Altitude Insights

CDMO Marketing Trends Report 2026

The CDMO sector in the United States continues to evolve rapidly after navigating a range of headwinds in 2025. Supply chain volatility, federal funding reductions—particularly in biotech—AI and automation pressures, and ongoing talent shortages are reshaping not only operations but also go-to-market strategies and customer engagement models.

Altitude Marketing conducted a survey of 149 U.S.-based marketing leaders to learn how they are shifting their strategy and tactics in 2026. Here, you will find a breakdown of the results, as well as five insights derived from their responses.

Who did we survey?

The survey captured insights from 149 marketing leaders across U.S.-based CDMOs, representing a highly experienced respondent base. More than 80% of participants held senior-level positions—director or above—with the largest share identifying as Directors or Vice Presidents responsible for driving commercial strategy and execution.

Insight 1: Are CDMO marketing departments growing in 2026?

Hybrid Growth Defines the Next Wave of CDMO Marketing

Most CDMO marketing departments operate within a moderate size range, typically employing six to ten team members, while more than a quarter (28%) report having 15 or more employees. Annual marketing budgets vary widely but most commonly fall between $100k and $1m, reflecting the diverse scale and maturity of organizations within the sector.

Looking ahead, nearly 80% of respondents expect their departments to grow in the coming year—though increases will likely be measured rather than dramatic. Budget expansions are projected to follow a similar, steady trajectory. Notably, three-quarters of respondents plan to increase their use of outsourced agency partners, signaling a continued shift toward hybrid growth models that balance internal capabilities with specialized external expertise.

Key Data Points

Most CDMO marketing departments have 6-10 staff members but over a quarter (28%) report having 15 or more employees
Total annual market budgets fall mostly between $100K and $1M
Nearly 80% of respondents anticipate department growth in the coming year
Budgets are expected to grow similarly
However, 75% also plan to expand their use of outsourced agency partners

Insight 2: Which channels drive the most leads for CDMO marketers?

Data-Driven Channels Outpace Tactics

In 2025, organic SEO and AI-driven search were the most effective channels for generating qualified leads for more than a third of CDMO marketers—significantly outperforming tactics such as trade shows, paid media, and email marketing. This shift underscores a broader industry trend toward data-informed, content-led inbound strategies that capture buyers earlier in the decision cycle.

Looking ahead to 2026, lead generation and brand awareness remain the top marketing priorities, reflecting the sector’s ongoing focus on pipeline growth and differentiation in a competitive marketplace. Budget plans are expected to closely follow performance, with marketers allocating the greatest share of spend to the channels that delivered the strongest results over the past year. Notably, 11% of marketing teams anticipate dedicating their largest budget share to marketing technology, signaling an increased emphasis on analytics, automation, and AI tools that enhance efficiency and visibility across campaigns.

Key Data Points

36% identified organic SEO and AI search as the most effective channel for generating qualified leads in 2025
In 2026, 36% expect to spend the greatest percentage of marketing dollars on organic SEO and AI search as well
11% anticipate spending the greatest percentage of marketing dollars on marketing technology
50% expect lead generation and brand awareness to be their top two goals for 2026

Turn these insights into 2026 results.

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Insight 3: How have external funding pressures affected CDMO marketing budgets?

Stability Amid Strain: CDMOs Hold Steady Despite External Pressures

Federal funding cuts have created mixed outcomes across the CDMO sector. While the majority of marketers report positive impacts on their goals and objectives, roughly one-quarter to one-third continue to experience negative effects, with contract size emerging as the most divided business aspect. Projections for 2026 suggest these dynamics will remain largely unchanged, pointing to a cautious but stable outlook.

Sentiment around tariffs mirrors this pattern of guarded optimism. Approximately half of CDMO marketers report a modest net positive impact across key business categories, yet 25-40% still cite negative effects. Once again, contract size reflects a near 50/50 split, underscoring persistent uncertainty amid evolving economic and trade conditions. Overall, the data indicate an industry that is adapting pragmatically but still navigating external pressures that could influence growth trajectories in 2026 and beyond.

Key Data Points

45-60% report federal funding cuts had a positive impact on marketing and sales metrics while 25-30% continue to feel negative effects, and projections for 2026 are largely unchanged
45-55% report tariffs had a positive impact on marketing and sales metrics while 25-40% cite negative impacts, and projections for 2026 are largely unchanged
Contract size is the most debated category with approximately 40% reporting positive impact and 40% reporting negative impact from both federal finding cuts and tariffs

Insight 4: How are CDMO marketers using AI?

AI Adoption Delivers Measurable Efficiency Gains

Artificial intelligence and large language models (LLMs) have become near-universal tools across CDMO marketing teams. But, are they finding the tools useful? Access the full PDF report for our complete survey results on the industry’s use of AI.

Download the Full Report

Insight 5: How are CDMOs leveraging external agencies?

CDMOs Lean on Agencies for Expertise and Efficiency

Outsourcing continues to play a strategic role in how CDMO marketing teams scale expertise and execution. Nearly half of marketers who outsource allocated 11–25% of their 2025 budgets to agency partners, while another 34% devoted one-quarter to half of their total marketing spend to outsourced support, underscoring the growing importance of hybrid resourcing models.

When asked what they seek most from agency relationships, 50% of respondents cited specialized expertise, while nearly one-quarter said their primary goal was to increase speed and efficiency. The most frequently outsourced functions reflect the industry’s accelerating shift toward digital marketing and automation: marketing technology (45%), organic SEO and AI search (43%), display advertising (39%), and paid search (37%).

Together, these findings highlight a CDMO marketing landscape that increasingly relies on external partners to drive innovation, technical capability, and digital performance.

Key Data Points

Nearly 50% allocate 11–25% of 2025 budgets to agencies
34% spend 25–50% of budgets on outsourced support
50% seek specialized expertise from partners; 24% aim to boost speed and efficiency
Top outsourced tactics: marketing technology, organic SEO/AI search, display advertising, paid search

Conclusion

Will Uncertainty be Replaced by Predictability?

External regulatory, economic, and technological forces ensured that the story of 2025 for CDMO marketers was turbulence. It remains an open question as to how predictable and stable 2026 will be. On the one hand, marketers have normalized how and where they use AI, and the pace of federal economic and funding changes has slowed. On the other hand, the AI industry’s economic outlook and tech evolution are impossible to foresee, and the government’s position toward trade could change due to forthcoming Supreme Court decisions and the midterm elections.

What’s certain is that CDMO marketers will continue to invest in inbound qualified lead generation, and that most expect to increase their investment in both internal and external resources to continue driving growth.