Last updated : April 24, 2026 7:42 am
Our company is prioritising deeper collaborations with CDMOs and biosimilar companies as part of its strategy to expand its footprint across India, Middle East, and Africa region
In an exclusive conversation with Rahul Koul, Editor, Indian Pharma Post, Ganesh Bade, Director- Bioprocessing-India Middle East and Africa (IMEA), Avantor spoke on expanding in India and IMEA through deeper CDMO and biosimilar partnerships; strengthening local manufacturing, supply chains and end-to-end bioprocessing solutions to support biologics growth and regulatory compliance.
At CPHI & PMEC India 2025, Avantor showcased offerings across discovery to commercial manufacturing. How do you see this full-lifecycle approach catering to India’s biopharma manufacturers?
Avantor’s full-lifecycle approach makes them an ideal partner for Indian biopharmaceutical companies, supporting them from drug discovery to mass production. At CPHI & PMEC India 2025, Avantor presented its integrated portfolio of high-purity materials, laboratory consumables, bioprocessing solutions, single-use systems, and digital platforms. Together, these offerings enhance workflows, manage risk, and accelerate project completion.
Avantor supplies end-to-end solutions across discovery to manufacturing and also utilises scale-up optimization tools to achieve better performance and delivery. As India’s biopharmaceutical industry expands across biologics, vaccines, biosimilars, and advanced therapies, the demand for dependable materials, technical expertise, and prompt support is increasing significantly. The whole system empowers manufacturers to not only satisfy the stringent regulatory requirements but also to keep their operations stable, be in line with the international regulations, and support further growth.
Many Indian biopharma firms may still be transitioning from conventional stainless-steel-based workflows to single-use or hybrid systems. What are the biggest challenges you observe in this shift, and how is Avantor supporting clients through this transition — technically, logistically, and regulatory-wise?
India's move from stainless steel to single-use and hybrid systems is a transition that offers a lot of potential but at the same time is quite complicated. Manufacturers face difficulties when they have to check if their processes are compatible, if they are managing change control properly, if they can ensure the continuity of the supply, and if they can meet the regulatory requirements that are constantly changing. The industry needs clear technical guidance for system design and scalability. Supported by regional facilities, our worldwide cGMP manufacturing network is geared towards achieving the efficient, consistent, and compliant production of single-use assemblies and bioprocessing materials. While the technical staff remain in close contact with customers for risk assessment, validation, and process standardization, the use of digital tools speeds up regulatory submissions. This method ensures smooth adoption of single-use and hybrid systems and improves operational readiness.
How do you define the current state of the bioprocessing market across India, the Middle East, and Africa, and what unique dynamics differentiate these regions? What are the top three strategic priorities for Avantor in the IMEA bioprocessing segment over the next 3–5 years?
The Middle East and Africa Large and Small-scale Bioprocessing Market was valued at USD 1.04 Billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 1.47 Billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 6.15% over the forecast period. The Indian bioprocessing industry is expanding rapidly as a result of increased biologics manufacturing, vaccine production, and government-supported initiatives for the biotech sector. Some of the major factors that differentiate India are its trained manpower and cost advantages, the Middle East's increased investment in biotech hubs, and Africa's rising adoption mainly focused on biomanufacturing for public health. Avantor's top three strategic priorities during the next 3–5 years, in brief, are to broaden the capabilities of localized manufacturing and supply chains, deepen relations with contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) as well as research institutes, and offer integrated, premium-grade consumables and solutions especially designed for the regional regulatory and operational requirements.
Biologics and cell & gene therapies are reshaping global healthcare. How is Avantor positioning itself to support this shift in emerging markets?
By providing mission-critical materials, single-use technologies, and workflow solutions that cover the entire development lifecycle from early research to commercial manufacturing, we are strongly positioned to support the growing demand for biologics and cell & gene therapies (CGT) in emerging markets. Our materials, high-purity excipients, and the industry’s largest library of single-use components have been specified in 85% of the top 20 biologic drugs, which is strong evidence of deep relevance across advanced modalities.
Our technical experts offer process optimization, quality, and validation support, while robust supply-chain capabilities ensure continuity in fast-growing CGT markets. This integrated ecosystem helps emerging-market manufacturers accelerate adoption and strengthen operational readiness. We also enable customers to scale safely and meet strict regulatory requirements through a global network of cGMP- and ISO-certified facilities.
India is What does India need to do to become a global hub for high-quality biomanufacturing beyond cost competitiveness?
India must focus on several critical aspects to become a global hub for high-quality biomanufacturing. Strengthening regulatory frameworks and ensuring compliance with international standards will build global trust in Indian bioproducts. Significant investment in advanced manufacturing infrastructure is essential to improve efficiency and scalability. Developing a skilled workforce in biomanufacturing will support industry growth. Enabling innovation through public-private partnerships and R&D incentives will drive next-generation solutions. Strengthening supply chains will ensure reliable, end-to-end manufacturing. By addressing these priorities, India can create a world-class, quality-driven biomanufacturing ecosystem and attract global investment and strategic partnerships.
What emerging customer behaviours, especially among CDMOs and biosimilar players, are reshaping your engagement models?
Emerging behaviours among CDMOs and biosimilar players are reshaping engagement models in ways that place efficiency at the center of collaboration. Customers are increasingly focused on compressing development timelines, reducing operational complexity, and ensuring that every step of the process, from early development through commercial scale?up that runs with precision and predictability.
For CDMOs, agility is paramount, but agility without efficiency can create hidden costs. They are asking us to help streamline workflows, eliminate redundancies, and introduce smarter buffer management solutions that stabilize production schedules and reduce risk. Biosimilar players, operating in highly competitive markets, are equally focused on efficiency: they want partners who can help them optimize resource utilization, minimize variability, and deliver consistent quality at scale.
At Avantor, we are responding by embedding efficiency into the very fabric of our engagement. This means working closely on processes with customers, integrating digital tools for real time visibility, and offering buffer management strategies that ensure supply resilience while avoiding over?allocation of resources. By balancing speed with stability, we enable our partners to move confidently from idea to impact.
Are you witnessing a shift toward regional inventory hubs or near-shoring for faster turnaround times? How do you address the challenge of maintaining quality and compliance across such a wide geography?
The geopolitical environment, from Middle East conflicts to global tariff realignments, is prompting customers in Asia to rethink supply chain strategies. We are seeing stronger interest in regional inventory hubs and nearshoring to ensure faster turnaround times and greater resilience.
Avantor is well positioned to support this shift. With over 650,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space and a distribution and manufacturing hub in Singapore, complemented by a network of 25 distribution centers across Asia, we provide localized access to critical materials. Our regional manufacturing sites and innovation centers further strengthen our ability to deliver consistent quality and compliance across diverse markets.
This combination of scale, regional presence, and global standards enables Avantor to help customers in Asia navigate uncertainty, accelerate delivery, and maintain the highest levels of reliability.