Chasing efficiency and digital maturity: CRB's new Horizons report finds biopharma manufacturers going all-in on digitalization, continuous manufacturing and more

Meeting patient demand for breakthrough drugs and therapies requires new efficiencies on the manufacturing floor, and the industry is responding

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Biopharmaceutical manufacturers are spending big on automation and digitalization, as operational efficiency spearheads one of the most important investment cycles in the industry's history. The trend, among the many strategies employed by manufacturers trying to do more with less in a volatile economic market, joins the storylines captured in CRB's newest Horizons: Life Sciences report.

Available today as a free download, the report is built on the survey responses of 500 life sciences industry professionals and reflects the industry's intense pursuit of digital innovation despite the budget headwinds facing capital and operational spending plans. Data found in the report confirms that widening adoption of sustainable and optimization technologies like automation, continuous manufacturing platforms and more resource-efficient systems will be critical as manufacturers meet the rising demand for blockbuster therapies and breakthrough pharmaceuticals, such as the GLP-1 class of weight loss drugs.

A telling data cut featured in the report brings this digitalization trend into focus: About 31 percent of respondents reported that digitalization and automation conversion projects represent their next capital focus, well above the next highest rated goal of major facility expansion.

"Given the broad cultural conversation around digitalization and its role in reshaping the manufacturing landscape, this result isn't surprising," Peter Walters, CRB Fellow, Advanced Therapies, and Jarrod Wrampe, CRB life sciences Project Director, write in their analysis of how digitalization is elbowing its way into capital spending discussions. "The need for these deeper digital integrations is so great that large, mid-sized and small companies have converged around it."

CRB's subject matter experts envisioned this year's life sciences Horizons edition as a facility-focused report, with a table of contents arranged much like how today's biopharma facilities are designed and built – taking a product from its R&D roots through to production and on to patients. In the report's opening passages, CRB's Vice President of Life Sciences Noel Maestre notes the resulting data and analysis "help lift the roof on the modern manufacturing facility and look inside."

Among the report's key findings:

• In the laboratory environment, the integration of robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) is enhancing capacity, reliability and repeatability. With 80% of respondents having implemented or planning to implement AI within the next three years, the trend towards more computer-driven findings is unmistakable.
• Production processes are shifting rapidly toward continuous manufacturing, with three-quarters of respondents using, or planning for, continuous technologies within the next five years, signaling a significant change in manufacturing methodologies.
• Horizons data indicates a substantial shift towards continuous purification, with more than a fourfold growth anticipated over the next decade – reflecting broad understanding and adoption of its benefits.
• In drug product development, the concept of operator-free filling is gaining traction, with 91% of respondents viewing it as the future of the industry. Although this future may be years or decades away, equipment vendors and manufacturers are already moving in this direction, aiming for lights-out filling operations.
• Sustainability goals are driving the adoption of new technologies, with 87% of respondents operating with renewable electricity or planning to complete their transition by 2030.

About CRB

CRB is a leading provider of sustainable engineering, architecture, construction, and consulting solutions to the global life sciences and advanced technology industries. From 20 offices across the United States, Canada, and Europe, our professionals provide world-class solutions that drive success and positive change for our clients, our people, and our communities. CRB is a privately held company with a rich history of serving clients throughout the world, consistently striving for the highest standard of technical knowledge, creativity, and execution. Visit us at crbgroup.com, and follow us on LinkedIn.

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SOURCE CRB Group Inc.