It can be hard to keep up with the many rapid changes occurring in the life sciences industry these days. In an effort to embrace improved speed to market, sustainability, and quality, life sciences manufacturers are employing a wide range of software and technologies that only ten short years ago might have been considered science fiction.
To help filter these many trends and give readers a glimpse into where the future of pharma manufacturing is headed, PharmTech magazine’s associate editor, Grant Playter sat down with Emerson’s own Nathan Pettus to talk innovation. It doesn’t take long to see that the changes are continuing to come down the pipe—and they’re coming fast.
COVID changed everything
The COVID-19 pandemic challenged everything we knew about life sciences manufacturing, Nathan explains. Bringing a vaccine safely to market—a process that was traditionally accepted as taking 15 or more years—was accomplished in a little over 8 months. And while that process was helped along by government support in a way that will not happen for every treatment, the industry learned that dramatically shortening the process is possible.
One of the key strategies to unlocking this increased speed to market will be Emerson’s one click technology transfer framework. Using a wide array of new software and technologies, life sciences manufacturers will more easily translate the language of treatment creation from research and development all the way through to full-scale manufacturing. Technologies like process and knowledge management software will help link all sources of information into a single, boundless automation-centered ecosystem, where data is automatically translated and scaled as it moves from bench scale to clinical trials to manufacturing scale.
Increased technology brings increased benefits
The benefits of added automation do not stop at speed to market. The same software and technologies that will speed the drug development pipeline will also bring increased sustainability. Nathan shares how increasing automation helps companies operate more efficiently. Technologies such as automated scheduling, in-line monitoring, and advanced process control help manufacturers reduce energy use, eliminate waste, and more effectively change production to meet changing customer needs. That increased efficiency translates directly into sustainability benefits.
This new drive toward sustainability, Nathan explains, is bolstered by Emerson’s partnership with AspenTech. Today, Emerson can offer life sciences manufacturers an entire technology stack that supports them from first designing a facility, all the way through its operations, and into the enterprise. This seamlessly interconnected technology stack empowers organizations to improve the efficiency of their operations, managing supply chain, energy efficiency, emissions, quality, scheduling, and more.
You can learn more about how Emerson’s software and technologies are building a foundation for a new future of more efficient, greener life sciences manufacturing by watching the interview at PharmTech. And while you’re here, I’d love to hear how your facility is meeting the changing future of treatment manufacturing. Be sure to comment below with your stories and ideas!
