DCAT Week 2026: Insource or Partner with a CDMO?

In the second part of Franco Negron’s conversation with BioPharm International, he discusses the company’s aggressive investment strategy, expertise in high‑complexity manufacturing, and broader CDMO market trends in this in‑depth DCAT Week interview.

With more than 35 years in manufacturing across OTCs and pharmaceuticals, including senior leadership roles at Thermo Fisher Scientific, Franco Negron explains how Simtra’s investment thesis was built around early, large‑scale capital deployment to meet fast‑growing demand in biologics and bioconjugation, particularly antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). Backed by private equity sponsors Warburg Pincus and Advent International, Simtra has invested nearly $500 million post‑acquisition to expand capacity and capabilities.

Negron highlights Simtra’s leadership in ADC fill‑finish at its Halle, Germany site as a key to integrating upstream and downstream expertise. Looking ahead, Negron sees the CDMO sector becoming more proactive, innovation‑driven, and collaborative, with growing focus on AI, advanced technologies, stronger quality systems, and honest peer‑to‑peer dialogue that delivers real value to customers and patients.

About the speaker

Franco Negron, CEO, Simtra Biopharma Solutions

With more than 2 decades of executive leadership experience, Negron is a seasoned industry expert and a passionate advocate for the purpose that drives Simtra: to bring vital injectable products to patients worldwide. Negron’s tenure as CEO of ApiJect Systems, a global medical technology company, and his role as president of Commercial Operations at Thermo Fisher Scientific, have equipped him with a deep understanding of the pharmaceutical manufacturing landscape. His leadership is marked by a collaborative spirit and a relentless drive to push the industry’s boundaries while fostering an environment that values integrity, quality and teamwork. His previous roles include vice president of Manufacturing and Supply at Valeant Pharmaceuticals, global vice president in Novartis’ Consumer Health division, and site general manager at McNeil Consumer Healthcare.