Many parts of the pharma supply chain
could be at risk
as the Commerce Department investigates the sector for potential tariffs. But even before details are ironed out, some biotechs and CDMOs are already assessing their vulnerabilities and making moves.
Primarily, companies have been reassuring investors by touting their existing — and future — US production as a way to potentially sidestep incoming levies. Some have started to disclose which of their products are likely to be affected by tariffs and have even spelled out plans for stockpiling.
Immunocore CEO Bahija Jallal noted that the drug substance and finished product of its uveal melanoma immunotherapy Kimmtrak is done in Europe. This means that Kimmtrak could be sensitive to a potential price increase once tariffs are in place, she told delegates at the Needham Healthcare Conference earlier this month, according to an AlphaSense transcript. In 2024, Kimmtrak
collected
$227 million in US sales out of $310 million globally.
When it comes to evading tariff headwinds, drugs might increase somewhat in price, but it will be “politically untenable” for pharma to raise drug prices to fully offset the levies, TD Cowen analysts said in a Wednesday note.
Pharma tariffs are expected in the next month or so, with the Section 232 investigation
initiated
on April 1. Johnson & Johnson, the first large pharma to report its first-quarter earnings, said it
expects to incur
around $400 million in tariff-related costs from global levies already announced, mainly to do with med tech shipments to China. J&J said it is focused on
boosting its US production
capacity as it awaits the outcome of the 232 investigation.
Some biotechs have started stockpiling finished products in the US. Acadia Pharmaceuticals CFO Mark Schneyer said at the Needham Healthcare confab that it has accumulated a two-year supply for two of its lead products in the US: the Parkinson’s disease drug Nuplazid and its Rett syndrome treatment Daybue.
But the API for Nuplazid is sourced from Switzerland, and ones for Daybue are shipped from Italy. Schneyer noted tariffs will likely expose these APIs to increased costs, but changes to its strategy are not a part of its immediate game plan. Nuplazid and Daybue together pulled in $958 million last year.
In the face of tariffs, biopharma companies have commonly emphasized their manufacturing presence in the US.
Esperion Therapeutics CEO Sheldon Koenig noted at the same conference that 50% of its production is in the US. While it sources some API from France and India, it also has a US-based supplier, the company said. Esperion has two marketed products in the US and Europe that it developed with Daiichi-Sankyo, Nexletol and Nexlizet, both of which are used to lower blood cholesterol.
Eyepoint Pharmaceuticals similarly highlighted that it sources certain API in the US and has a future commercial factory in Northbridge, MA. Once that factory is running, it should have enough capacity to supply the US, as well as the global market, CEO Jay Duker said during the RBC Capital Markets Ophthalmology Conference earlier this month, according to an AlphaSense transcript. Eyepoint markets Yutiq for chronic non-infectious uveitis and Dexycu to reduce eye inflammation after surgery.
CDMOs are also taking stock of their US resources. Oxford Biomedica noted that, because it has a manufacturing site in Bedford, MA, it should be in a “good position” once the tariffs go live, CEO Frank Mathias said during its earnings call Thursday. While the cell and gene CDMO has some raw materials sourced outside of the US, this is “relatively modest,” CFO Lucy Crabtree added.
While the biopharma industry has evaded tariffs so far, packaging and life science tool manufacturers are already
grappling
with them as their products are not exempt from the initial levy rollout. To reassure investors, German packaging company Gerresheimer noted that its manufacturing footprint is “well positioned” to withstand any tariff impact, CEO Dietmar Siemssen said during its earnings call Friday. It has six production facilities in the US and two sales offices, according to its website.