How CDMOs Turn “Undruggable” Into “Developable”

AustinPx CEO Elizabeth Hickman and CSO Dave Miller examine how precision medicine, AI, and advanced discovery tools are expanding what is possible in drug development while creating new formulation and manufacturing challenges. As researchers pursue more targeted molecules, many candidates come with difficult chemistry, including poor solubility, low permeability, stability concerns, and scale-up risk. The article explores how modern CDMOs can help turn promising but difficult compounds into viable medicines by applying the right level of formulation complexity at the right time. Hickman and Miller discuss why drug developers need partners who combine scientific judgment, patient-focused design, cost discipline, and operational agility to support development from early strategy through scalable manufacturing. The article highlights how high-science, high-service CDMO partnerships can help complex molecules move from discovery promise to patient-ready therapies.