Why More Life Science Companies Are Outsourcing Business Development
How external BD partners help pharma, biotech, and CDMOs grow faster, and at lower cost.
In today’s hyper-competitive and resource-constrained life sciences landscape, many companies—from emerging biotech firms to mid-sized CDMOs—are turning to outsourced business development (BD) as a strategic advantage.
And the numbers back it up. Let's take a look.
The Case for External BD
💸 Up to 50% cost savings
According to Deloitte’s Global Outsourcing Survey, outsourcing key business development functions like lead generation and sales outreach can reduce costs by 30–50%, especially in B2B sectors such as pharma, biotech, and medtech.
Specific ways you can benefit:
Save budget otherwise spent on hiring, training, and retaining full-time BD staff
Avoid overhead costs like travel, subscriptions, and CRM tools by tapping into partner infrastructure
Convert fixed costs into flexible, performance-based spending
Reduce the cost-per-lead and cost-per-deal by leveraging experienced BD experts
Gain access to senior-level BD without the salary commitment
🌍 Faster access to new markets
A study by the BPI Network found that 61% of companies say strategic partnerships helped them enter new markets more quickly—critical when speed to market can be the difference between winning or losing commercial traction.
Specific ways you can benefit:
Use existing partner networks to fast-track introductions in new regions
Cut down time spent understanding local regulations—your BD partner already knows
Get boots-on-the-ground insights for market entry strategy without setting up a local office
Access curated partner and distributor lists that save months of research
Align market launch with local events, holidays, and regulatory timing via in-region advisors
🎯 Specialized expertise
Statista reports that 70% of companies outsource to access talent not available in-house. In life sciences, this often means gaining entry to global networks, therapeutic area expertise, or region-specific knowledge of pricing, reimbursement, and regulatory pathways.
Specific ways you can benefit:
Work with BD teams who already have warm relationships with your target accounts
Gain access to prequalified contacts in rare or emerging therapeutic areas
Use BD partners who understand licensing, deal structuring, and the expectations of pharma buyers
Save time vetting opportunities—your partner has industry intel and tools
Ensure cultural fluency and compliance when approaching international partners or investors
Real-World Example #1: Rare Disease Launch Support in Canada
A global pharma company preparing to launch two rare disease therapies in Canada had an urgent regulatory deadline from Health Canada. Rather than build an internal team from scratch, they brought in Sosna + Co to support BD and market readiness.
Within weeks, the outsourced BD team helped expedite release of the first drug ahead of schedule—and delivered Canada’s first-ever dual rare disease launch in under 14 days.
Why it worked: Access to local expertise, existing Health Canada relationships, and a senior BD team that could hit the ground running, no training or onboarding required.
Real-World Example #2: Licensing Partner Search Made Easier
A specialty biotech was struggling to find the right regional licensing partner. After months of internal outreach with no traction, they engaged an outsourced BD team with deep connections across LATAM and Europe.
Within 90 days, they had three active discussions, all from companies they previously couldn’t access.
Why it worked: The Sosna + Co team brought a live network of over 130K qualified contacts, plus knowledge of how to position the asset based on local market trends and payer pressures.
The Bottom Line
Outsourcing BD doesn’t mean giving up control. It means gaining momentum. When done right, it’s an extension of your internal team, with the added benefits of:
Scalability
Speed to execution
Global reach
Lower overhead
Laser focus on deal flow
Whether you're prepping for an upcoming networking event, licensing a new technology, or entering a new region, the right outsourced BD partner can save you time, money, and missed opportunity.
Curious what kind of traction your company could see in 90 days?
Reach out to Sosna + Co today and discover how our outsourced business development services can unlock new opportunities for your healthtech company.
Sosna + Co is a boutique, outsourced business development partner for the life sciences. From M&A advisory and licensing deals with Fortune 500 companies to uncovering the potential of savvy, new start-ups, the principal is simple: we work meticulously to uncover new opportunities that grow your business. Contact us today to learn more.
