Menarini and ERBC collaborate

In a significant move for the biopharmaceutical sector, ERBC (BAUGY, France) and Menarini Biotech (POMEZIA, Italy) have entered into a strategic partnership designed to streamline the development of biologic therapies from the research phase to First-in-Human (FIH) clinical trials. This collaboration appears poised to address long-standing bottlenecks in early-stage biopharmaceutical development.

ERBC, a respected preclinical contract research organisation (CRO), and Menarini Biotech, a custom development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) under the Menarini Group, are combining their complementary strengths to offer what they describe as a “turnkey solution.” The aim is clear: support biotech companies, academic institutions, and startups in navigating the complex regulatory and technical hurdles that often slow the journey from lab bench to patient bedside.

At the heart of the partnership is a fully integrated service model. ERBC brings deep expertise in non-clinical safety and pharmacology studies—ranging from toxicology to pharmacokinetics and analytics—while Menarini Biotech contributes its robust capabilities in Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC). This includes scalable, platform-based manufacturing processes and early consideration of manufacturability, which are vital in de-risking and accelerating the path to clinical trials. Nicola Torre, General Manager of Menarini Biotech, highlighted the practical implications of the alliance: “The greatest challenge for early-stage biopharmaceutical projects is navigating the complex regulatory and manufacturing landscape to allow a rapid transition from discovery to delivery. With this collaboration, we’re offering a structured, efficient, and cost-effective pathway for innovative therapies.”

The comprehensive support framework includes GLP and GMP-compliant services, regulatory-ready data packages, and expert guidance through IND submissions. Such capabilities could significantly reduce development timelines—a critical factor in an industry where timing often determines success. Christophe Priou, CEO of ERBC, reinforced this ambition, stating: “We are providing biopharmaceutical companies, biotech startups, and academic teams the essential tools and expertise to transition from breakthrough research to clinical development at the right quality level.”

For observers of the life sciences sector, this partnership marks a notable step toward integrated innovation ecosystems that prioritise speed, quality, and scalability. One also can see the cooperation as a form of consolidating the market of service providers to building platforms of services still in different places but under one common roof. As the race to develop next-generation biologics intensifies, collaborations like this could define a new standard for early-stage development—one where scientific vision is matched by technical execution and regulatory fluency. Whether this alliance will set a precedent for similar cross-functional models in the industry remains to be seen, but it clearly signals a shift toward more collaborative, outcome-driven development strategies in the biopharmaceutical landscape.