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Catalyst Flex Excels as an Adaptable, Comprehensive FSP

Craig McIlloney
June 25, 2024

The biopharmaceutical industry increasingly turns to Catalyst Flex for its unique approach to functional service provider (FSP) services. Our flexibility permeates from our people, infusing our processes, and technology-agnostic approach.  

How to find and work with the right FSP

As both large and small biotech and pharmaceutical companies streamline operations, outsourcing has become essential to clinical trials. In the past, biotech and biopharma companies had to choose between full-service outsourcing (FSO) and FSP models. However, the landscape has evolved, and hybrid models now dominate the industry. These models provide more selective, custom-fit sourcing options that leverage components of both FSO and FSP across the service continuum. 

FSPs present numerous advantages such as globalized strategies, expert knowledge, efficient management, balancing quality, innovation, and cost. These partnerships speed up market introduction of new therapies and strengthen long-term collaborations, enhancing trial management. 

Catalyst Flex captures these benefits and wraps them in industry-leading flexibility.

The Catalyst Flex advantage 

Catalyst Flex stands out as a functional service provider due to two key differentiators: flexibility and a people-first approach. 

FSP adaptability

Catalyst Flex is a dedicated partner that begins by listening to its clients, then provides the right people, processes, and technology solutions to meet their unique needs. Technologies streamline trial processes, improve data quality, and accelerate timelines, enhancing operational efficiency and altering the clinical trial landscape. Such elements are adjustable and scalable, designed to flex as needs change. Catalyst Flex can use its own set of technologies or processes, use a client’s existing systems or processes, or, when necessary, identify and implement new technologies or processes.

People-first approach

The culture of Catalyst Flex radiates through the way we work. Whether we are staffing our clients’ projects, incorporating our processes, or integrating our technologies, we listen to each client’s needs, evaluating the company’s culture and the project specifics. From this information, we identify the right resources, which may be a person or team, from our known talent pool of over 7,000 subject matter experts to ensure the right fit with the right experience matches with the client’s needs.

We respect talent, value integrity, and foster both independence and team spirit. We onboard our employees with a focus on our core values of learning, commitment, collaboration, flexibility, and listening. Catalyst Flex employees are tied into our culture, while many excel as full-time experts within a client’s company. This approach keeps our talent engaged and allows them to deliver their expertise. The Catalyst Flex FSP model helps accelerate the success of client projects, by yielding industry leading project retention rates.

Other benefits of partnering with Catalyst Flex

Catalyst Flex helps to boost productivity, scalability, and quality while maintaining high proficiency at reduced costs. Compared to FSO or large companies, FSPs offer expertise for distinct functions. Our tailored approach minimizes unnecessary costs and maximizes cost-effectiveness.

We can help accelerate trial timelines by offering specialized resources for tasks, clients can accelerate study execution, leading to faster product development and earlier market entry.

Our values ensure team stability

Catalyst Flex specializes in FSP. Collaboration is one of the Catalyst Flex values and one that helps facilitate open communication with clients. We listen to our clients and don’t offer them generic staffing or standard FSP model approaches. This is a people business, and our culture, engagement, and values are critical, as are processes and technologies.

Our managers consistently engage with our people—regardless of if their work is managed by the client or Catalyst manages the work. When resources are placed with clients, Catalyst Flex continues to nurture and develop our placements, treating them as full-time employees. The managers, functional, and executive leaders also hold governance meetings that are tailored to the needs of the client to continually review performance, share company information, listen to current and pipeline needs plus plan for the future.

We experience 99% project retention rates on Catalyst Flex projects.[1] This resourcing reliability is indicative of Catalyst Flex’s trustworthiness and commitment to getting the resourcing strategy right.



Catalyst Flex offers a comprehensive blend that incorporates functional expertise, flexibility, people-first approach, and a proven track record of project retention. These factors make us an attractive choice for any biopharmaceutical or pharmaceutical company looking for a reliable and adaptable FSP partner. We look forward to speaking with you and learning how we can support you and your goals.


[1] Since January 2023