Process Engineering And Industrial Modeling Collaboration Delivers Improved Efficiency And Facility Throughput

By George Todorov, Senior Process Engineer, Kevin Swartz, Director of Industrial Engineering, and Daniel Swanson, Process Group Lead, IPS-Integrated Project Services

As the cost and timeline of bringing a new drug to market continue to increase, process efficiency has become a key goal for pharmaceutical manufacturers across the industry. Innovative solutions, such as closed processing and single-use technology, developed over the last decade have helped drive better economics and accelerated scale-up. However, a critical component of successfully doing so is not just implementing these tools but also combining them with an optimal facility layout and effective resource scheduling. This holistic approach to improving operational efficiency streamlines the most fundamental elements of a business for long-term cost-saving and productivity gains.

Recognizing the benefits of such a strategy, MilliporeSigma partnered with IPS to evaluate existing cell banking processes at their Rockville, Maryland site to find innovative solutions to potential inefficiencies and bottlenecks caused by constraints such as footprint restrictions and open processing. Utilizing their expertise in compliance, qualification, and validation (CQV), cell-based bioprocesses, architecture, engineering, and construction, IPS team members interfaced with MilliporeSigma’s operational group to design new layouts and processes that would optimize the facility’s flow and throughput.