Insight
Trends defining Life Sciences in 2026
As the new year approaches, NIRAS experts reflect on prior trends and assess anticipated developments. Jesper Madsen Wagner and Jimi Kjærsgaard Pettersson, both Expertise Director, plus Martin Rode, Senior Consultant in Denmark, and Michel Croes, Business Development Manager in the Netherlands, provide insights on expectations for the coming year.
December 22, 2025
Looking ahead the Life Sciences and Pharmaceutical industry can expect a strong focus on supply chain resilience and NIRAS experts predict that AI will play an even larger role in discovery and manufacturing through 2026, transforming treatment development and production. Next to that, new therapies will move development and production strategies. This article examines the factors influencing 2026 and discusses their implications for manufacturers as they prepare for the coming years.
From blockbuster to modalities
“Technological innovations continue to drive the shift from blockbuster drugs to targeted treatments in the life sciences. Also the biosimilars market is set for continued growth as more patents expire, the so called patent cliff, and healthcare systems seek to reduce costs. These trends will increase the need for flexibility, speed and scalability in production processes in 2026,” predicts Croes.
The move toward personalised treatments and small-batch production will demand greater flexibility from manufacturing facilities. Modular, reconfigurable plant designs are already in use and will likely see broader adoption as personalised treatments become more mainstream.
Conversely, Pettersson notes, “Cell and gene therapies are advancing swiftly from clinical development to initial stages of commercialisation, which is driving demand for more standardised and scalable production systems.”
“Technological innovations continue to drive the shift from blockbuster drugs to targeted treatments in the life sciences,”
Michel Croes, Business Development Manager in the Netherlands
Further production updates
“The adoption of nasal sprays as alternatives to needle injections and inhalers represents a significant shift in drug delivery, one that will undoubtedly require updates to manufacturing technologies and processes,” mentions Wagner.
Pettersson also predicts the rise of weight-loss and metabolic therapeutics: “The metabolic health market, driven by GLP-1–based medicines will be one of the most disruptive forces in 2026. Large pharmaceutical companies, that missed the first GLP-1 wave, are entering through acquisitions and licensing deals.”
He adds: “As evidence accumulates for broader cardiovascular, renal and liver benefits, obesity medicines are evolving into a multi-disease metabolic platform rather than a single product category.”
More sustainable manufacturing will be another area for renewed focus in 2026 as EU pharmaceutical sustainability initiatives focus on decarbonisation, water management and circular economy principles.
AI and automation challenges
Croes notes, "Automation has attracted significant attention in 2025 due to the rapid advancements of AI tools and their progression toward the peak of the learning curve. I anticipate that 2026 will continue to see sustained interest in AI among developers and producers."
Jesper Madsen Wagner, Expertise Director Life Sciences Denmark: "Lowering costs in the pharmaceutical industry will strongly promote automation, robotics, IoT, and digitalisation,"
Automation, digitalisation, and real-time process monitoring can make therapy production easier to scale and help teams adjust to changes and deviations more readily. At the same time, digitalisation and real-time data logging enable companies to track production processes more precisely. This will help stay compliant with stricter regulatory requirements as production processes diversify to accommodate new therapeutic modalities.
"Lowering costs in the pharmaceutical industry will strongly promote automation, robotics, IoT, and digitalisation," Magnus adds.
AI-driven tools, including digital twins, are expected to see wider use as manufacturers pursue greater efficiency and cost savings.
Supply chain resilience
Geopolitical tensions and uncertainty are likely to continue into 2026, straining supply chains and emphasising the need for stronger resilience practices. Shifting from transactional relationships to strategic partnerships, while expanding geographical flexibility and building multipartner networks, can help companies strengthen resilience going forward.
“Nearshoring gained momentum this year and will keep on developing into 2026, prioritising delivery security over cost," says Rode. "Resilience will most likely be obtained through stronger strategic partnerships, enabling a market focus on specific markets, and possibly the reluctant diminishing of activities on fringe markets."
He goes on to share his perspective about global trade: “I expect that tensions between China and Europe will rise, and China might even blockade Taiwan. This could impact several European pharmaceutical companies that depend on components from the region.”
Regulations and innovation
In 2026, governments and regulators in Europe and the UK will aim to simplify regulatory pathways and reduce documentation requirements to promote innovation in the life sciences sector.
The European Commission's Life Sciences Strategy, launched earlier this year, aims to establish Europe as a leader in the life sciences by 2030. This includes significant investments in areas such as vaccines and affordable cancer treatments.
“Insourcing to Europe is a development I am particularly interested in. With experts based across different countries, my colleagues and I are well placed to support clients in a more valuable way.” Magnus says.
Trends defining Life Sciences in 2026
As advanced therapies mature, AI becomes embedded across workflows, and European governments invest in innovation, the life sciences sector is entering a defining period. simplified documentation requirements, broader fast-track pathways and greater reliance on real-time digital data during inspections will begin to change how companies prepare for approvals.
“These developments will favour organisations with strong digital infrastructures and clear data governance models,” predicts Pettersson.
Success in 2026 will depend on operational agility, technological integration, and strategic partnerships that strengthen resilience. Organisations that adapt quickly to these converging trends will be best positioned to accelerate progress and lead the next era of biomedical advancement.
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