BIKASH CHATTERJEE
CEO, Pharmatech Associates- A USP Company, Fremont, USA

Abstract

Ahead of CPhI, which is back in Frankfurt this year from Nov 1st – 3rd – with event numbers expected to meet or exceed pre-pandemic levels as pharma executive return en-masse – we spoke to CPhI Annual Report expert Bikash Chatterjee, CEO Pharmatech Associates on the increased use of continuous manufacturing for drugs, 10 years from now.

The merits of Pharmaceutical Continuous Manufacturing (PCM) as a cost-effective tool for reshoring essential APIs and medicines are well known. It now also appears in the U.S.’ and many other countries’ preparedness strategy for supply chain shocks. Still, PCM is a topic that has been much maligned and debated over the last half century. PCM’s detractors cite a myriad of hurdles to implementation that they believe are too large to overcome for a risk-averse industry, but it is a mistake to look at barriers to PCM adoption in isolation. The industry is pursuing innovation in many areas and the skills and infrastructure required to make each innovation area will work together to lower the risk of adoption of any one initiative, including PCM.

INDUSTRY INNOVATION INITIATIVES
Coming out of the pandemic, digital initiatives such as Pharma 4.0, developing data literacy and implementing blockchain technology have been broadly supported by the industry as essential to being competitive. These strategic initiatives require drug manufacturers to acquire the expertise and capability to both implement and maintain them. Figure 1 ...