Digitization “future proofs” drug manufacturing according to the U.K. Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), which says a new blueprint will help biopharmaceutical firms navigate a digital overhaul.
The U.K. not-for-profit organization recently unveiled the blueprint, describing it as a step-by-step strategy designed to enable drug companies to digitalize every aspect of their manufacturing processes.
And digitization should be a focus for all drug companies, according to Jess Andrews, PhD, leader of CPI’s automation and digital team.
“While traditional biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies are well-established and trusted, they face growing limitations in areas such as efficiency, responsiveness, and sustainability.
“Digitization should be a priority for biopharma manufacturers because it enables them to address these challenges and future-proof their operations,” she tells GEN.
Digital systems enhance productivity and bring clarity to complex processes, according to Andrews, who says the data such technologies gather can be used to develop predictive models and automated controls.
“This not only improves planning and operational flexibility but also boosts responsiveness to market demand, which is an increasingly critical capability in a fast-evolving sector,” she adds.
Rather than being a how-to guide, the blueprint, which was developed with AstraZeneca, Atos, AWS, Capgemini, GSK, and Siemens, lays out how data can fuel digitization, says Dave Berry, CPI director of digital business systems.
“It contains information on how to move critical data to achieve production outcomes. It specifically doesn’t include the design of tools, as we have built it to be technology agnostic.
“What the architecture does include is a map of what you would need to digitize to enable real-time release of pharmaceutical products to the market. This includes systems integration, timescales for information transfer, why certain groups need information at certain times, etc.,” Berry says, adding, “Essentially it’s a generic business map for process delivery that highlights the flow of data.”
In addition to covering the potential efficiency gains, the blueprint also sets out the sustainability benefits associated with digital technologies.
Andrews says, “While efficiency gains are a well-recognized benefit of digitization, we’ve chosen to highlight sustainability because it represents both a critical industry imperative and a compelling motivator for change, especially for organizations that may have been slower to adopt digital technologies.
“With bodies like the NHS setting net zero targets by 2045, and similar pressures mounting globally, pharmaceutical manufacturers must address sustainability to remain viable and competitive,” she continues.
“Ultimately, our approach embraces the broader value of digitization across the ‘plant, people, and planet.’ Efficiency is absolutely part of the equation, but by foregrounding sustainability, we aim to expand the conversation and show the full scope of what well-managed digital transformation can deliver,” Andrews says.
The post Digitization is a Priority for Sustainable Pharma appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.
The U.K. not-for-profit organization recently unveiled the blueprint, describing it as a step-by-step strategy designed to enable drug companies to digitalize every aspect of their manufacturing processes.
And digitization should be a focus for all drug companies, according to Jess Andrews, PhD, leader of CPI’s automation and digital team.
“While traditional biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies are well-established and trusted, they face growing limitations in areas such as efficiency, responsiveness, and sustainability.
“Digitization should be a priority for biopharma manufacturers because it enables them to address these challenges and future-proof their operations,” she tells GEN.
Digital systems enhance productivity and bring clarity to complex processes, according to Andrews, who says the data such technologies gather can be used to develop predictive models and automated controls.
“This not only improves planning and operational flexibility but also boosts responsiveness to market demand, which is an increasingly critical capability in a fast-evolving sector,” she adds.
Business map
Rather than being a how-to guide, the blueprint, which was developed with AstraZeneca, Atos, AWS, Capgemini, GSK, and Siemens, lays out how data can fuel digitization, says Dave Berry, CPI director of digital business systems.
“It contains information on how to move critical data to achieve production outcomes. It specifically doesn’t include the design of tools, as we have built it to be technology agnostic.
“What the architecture does include is a map of what you would need to digitize to enable real-time release of pharmaceutical products to the market. This includes systems integration, timescales for information transfer, why certain groups need information at certain times, etc.,” Berry says, adding, “Essentially it’s a generic business map for process delivery that highlights the flow of data.”
Sustainability
In addition to covering the potential efficiency gains, the blueprint also sets out the sustainability benefits associated with digital technologies.
Andrews says, “While efficiency gains are a well-recognized benefit of digitization, we’ve chosen to highlight sustainability because it represents both a critical industry imperative and a compelling motivator for change, especially for organizations that may have been slower to adopt digital technologies.
“With bodies like the NHS setting net zero targets by 2045, and similar pressures mounting globally, pharmaceutical manufacturers must address sustainability to remain viable and competitive,” she continues.
“Ultimately, our approach embraces the broader value of digitization across the ‘plant, people, and planet.’ Efficiency is absolutely part of the equation, but by foregrounding sustainability, we aim to expand the conversation and show the full scope of what well-managed digital transformation can deliver,” Andrews says.
The post Digitization is a Priority for Sustainable Pharma appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.