Pioneering growth through Pharma 4.0

Sharing his views with the audience regarding Pharma 4.0, Dr Nirmal Kumar, VP – Quality, Alkem Laboratories, said that digitisation, robotics/automation and computing advance and Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help the pharma industry grow to a large extent. While digitisation involves proven data integrity with more control, fewer errors, increased accessibility and real-time product quality information, robotics/automation is a technical advancement that leads to high productivity. Apart from it, computing advance and AI bring more transparency providing efficient coordination, communication and information systems.

He further said that through Pharma 4.0, pharma products can be manufactured with maximum product and process understanding, data integrity by design, efficiency and optimal resource alloca- tion on the basis of full digital data transparency – to the benefit of the patient. Mentioning the ICH guidelines to Pharma 4.0, he emphasised that pharma industry should move deeper into the fourth industrial revolution. With this, the pharma manufacturers can also ensure future success in the delivery of therapeutic medicines to patients. He, however, warned that automation drive is difficult unless consistency is there.

In addition, he stated that Pharma 4.0 involved Quality by Design (QbD), AI, digital ad- vances, process data maps, critical thinking, integrated planning, predictive maintenance and process automation, among others. All these then lead to patient-based drug design, enhanced productivity, resource optimisation, highest regulatory compliance and