DCAT Week 2026: What is Driving the Pace of Injectable Capacity Investment?

In a conversation with BioPharm International® Franco Negron, CEO of Simtra BioPharma Solutions, discusses the company’s aggressive investment strategy, expertise in high‑complexity manufacturing, and broader contract development and manufacturing organization market trends in this in‑depth DCAT Week interview.

With more than 35 years in manufacturing across over the counter medications and bio/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. Backed by private equity sponsors Warburg Pincus and Advent International, Simtra has invested nearly $500 million post‑acquisition to expand capacity and capabilities.

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.