MANUFACTURING
Automating QC
This screening process, due to the high volume, is known as high throughput screening (HTS). Automation plays a key role in HTS. Robotics and other forms of automation technology are a key part of any HTS system. Robots will transport assay plates from station to station and specialised automation analysis will often be used to run experiments on the wells. For example, measuring reflectivity to show evidence of protein binding. Manufacturers are considering greater levels of automation to speed up the process and free up skilled workers for other tasks. When 100,000 or more compounds are screened in a single day, the process is sometimes known as ultra-high throughput screening. Naturally, screening on this scale involves significant automation, such as multiple robotic arms operating as colony pickers. Robotic liquid handling
An effective way of automating the
42
P H A RM A F O C U S A S I A
ISSUE 42 - 2020
screening and experimenting referred to above is through investing in robotic liquid handling devices. The simplest version dispenses a fixed volume of liquid from a motorised pipette or syringe. Adding greater levels of automation, such as a Cartesian coordinate robot, allows for the position of the pipette to be altered. The latest systems are highly precise, even when dispensing liquids on the nanolitre scale. Robotic liquid handling has been used to manage precise quantities of coronavirus, for instance, saving time by speeding up repetitive work, reducing the risk of error and lessening the exposure of human beings to the virus. Robotic liquid handling systems are becoming increasingly versatile. An automated workstation can combine multiple operations into a single footprint, helping save floorspace in the laboratory. They can also be customised with different add-on modules, from centrifuges to colony pickers.
Quality Control (QC) is another key area where pharmaceuticals manufacturing may be missing out by not investing early in automated technologies. QC is especially important in any industry, but in pharmaceutical manufacturing, the stakes could not be higher. By reducing the need for human intervention, automation reduces human error. Repetitive tasks can be automated to free up time and resources. These include, for example, colony counts, incubation transfers and data entry. Concerning the latter, many QC labs at the forefront of technological change are increasingly paperless. Data transcription is being automated and advanced data analytics software is capturing realtime insights. Automated laboratories might also use predictive maintenance technologies to help schedule infrequent tasks like planned equipment maintenance. By pairing predictive maintenance technology with a reliable equipment supplier like EU Automation, laboratories can reduce the potential for costly downtime. Automation will not replace the need for qualified QC managers and technicians, but it will enable them to perform their jobs more effectively. Many of the technologies that could achieve this are already available, but QC leaders often struggle to make a convincing business case to secure investment in digitising and automation their laboratories. Personalised medicine
The idea that medicine should be tailored to the specific needs of the patient is an idea as old as the Hippocratic Oath, but the scientific breakthroughs of recent years have led to excited talk of ‘personalised medicine’. Also known as precision medicine or stratified medicine, the concept promises to revolutionise the world of healthcare delivery. The successful mapping of the human genome has played a key role in opening the possibilities of personalised medicine. Specifically, sequencing an individual’s
