As we proceed through 2023 and into the decade ahead, a diverse range of factors is expected to impact drug development in general, and the packaging requirements for drug products. From the evolution of AI technologies for use in pharmaceutical manufacturing, to demand for new injectable dosage forms, to an increased focus on sustainability, several trends will transform the sector over the next decade. Some of these will herald welcome improvements—new additions to the personalized medicine market, for example—others will present challenges that must be overcome.

This article explores the key developments expected to influence the pharmaceutical industry and its packaging needs in the coming years.

Trend 1: Personalized treatments

Personalized medicines—treatments formulated with the specific needs, lifestyle, and even genetics of an individual patient in mind—have risen the development agenda in recent years, thanks to their potential to deliver more successful outcomes for patients. They are expected to transform the pharma landscape over the next 10 years.

With greater access to rich patient data than ever before, companies can develop a deeper understanding of each patient’s individual needs and create high-precision customized therapies that are more effective, with fewer side effects.

Personalized medicines are bound to become more popular over the coming years, as their unique therapeutic benefits become clear. However, due to their nature—tailored to individual patients—they will pose manufacturing efficiency challenges that will need to be addressed. Production lines will need to adapt to smaller, more niche production runs.

Trend 2: Proliferation of automation technologies

Automation solutions have been embraced for manufacturing—with robotics—drug screening, and testing. Minimizing manual interaction with products and packaging helps avoid human error, which in turn reduces waste. Machines can also perform certain tasks better and faster than humans, especially those repetitive in nature. As a bonus, increased automation brings an improvement to the level of sterile integrity found throughout the industry.

In manufacturing, automation is improving supply chain management for packaged drug products through improved track and trace capabilities. Automated systems are better able to track and monitor inventory during storage and in transit. This reduces waste, improves efficiency, and helps tackle issues with counterfeit medicines.

However, automation—whatever the manufacturing stage—poses challenges for companies. They must invest in new equipment and technology if they want to harness the benefits of automated systems. Some processes, such as kitting for injectable drug products, may be harder to automate, particularly when manufacturing for multiple markets, each with its own labelling and packaging regulations.

Another high cost associated with investing in new technology is retraining staff so they have the necessary expertise to operate and maintain the equipment, and integration of these technologies into existing systems can also be a challenge. Automation doesn’t negate the responsibility for visual inspection either, or implementing adequate quality control still takes time.

Trend 3: Serialization, blockchain, increased digitization & AI

Upcoming changes to the U.S. Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) will have enormous implications for packaging and labelling. The DSCSA regulations introduced by the FDA will change labelling laws for pharmaceutical companies seeking to ship to the U.S. Companies and their contract packaging organization (CPO) partners will require interoperable and electronic tracing for products at the package, case, and pallet level to be serialization-compliant from this year onwards. This will have an immediate impact on drug packaging and logistics. Both drug developers and their supply chain partners should now be taking steps to implement changes to their processes and infrastructure to ensure compliance when the DSCSA law comes into effect in November 2023.

Blockchain technology—a method of recording information that makes it impossible (or at least difficult) for the system to be altered, hacked, or otherwise manipulated—is an innovation with the potential to make serialization more effective and efficient in the coming years. Although not currently required by U.S. law or regulations in other markets, it can be harnessed to track products more thoroughly through production and storage to distribution.

Blockchain makes product tracking more secure, with fewer errors, and has the potential to fix global supply chain vulnerabilities, accelerate collaboration among companies, reduce fraud, and assure product authenticity.

Data digitization is also helping to improve efficiencies across other operational areas. As an industry, we’ll continue to see a more uniform approach brought into production, packaging, and supply chain management, to enhance and streamline every step of the process. Digitization processes will also play a role in safeguarding the integrity of primary and secondary packaging with technologies that allow for more rigid authentication and better-quality control.

Now, AI is used in drug development to analyze large amounts of data and identify potential drug targets, but it has the scope to transform drug manufacturing and packaging. One area where we can expect to see enhancements thanks to AI is predictive maintenance to reduce downtime by implementing preventative measures before equipment begins to fail. Process optimization and inventory management are other areas where AI can more effectively identify potential improvements and ensure that necessary stock levels can be forecast. As we progress through the decade, we can anticipate more sophisticated AI algorithms being developed to further enhance operations across drug development and manufacturing.

Trend 4: Focus on sustainability

Although sustainability matters are high on the pharmaceutical industry agenda, particularly within the packaging space, it’s still challenging to implement new packaging solutions that are workable and either biodegradable or recyclable. This is because all new packaging formats or materials must be tested for compatibility with drug products and approved by regulators for use.

Nevertheless, over the coming decade, the pharmaceutical industry will revise its supply chain approach, moving to more responsible sources of raw materials for packaging and other aspects of pharma supply while also reducing the carbon footprint of transportation.

The concept of the circular economy, which emphasizes reusing and recycling materials, will also be applied to drug manufacturing. For example, drug packaging and containers could be designed for reuse or recycling, and waste from drug production could be repurposed or recycled.

Beyond simply enhancing recyclability in packaging, sustainability covers a broad remit. It’s about reducing the energy used in the manufacturing process, minimizing manufacturing waste, and changing our mindset as an industry. The supply chain behind the drug product and its packaging needs to be analyzed so its environmental footprint can be minimized.

Taking action to prepare for the future

Pharmaceutical companies face several challenges when following new industry trends, not solely in terms of logistics and changes to existing practices, but also in adjusting to a whole different mindset and cultural landscape. It’s important that the industry continues to work with expert, progressive-minded CPO partners to evolve and adapt to a shifting landscape and moving goalposts. The sector needs to remain proactive and dynamic while retaining the ability to react to sudden, unexpected changes.

Provided time and care are given to all the social, ethical, medical, and regulatory concerns presented, and common sense prevails, the industry should have all the tools it needs to keep pace with whatever the future brings.

Partnering with a CPO will allow companies access to new technologies without having to invest in expensive equipment or retrain personnel. Working with a CPO offers flexibility and ensures regulatory compliance to take the burden away from manufacturers and allow them to focus on their strengths. 

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Dexter Tjoa was appointed CEO of Tjoapack in May 2020. He previously served as the company’s director of corporate strategy.