MSP Comparison:
The Best MSP For Biotech and Pharmaceutical Firms
Biotech and pharmaceutical companies run on sensitive data, validated systems, and strict compliance. The right managed service provider (MSP) helps you focus on research and commercialization—not day-to-day IT. A specialized biotech MSP or pharma MSP delivers proactive managed IT services, cybersecurity, cloud management, and backup & disaster recovery designed for GxP, HIPAA, and FDA 21 CFR Part 11 environments.
Why a specialized MSP matters:
- Compliance & data integrity: GxP/CSV, HIPAA, 21 CFR Part 11, GDPR alignment; ALCOA+ data principles.
- Validated systems & labs: Support for LIMS, ELN, MES, eQMS, clinical and QC workflows.
- Security posture: Managed detection & response, endpoint management, identity & access, zero trust.
- Uptime & scale: 24/7 helpdesk, change control, patching, and SLAs that match regulated operations.
- Cloud & collaboration: Microsoft 365/Azure, Google Workspace, AWS; identity, DLP, and email security.
What is a Managed Service Provider (MSP)?
A managed service provider is a firm that manages IT infrastructure for other organizations.
From networks and endpoints to cloud platforms and line-of-business apps. Offerings range from remote helpdesk and endpoint management to managed cybersecurity, cloud migration/operations, and business continuity (BCP) / disaster recovery (DR). Delivery models vary (on-site, remote, chat/email/phone), as do SLAs and break/fix policies.
Who benefits most from an MSP?
Any biotech or pharma company can gain value, but the 100–500 employee range often sees the biggest ROI.
Any business can benefit from an MSP under the right circumstances, which is part of the reason they are so common. However, in many cases, small to medium-sized biotech and pharmaceutical enterprises are uniquely positioned to benefit from using an MSP.
This is because businesses — particularly growing businesses — at this stage are large enough to have significant IT infrastructure, data security, and compliance needs, but don’t usually have the in-house expertise to address it all.
While bringing on more staff is an option, in most cases they are better served by letting their own full-time employees focus on core business. After all, 40 hours of research & development or field-sales can add more to the bottom line than a week’s worth of IT support. By contracting an MSP to abstract away the complexity of IT management, these businesses can focus on their primary value chain.
Our criteria for MSP evaluation for the biotech and pharmaceutical industries
Here are the key criteria used to evaluate the MSPs that made our list.
Documented experience with biotech, pharma, and healthcare adjacencies; familiarity with CSV and validation packages.
End-to-end coverage—network, servers, endpoints, Microsoft 365/Azure, Google Workspace, AWS, identity, and SSO.
Certifications (e.g., ISO 27001/SOC 2), MDR/SIEM, vulnerability management, incident response, and security awareness training.
Proven track record with GxP, HIPAA, 21 CFR Part 11, audit support, SOPs, and change control.
Defined RPO/RTO, immutable backups, tested recovery playbooks, and regular DR drills.
24/7 helpdesk, responsive SLAs, on-site availability where required across the continental U.S.
Case studies, references, uptime metrics, and measurable reductions in downtime and tickets.
Top 3 MSPs for biotech and pharmaceutical firms
Imagis, W. O'Donnell Consulting, and Synoptek topped our list of the nation’s best MSPs for biotech and pharmaceutical firms.
1. Company overview
2. Biotech and pharma expertise
Rating:
Industry Expertise:
Imagis has an impressive track record in the healthcare space and experience navigating compliance challenges relevant to biotech and pharma. For example, they’re one of the rare MSPs with expertise with United States Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) 21 CFR Part 11.
Rating:
Industry Expertise:
W. O'Donnell has been in business since 1996 and healthcare is one of its target industries. They have experience with many of the security and compliance issues relevant to pharma and biotech.
Rating:
Industry Expertise:
Synoptek has a solid track record serving healthcare businesses and addressing the related compliance and security challenges. As a result, much of the expertise translates well for firms in the biotech and pharma space.
3. Technologies supported
Rating:
Key technologies Imagis supports include:
- Microsoft Azure
- Office365
- Microsoft Teams
- Windows Servers
- Remote Desktop
- VDI
- Citrix technologies
- Dell hardware
- Lenovo hardware
- Cisco hardware
Rating:
Key technologies W. O'Donnell supports include:
- Office365
- Citrix technologies
- Cisco hardware
- Xerox hardware
- HP hardware
- Lenovo hardware
- Kerio Connect
Rating:
Key technologies Synoptek supports include:
- Google Workspace (formerly G Suite)
- AWS
- Microsoft Azure
- Office365
- Microsoft Teams
- SAP
- SalesForce
- Magento
- PowerBI
4. Compliance
Rating:
- HIPAA
- FDA 21 CFR Part 11
- ISO 27001ams
Rating:
- HIPAA
Rating:
- HIPAA
5. Information security
Rating:
- Security operations center (a.k.a. SOC) available 24x7x365
- Strategic consultations for compliance and security
- HIPAA and NIST-CSF risk assessments
- Network security auditing
- Monitoring of dark web activity
- Security +, CEH, and CISSP certified staff
- Training for security awareness
Rating:
- SOC available 24x7x365
- (ISC)² Training Classes
- Network security consulting and auditing
Rating:
- SOC available 24x7x365
- NIST, CIS, ISO27K risk assessments
- Cybersecurity assessment services
- Data protection assessment services
6. Disaster recovery
Rating:
- Backup and DR services with data able to be recovered in minutes
- Cloud backups
- Backup and DR virtualization to protect against hardware failure
Rating:
- Backup services
- eFolder cloud backups
Rating:
- Backup and DR services
- Managed data protection
- SSAE 16 compliant
7. Service level & service area
Rating:
- 24x7x365 helpdesk availability
- 24x7x365 network operations center
- 10 minute average response time
- Onsite support nationwide
- Online support via email, chat, or portal
- Phone support
- Dedicated vCIO
- Technology procurement, budgeting, and asset management services
Rating:
- 24x7x365 helpdesk availability
- 24x7x365 network operations center
- Onsite support coverage in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Tennessee
- Online support via email, chat, or portal
- Technology procurement, budgeting, and asset management services
Rating:
- 24x7x365 helpdesk availability
- Onsite support in the USA, Canada, and India
- Online support via portal or email
- Phone support
- Dedicated vCIO
- Technology procurement and budgeting services
Best Overall MSP for Biotech & Pharma — Imagis
In short: if you’re in the financial services sector and in the market for an MSP in the New York area, put Imagis at the top of your list.
While all 3 of the finalists scored well, Imagis differentiated themselves based on breadth and quality of services.
Imagis delivers all the standard services you would expect from a top-tier MSP: wide-range of technologies supported, fast response times, and sound security and disaster recovery practices. However, what sets them apart is the depth of their customer service and ability to deliver expert-level support for complex compliance and security challenges. For example, Imagis has a proven track record in quickly enabling small to medium-sized enterprises to implement information management, documentation authoring, and data governance best practices to achieve compliance and better overall information security.
In the world of biotech and pharmaceutical firms, that expertise and ability to act as a guide when making nuanced data security and information management decisions can be a game-changer. Imagis doesn’t just install and manage the IT infrastructure, they can help with CIO-level decision making as well.
In short, Imagis delivers the core benefit an MSP should: the ability to focus on your core business and not worry about IT. This quote from Dr. Rick Patt Co-Founder and Principal of Rad MD, sums it up best:
