Streamlining Biomanufacturing Automation With A Robust Connectivity And Integration Ecosystem

The biopharmaceutical industry has seen consistent growth as a wide range of molecules and modalities continue to advance and diversify pipelines. In terms of development and commercialization, drug candidate complexity presents numerous challenges. The industry is transforming to address these complexities and meet both current and future market demands for speed, agility, sustainability, value, and quality across the value chain.

To address these challenges and optimize process development and manufacturing, the industry is embracing automation and digital technologies. Biopharma 4.0 (also referred to as the “facility of the future”) is an industry aspiration that can best be accomplished through a phased approach and the realization of incremental benefits at each milestone of the transformation. While biopharmaceutical companies are investing significantly in digital and automation technologies, the steps to achieve Biopharma 4.0 lack standardization due to the complexity of operations and the varied needs of each organization.

Data is at the core of this transformation, and an ecosystem of connectivity and integration across disparate systems, equipment, and processes to centrally monitor, control, and collect data is foundational for success. Despite substantial investments in digital and automation technologies, standardizing the steps for Biopharma 4.0 remains a challenge for biopharmaceutical companies.

This article outlines the evolution and recent advancements in connectivity and integration technology, highlighting the associated challenges. It also offers insight into the importance of a vendor-neutral approach which is intended to simplify enterprise-level connectivity and provides guidelines on key considerations when embarking on the journey towards the future.