Serán CEO Dan Smithey on the Future of Oral GLP-1 Therapies: “A Rare Opportunity for CDMOs”

In The Pharma Navigator’s recent feature “Riding the Oral GLP-1 Wave”, Serán CEO and Co-founder Dr. Dan Smithey discusses the critical role Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations (CDMOs) will play in the future of GLP-1 drug development—particularly as the market pivots toward oral delivery.

Dr. Smithey emphasizes the challenges of developing orally bioavailable molecules, noting that many pharmaceutical companies lack the specialized manufacturing techniques required for early-stage development. “Molecules that are orally bioavailable are difficult to develop and will likely require manufacturing techniques that are not widely available internally in many pharmaceutical companies, thus requiring outsourcing to CDMOs who have this technology,” he explains.

Serán is positioned at the forefront of this transformation, offering deep expertise in advanced formulation development, solid-dose manufacturing, and scalable production. Dr. Smithey highlights the necessity of CDMOs to invest in GMP-compliant equipment, resilient supply chains, and regulatory strength to serve the emerging markets for GLP-1s.

He concludes with a call to action: “The scale of manufacturing that will be required [for success in the GLP-1 arena] is massive, and will require investment from CDMOs, pharma, and likely government.”

As the industry prepares for a paradigm shift in how GLP-1 therapies are developed and delivered, Serán stands ready to support partners with the technologies, capabilities, and scale necessary to lead in this rapidly evolving field.

Read more about Serán’s capabilities in oral solid dosage formulation at www.seranbio.com.