The life science industry has become more and more newsworthy in the last 2 years and even more so today. As an important global sector, it continues to evolve, encountering not only complex and ever-changing customer and patient demands but increased requirements for drugs with sensitive ingredients, all of which combine for a challenging environment. The process of digitalization can help simplify the many hurdles faced by pharmaceutical and biotech companies by supporting and creating even more efficient and optimized processes for the future. The recipe for success is a consistent digitalization strategy that involves employees as an important element of comprehensive transformation management.

Digital transformation demands passion and motivation for change, particularly in a highly sensitive and strictly regulated work environment like the biopharmaceutical industry. Because the development and manufacture of drugs are becoming increasingly complex and more competitive, it is essential that future-oriented companies use modern digital solutions to keep pace. This can only be achieved through a strong commitment at all levels within the company and consistent anchoring in the corporate strategy.

The Future is Now

Digitalization is not a vision of the future but taking place right now. It is a high-priority issue in today’s business world. Progressive companies are aware of this importance and integrate digital solutions throughout the entire company. From administration via the development area to production, quality, and logistics, digital processes must be developed and implemented on a continuous basis if they are to be most effective.

As a global operating contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), we direct a strong focus on projects in the areas of production, quality, and Industry 4.0. They are managed within a framework created under a wide-ranging digitalization campaign launched several years ago. In addition, progressive innovative technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality (VR), and autonomous, collaborative robots are an integral part of this corporate strategy. Most of the internal workflow is increasingly based on digital processes, ensuring targeted and traceable quality improvements over the long-term.

Technology for People

Digitalization at all levels means that processes are networked both within as well as across all departments, with a clear distinction being made between digital transformation and digitalization. Most important, digital transformation takes place through people, i.e., our employees. The aim is to include every employee on the digitalization journey, helping to shape and improve processes and implement new systems. This is supported by corresponding digitalization technologies. The overarching goal is to continue to further develop and optimize the processes within the company. To be effective, it must be the employee who drives it forward and executes it through an individual mindset. Without their participation, digitalization would not be possible. Thus, in order to create a balance between digital technology and its implementation within the company, strategic actions and constant process support are necessary.

Early Support Creates Trust

The biopharmaceutical industry will benefit from the many advantages of digitalization since it creates new perspectives and opportunities as well as potentially new work environments. Nevertheless, project managers must be aware that every change is accompanied by hurdles. This is particularly the case when it comes to technological innovations and new developments. The skepticism naturally anchored in the employee can, at times, be evident but can be countered with active transformation management. Colleagues must be integrated from the first planning step. Every change and digitalization step should be explained and communicated through corresponding training. This integration of all team members can be a significant help in reducing and eradicating fears.

My Colleague the Robot

Many digital activities are already a reality including collaborations with robots. For example, over the past few years, our secondary packaging department had been steadily gaining a wide range of insights through the use of so-called collaborative two-arm robots that work hand-in-hand with their human colleagues. The assembly robot “YuMi”—You and Me—is trained by the employee and then independently carries out the learned steps. The result is a successful collaboration between humans and robots that clearly demonstrates the significant potential when working with robotic technology. The aim is not simply to increase the number of pieces per hour, but rather, to raise quality standards through reproducible processes that free employees from routine activities. Having digital software robots perform recurring, clearly definable, or time-intensive tasks is thus a modern way of using digitalization to reduce workload.

RPA (Robotic Process Automation) technology is also used as a process optimization approach for repetitive, manual, and error-prone activities. Such activity or similar forms of artificial intelligence can also be used for factory processes that help shape the smart factory of tomorrow. Possible areas of application include predictive maintenance, data analysis, or intelligent-factory assistance systems.

Flexible and Reliable

Digitalization requires flexibility and a “roll-up-your-sleeves” mentality in the interaction between employees and the company. The use of the trial-and-error principle would never be considered. If such an approach were ever to be taken within the highly regulated biopharmaceutical industry, special care and responsibility are essential. We manufacture drugs, some of which are vital for diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, or osteoporosis. The patient who gets the drug injected will always be a top priority. As such, we are acutely aware of this responsibility and can ill afford to act according to the trial-and-error principle. Digitalization serves but one purpose for us—to increase the quality and safety of the process. That is why we only use digitalization when and where it actually adds value.

Mastering Digital Challenges Together

Digitalization does come with some risks, for example, cyberattacks. Various actions can be applied to help counter these events at an early stage, including the ramping up and continuous expansion of security measures such as stress tests that are conducted by external service providers. This preventative measure involves simulating cyber-attack situations to help expose potential vulnerabilities. Subsequently, any identified threats are remedied as quickly as possible thus resulting in a well-protected system. Humans also play a key role in cyberattacks. As part of a successful transformation management, employees are made aware of security risks from the start and are trained in dealing with digital structures.

One factor will always remain decisive in all of these changes: People will never be replaceable, even in the most modern manufacturing environment. Our goal is to replace processes that have little to do with ingenuity and replace them with digitalization, thereby freeing up resources and allowing for people’s creative and innovative power to be readily available. 

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Kai Vogt is senior vice president of corporate development, legal and compliance, information technology at Vetter Pharma.