Supply Chains of the Future through Collaboration - Collaborative Research and Translation in Medicines Manufacturing

As healthcare supply chains face the perfect storm of more resource intensive drug-discovery, with market demands for enhanced volume flexibility and product variety from manufacturing, and within supply chains already holding excessive inventory, we examine how pre-competitive collaboration can support the development of future more responsive and resilient supply chains.

Specifically, we consider how new production processes, and new supply-chain models enabled by digitalisation leveraging 4IR and continuous production technologies, smart packaging and connected devices, might offer more responsive and cost efficient supply leading to benefits for both patients (improved outcomes) and  healthcare providers (reduced cost and waste). 

From a collaboration perspective, the successes of technology developments leveraging partnerships within major fundamental and translational research consortia, are presented providing early evidence on their ability to effectively integrate new technology, regulatory considerations and end-to-end supply chain innovations. Examples are drawn from the ReMediES Industrial Research (mid-TRL) programme that connects investments in fundamental research (CMAC Hub) and future demonstrator facilities (MMIC) covering;

• New equipment for continuous processing with immediate commercial applications
• Developing new pack substrates, and smart packs with functional printed electronics
• Informing follow-on developments of demonstrator programmes such as MMIC that tackle future transformation pathways set out in Sector Technology roadmaps
• Effective engagement with stakeholders (incl. regulators) on the adoption of novel process, pack and digital technologies within future medicine manufacturing supply chains

Dr Jagjit Singh Srai, Head of Centre for International Manufacturing, University of Cambridge