CRB releases new Horizons: Life Sciences report
Oct 7, 2025
Built on survey responses from 400 international R&D and manufacturing leaders, combined with the insights of CRB’s subject matter experts, the 2025 report captures how life science companies are rethinking strategies, pipelines, processes, and culture in the face of tariffs, regulatory shakeups, and relentless market pressure. The through-line is clear: Rather than retreat, the industry is choosing acceleration.
Data tells the story: Nearly six in 10 respondents say tariff pressures haven’t dented their investment plans, while 43% report actively accelerating them. Large pharmaceutical firms are leading the charge, committing historic sums to new capacity. And across 12 therapeutic modalities, from cell and gene therapies to antibody-drug conjugates, every single one is on track for expansion or increased investment, according to CRB’s survey.
The report explores how trade and regulatory dynamics are reshaping global strategies. Asia and Europe are emerging as hotbeds of R&D activity, even as U.S. investment accelerates in response to tariff uncertainty. At the same time, workforce data reveals that the industry’s progress is powered by a highly motivated and engaged talent pool, underscoring the importance of people alongside processes and pipelines.
“A new set of challenges has rapidly emerged, disrupting the industry from every angle, regulatory upheaval, supply chain instability, and shifting trade policies. And yet, our data shows that companies in this industry aren’t just moving forward, they’re accelerating, even in the face of increasing uncertainty.” – Noel Maestre, Vice President of Life Sciences
Faced with trade turbulence, rising costs, and shifting regulations, life sciences companies are reengineering their playbook. Company leaders know that efficiency alone won’t cut it, so many are opting to transform their process and people strategies to deliver speed, flexibility, and staying power in a volatile market.
“From standardizing operations to embracing intensified and end-to-end continuous manufacturing, the momentum is unmistakable. These shifts go beyond technical upgrades to laying the foundation for a more resilient industry and a future where lifesaving therapies reach patients faster and more reliably around the world.” – Peter Walters, Fellow of Advanced Therapies
Horizons: Life Sciences 2025
download todayBacked by insights from 400 global R&D and manufacturing leaders, the Horizons: Life Sciences 2025 report reveals how the industry is building resilience, expanding pipelines, and empowering a motivated workforce to push innovation forward despite trade turbulence and regulatory flux.
