How Automation Helps Life Sciences Manufacturers Deliver Faster, Safer Therapies

By Todd Walden and Nathan Pettus, Emerson

Life sciences manufacturers are expected to get new drugs and vaccines to market faster without loosening safety or quality standards. Nathan Pettus argues that automation paired with smart data management is now the base for meeting that demand, and nearly 80% of biopharma leaders say digital technologies need to be adopted more aggressively. Pettus names five priorities for automation investment: pipeline acceleration, operational integrity, flexible manufacturing, real-time release, and sustainable operations. One North American biopharmaceutical company that automated its planning process cut time spent on maintenance by 95% compared with manual efforts, and made sure critical equipment was ready when production plans called for it. Pettus ties the priorities together through data mobility. Read on to see how the pieces fit.