New technologies in the pharmaceutical market never cease to amaze me—from new advances in continuous manufacturing, to safety equipment for cleanrooms and laboratories, to flexible packaging solutions, to everything in between.

As pharmaceutical manufacturers pursue efficiency and excellence, the surrounding players have driven forward to offer new innovations, which in turn affects the expectations for processes going forward.

In the story “Continuing Progress in Continuous Manufacturing,” the author describes how the shift from batch to continuous production methods is transforming the future of pharmaceutical manufacturing.

In another story, titled “Aseptic Manufacturing and Laboratory Safety,” safety concerns in cleanroom environments are addressed—wherein both the product and worker need to be protected from potential hazards. One thing I found particularly interesting in this latter story is when the author describes the various industry standards (which affect the functionality of these innovations):

“It’s interesting to note that while there are industry standards that establish the maximum number of particulates allowed per cubic foot in cleanrooms with different designations, there are no standards or regulations around cleanroom PPE or glove performance.”

I also had the opportunity to delve into the CDMO business overseas in my conversations with Mark Quick, Executive Vice President, Corporate Development, at Recipharm AB. This leading CDMO in Sweden strives to expand its presence and capabilities—largely through acquisitions. The company now holds over 15 facilities for its operations.

Another interesting innovation in the industry are pre-filled syringes. More and more frequently are consumers and healthcare workers insisting on this form of parenteral administration. Anil Kumar Busimi, Head of Global Product Management Syringe Business at SCHOTT, reveals some of the advantages of prefilled syringes, and also touches on the big question of glass vs. polymer pre-filled syringes.

I look forward to hearing about many more discoveries in our industry and revealing them to you in our upcoming issues. 

This blog can also be found in the March 2016 edition. 

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