Fortrea Holdings Inc. (FTRE) and Czech‑based contract development and manufacturing organization SCTbio announced a strategic collaboration on December 4 2025 that will combine Fortrea’s global clinical trial expertise with SCTbio’s GMP manufacturing capabilities for cell‑based products.
The partnership will synchronize clinical trial logistics with manufacturing readiness, creating a “smart” framework that improves protocol design, supply‑chain resilience, and cost efficiency across the entire development lifecycle. By integrating Fortrea’s phase I‑IV trial management with SCTbio’s vector production, apheresis, and release processes, the two companies aim to streamline development timelines, de‑risk programs, and accelerate the delivery of advanced therapies to patients worldwide.
For Fortrea, the collaboration expands its footprint into the rapidly growing cell and gene therapy market and positions the company to offer end‑to‑end solutions—clinical development through manufacturing—enhancing its competitive edge against larger CROs that lack integrated CDMO capabilities. For SCTbio, the partnership provides access to Fortrea’s extensive global clinical trial network, enabling the Czech CDMO to scale its advanced therapy manufacturing services and reach a wider client base.
Fortrea’s most recent quarterly results, released in November 2025, showed revenue of $701.3 million, a GAAP net loss of $15.9 million, and adjusted EBITDA of $50.7 million. Revenue beat expectations by roughly $40 million, driven by strong demand in core segments that offset headwinds in legacy products. Adjusted earnings per share of $0.12 fell short of the $0.15 consensus by $0.03, a miss largely attributable to margin compression from higher raw‑material costs and one‑time restructuring charges. In response, Fortrea raised its full‑year 2025 revenue guidance to $2.7 billion–$2.75 billion, reflecting confidence in sustained demand for its expanded service offering.
Investors reacted positively to the earnings beat and guidance raise, with analysts noting that the revenue growth and forward outlook signal robust demand for integrated clinical‑manufacturing solutions in the cell and gene therapy space. The partnership is expected to reinforce Fortrea’s market position and provide SCTbio with a broader client base, both of which are likely to support long‑term revenue growth.
Luděk Sojka, CEO of SCTbio, said the collaboration “creates a framework for smarter protocol design, more resilient supply chains and faster, safer delivery of therapies to patients worldwide.” Mark Morais, COO and President of Fortrea Clinical Development, added that the partnership “empowers customers with the right resources and experience needed to accelerate their therapies from first‑in‑human trials to commercialization.”
The collaboration positions both companies to capture the expanding cell and gene therapy market, which now hosts more than 4,400 therapies in development. By aligning clinical development and manufacturing from the outset, Fortrea and SCTbio aim to reduce time‑to‑market, lower risk, and deliver higher‑value services to biopharmaceutical and biotech clients.
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