Biotech's Resurgence: A Video Recap of BIO 2026

Welcome to BioPharm International®'s post-conference video recap of the 2026 BIO International Convention (BIO 2026), where biotech and pharma leaders gathered to discuss the trends shaping drug development today.

One major theme was diversification. Attendees described a more varied landscape than in past years, spanning biotechs, large pharma, contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs), and suppliers, with CDMOs increasingly differentiating through faster, end-to-end development timelines rather than capacity alone.

The second theme centered around a resurgence in dealmaking and investment. Speakers pointed to a wave of multi-billion-dollar merger and acquisition (M&A) activity, reopened public markets, and successful initial public offerings (IPOs), all signaling renewed confidence after a challenging few years for biotech funding.

“The one thing I'm seeing is that there's less capacity constraints than there's been historically, especially in the CDMO space, and that means companies are needing to find ways to differentiate in other ways,” said Paul Jorjorian, vice president, Development and Scientific Solutions, Thermo Fisher Scientific, from the exhibit floor.

“We've gone through a rough period of time over the [past] 3 to 4 years,” said James Mackay, PhD, co-founder, president, and CEO of Crystalys Therapeutics, speaking at the conference. “It’s been very difficult to get investment. That's changed. The public markets are open. IPOs are being successful. And there's a huge amount of M&A activity from big pharma to biotech.”

“For me, the take-home from BIO 2026 is really the understanding of some of the unique innovation that's occurring,” added Brandon Pence, president and chief operating officer of FUJIFILM Biosciences while at the conference. “It's a great environment where companies get together to really share experiences and share where our technology development roadmaps are going.”

We can see that these conversations point to an industry regaining momentum, driven by innovation, strategic partnerships, and growing investor enthusiasm.

Thank you for joining BioPharm International for this BIO 2026 recap. For more conference coverage and expert insights on biopharmaceutical development and manufacturing, visit www.BioPharmInternational.com. Thank you for watching.

BIO 2026 was held in San Diego on June 22–25.