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How to Build a Resilient BD Pipeline in a Shifting Market
- Sarah Sink
- Jul 29
- 3 min read
When timelines shift, budgets get slashed, or internal capacity hits a ceiling, your BD pipeline is what keeps the business breathing.
But in today’s biotech market where priorities change overnight and funding cycles are tighter than ever, a pipeline that’s just full isn’t enough. It needs to be resilient.
That means it can flex with capacity. It stays rooted in strategic fit. And it actually supports long-term success, not just next quarter’s metrics.
A Full Pipeline ≠ a Healthy Pipeline
Let’s be honest, most of us in BD have, at some point, chased the “big number.”
You fill the top of the funnel with as many leads as possible, run fast, and hope something sticks. And in a stable market, you might get away with it.
But in today’s environment? Misalignment is costly. Each misfit lead pulls bandwidth from your ops team, adds friction to cross-functional planning, and drains trust, both internally and externally.
That’s why one of the most overlooked metrics in business development is strategic fit.
Here’s the hard truth: You can’t afford to waste internal cycles chasing projects your team can’t, or shouldn’t, take on.
What Strategic Fit Really Means
Strategic fit isn’t just about targeting your “ideal client profile.” It’s about understanding:
Can we deliver this program well based on our current capacity and capabilities?
Will this relationship add long-term value or are we bending too much to win a single bid?
Does the timeline align with our tech transfer and resource bandwidth?
The best BD professionals I know aren’t just hunters. They’re filters. They know how to ask the right questions early, recognize red flags fast, and collaborate internally to make smart decisions before bringing deals to the table.
If you want to build a resilient pipeline, start by gut-checking every new opportunity against these three criteria:
Technical & Operational Fit – Does this work land in your team’s strike zone?
Timeline Realism – Are the sponsor’s expectations achievable with your resource constraints?
Partnership Potential – Does the sponsor align with how you work—not just what you offer?
If the answer is no to any of those, it’s OK to walk away. In fact, it’s smart.
Planning Ahead with Balanced Deal Flow
It’s not just about what’s in your pipeline. It’s how you structure it.
A healthy BD pipeline should be diversified across:
Stage of development (early, mid, and late)
Timeline to decision (fast-moving vs. strategic engagements)
Risk and resource demand (high-effort marquee vs. low-lift fill-in)
Delivery complexity (new modality vs. core capability)
Too much volume at the same tech transfer stage will burn out your ops team. Too many “stretch” projects will exhaust your SMEs. Too many small deals? You might fall short of revenue targets even with high close rates.
That’s why I always recommend a balanced pipeline planning exercise, whether you’re managing 15 leads or 150.
Newer to BD or trying to bring order to a scattered funnel? Download “The First 30-60-90 Days in a CDMO BD Role,” a tactical roadmap to help you prioritize outreach, align with ops, and build a pipeline that works with your team, not against it.
Protect Your Team. Protect the Business.
If you’re in BD long enough, you learn the win isn’t just landing the deal; it’s landing the right deal.
The ones your team can execute. The ones that build long-term trust. The ones that generate actual value, not just bookings.
So next time you’re looking at your pipeline and wondering whether it’s “enough,” ask a different question:
Is it built to last?
Because in a shifting market, resilience isn’t a luxury. It’s the strategy.
For more insights and personalized support in navigating the biotech-CDMO landscape, visit my website: www.yourpharmagirl.com and follow Your Pharma Girl on LinkedIn. Whether you need strategic guidance, tailored BD solutions, or expert advice on building lasting partnerships, I’m here to help you and your team succeed at every stage of development.
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