December 30, 2025

Clinical supply chain leaders are entering 2026 with a new mandate: control costs without compromising flexibility, quality, or patient access. The pressure is real—and the organizations that get this right will accelerate development while everyone else fights fires.

Here’s what’s driving the urgency:

🔹 Rising manufacturing & packaging costs Energy, labor, and specialized materials continue to climb, making every batch and every label decision more expensive.

🔹 Protocol complexity is exploding Adaptive designs, decentralized elements, biomarker‑driven cohorts—each adds SKUs, scenarios, and risk.

🔹 Comparator & ancillary inflation High‑demand biologics and device‑drug combinations are pushing comparator budgets to historic highs.

🔹 Global regulatory divergence Country‑specific labeling, importation rules, and temperature‑control requirements add cost and slowdowns.

And the biggest issue of all:

🔹 Waste Across the industry, 30–50% of clinical supplies are still destroyed unused.

In today’s cost environment, that’s no longer acceptable.

What forward‑thinking sponsors are doing differently

✔ Smarter forecasting & simulation Using probabilistic models and real‑time site behavior to reduce overage and avoid stockouts.

✔ Late‑stage customization & JIT packaging Reducing inventory risk and improving global agility.

✔ Strategic comparator sourcing Parallel sourcing, early agreements, and global networks to stabilize cost and availability.

✔ Integrated vendor governance Fewer partners, unified KPIs, and better visibility into cost drivers

.✔ Digital & IoT‑enabled oversight Real‑time temperature, shipment, and inventory data to prevent costly resupply events.

The bottom line

Cost management in 2026 isn’t about cutting corners. It’s about building a resilient, data‑driven clinical supply chain that supports patients, protects budgets, and accelerates development. Clinical supply teams that embrace this shift will move from “cost center” to strategic enabler—and they’ll shape the future of operational excellence.