From GLP-1s to global trade: The big topics at DCAT Week 2025

DCAT Week is the must-attend event of the year for organisations in the biopharma and pharmaceutical manufacturing value chain. Each year, the biggest industry names descend on New York for a week of talks, networking events, and, of course, the hotly anticipated annual dinner. Attendees range from drug manufacturers and ingredients suppliers to development and manufacturing service providers, and everything in between.

A staple of the industry calendar, DCAT Week is hosted by the Drug, Chemical & Associated Technologies Association (DCAT), an organisation that traces its roots back more than a century. Early members included some familiar names — Charles Pfizer and George Merck — alongside other leaders shaping the industry.

Their vision was to foster stronger business relationships, enhance industry conditions, advance shared ideals, and create a space for exchanging knowledge. That first annual dinner in 1926 laid the foundation for what DCAT Week has become: a critical forum for building connections and driving industry dialogue.

As our CEO, Kate Whelan, and Group Account Director, Matt Dayman, prepare to head to NYC for this year’s event, we wanted to explore a few key themes likely to dominate discussions. With 2025 shaping up to be a pivotal year thanks to rapid advances in AI, evolving global trade landscapes, and breakthroughs in next-generation therapeutics, there’s plenty to talk about.

Tariffs, trade, and taxes

Newly imposed US trade tariffs have created an atmosphere of uncertainty over drug manufacturing and supply chains. While finished pharmaceuticals are often excluded from tariffs, key raw ingredients, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and chemicals used in drug production have not been spared. This has created hesitancy around long-term sourcing strategies, pushing companies to rethink supply chain resilience and diversify their procurement sourcing.

The industry’s reliance on just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing amplifies these pressures, with even modest delays or cost increases having knock-on effects for pricing and availability. This challenge is particularly acute for generic manufacturers operating on thinner profit margins. As a result, trade policy and its downstream effects on pharmaceutical manufacturing and pricing will undoubtedly be a hot topic next week.

Pharma Industry Outlook 2025

One of DCAT Week’s most popular sessions is the Pharma Industry Outlook, delivered by Graham Lewis, Vice President of Global Pharma Strategy at IQVIA. Widely seen as the definitive pulse check for the industry, it offers invaluable market insights that inform everything from business development strategies to marketing campaigns, including our own at Notch.

The 2025 outlook paints a picture of a complex landscape shaped by evolving pipelines, pricing pressures, and shifts in global policy. While overall growth is slowing post-pandemic, innovation remains strong, particularly in biologics and emerging modalities like RNA therapeutics, cell and gene therapies, and complex drugs.

This year’s analysis will explore how pricing and policy changes intersect with ongoing innovation and how companies, from innovators to generics players, will need to adapt their strategies to stay competitive.

Complex therapeutics on the up

The rise of glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) agonists made headlines in 2024, marking a broader industry shift from small molecules to complex, next-generation therapeutics. This trend, and its impact on pipelines, commercialisation strategies, and investment, is the focus of the What’s on the Horizon session.

This year’s session features a one-on-one with Richard DiMarchi, Distinguished Professor at Indiana University and former Vice President at Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. Renowned for his work on GLP-1s, DiMarchi will share his expert perspective on the future of drug development and how new therapeutic modalities will shape the next era of pharma.

It all starts with a conversation

Sessions like these are incredibly useful for marketers, as they help us anticipate the conversations that will shape our clients’ strategies, and ultimately, the stories we tell on their behalf. At Notch, we believe that great marketing comes from understanding the bigger picture: the science, the market forces, and the people driving innovation forward.

Whether you’re looking to refine your brand positioning, develop a fresh content strategy, or ensure your messaging aligns with the latest industry trends, our team will be on the ground at DCAT Week, ready to connect, collaborate, and help you stay ahead.

Want to set up a meeting with Kate and Matt while they’re in New York? Get in touch via our website — they’d love to grab a coffee and talk about what’s next for your business.