigation and smart capital use are top of mind for investors.

For us, 60–70% of our customers are smaller biotechs. They need confidence that their investments are being used wisely, and our job as a partner is to deliver that assurance.

People are also still talking about GLP-1s and peptides. We’re making advancements there too and plan to launch a new offering soon that will be competitive in that space. More details will come, possibly around JP Morgan, but our goal is to invest wisely—focusing on innovation that delivers the greatest returns for patients.