What is a CDMO?
A CDMO (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization) is a key partner for companies in the nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, or biotechnological sectors seeking to outsource both the development and manufacturing of their products.
The CDMO is involved from the very beginning of the project to develop a tailor-made product for the client: formulation, ingredient selection, stability studies, process validation, galenic development, and more. Essentially, the CDMO helps the client turn an idea or laboratory formula into a finished product ready for market deployment.
Once the development is validated, the CDMO handles pilot-scale and then industrial-scale manufacturing while adhering to quality standards (HACCP, ISO, GMP, as needed). The CDMO offers a comprehensive, customized service that ensures consistency between the development and manufacturing processes.
By combining its various areas of expertise, the CDMO acts as a single point of contact for all these stages.
CDMO vs CMO: what’s the difference?
CDMOs are not the only players that support businesses; other types of organizations focus on specific phases of the project or handle only portions of it. The CMO (Contract Manufacturing Organization), for instance, is an industrial service provider whose core activity lies in manufacturing finished products or ingredients. CMOs are recognized for their significant industrial and logistical capacities.
CDMO vs CMO: Unlike a CDMO, the CMO does not participate in the formulation development. While the CMO is limited to producing the product according to a specification provided by the client—including raw materials, operating procedures, and galenic form—the CDMO combines development and manufacturing expertise with a more personalized approach to meet client needs.
At Ennolys, we operate as both a CMO and a CDMO in the biotechnology sector with Ennatech, our range of R&D and fermentation subcontracting services, as well as post-processing services (DSP). We provide industrial-scale solutions with fermenters ranging from 100 to 50,000 liters while partnering in the custom product development process through our multidisciplinary team.
CDMO vs CRO: what’s the difference?
Companies can also rely on the expertise of a CRO (Contract Research Organization). Before the development and manufacturing of a nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, or biotechnological product, companies may work with CROs to focus on clinical and preclinical research phases.
CROs specialize in the following areas:
– Preclinical research: in vitro tests, toxicology studies, pharmacokinetic studies
– Clinical trials (phases I–IV): recruiting volunteers, monitoring trials, collecting, and analyzing data
CDMO vs CRO: Unlike the CDMO, the CRO does not manufacture products or directly contribute to formulation development. Instead, its focus is on the scientific and regulatory validation of the product’s safety and efficacy. The expertise of these two types of providers is therefore complementary.
CROs, CDMOs, and CMOs: complementary roles
CROs, CDMOs, and CMOs are three types of service providers that address key stages in the lifecycle of nutraceutical or biotechnological products:
– The CRO scientifically validates the product’s efficacy and safety.
– The CDMO develops and manufactures the product from start to finish.
– The CMO focuses on manufacturing according to client specifications.
Ennolys: a key partner as both a CDMO and CMO
As both a CDMO and CMO, Ennolys is a key partner for companies and startups across various industries, including food, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, flavors, and agriculture. By collaborating with Ennolys, you can increase agility, expertise, and responsiveness while keeping costs and risks under control. This allows you to accelerate the market introduction of innovative, effective, and regulation-compliant solutions.
