< Previous© stock.adobe.com/ peshkova SOFTWARE AND IT SYSTEMS 20 Pharma Business International www.pbiforum.netPharma Business International 21 www.pbiforum.net SOFTWARE AND IT SYSTEMS I t goes without saying that many sectors in numerous industries are looking at the best ways to introduce AI into their business. The pharma sector is no different, but it is much riskier than other business models. With conspiracy theorists running rampant, care has to be taken with how AI is used lest the reputation of a product be forever tainted by those who believe AI may have gotten it wrong or somehow “fudged” the results. However, while the world may not be ready for full AI usage in medicine, that’s not to say it can’t be used in other ways. Microbiology labs are currently testing AI with its potential for image analysis – specifically in use with image-taking microscopes. These, if implemented correctly, could help speed up the work of human lab technicians by allowing AI to accurately identify and label the results of microscope inspection, up to and including identifying any pathogens, enzymes and other microbes. Image analysis can be very time consuming for humans because there’s a lot to go over and every little bit has to be analysed. While it’s certainly necessary work, the sheer number of images that may have to be considered along with double- checking can cut into the hours. While AI image analysis may still be at a stage where its work needs to be checked over, it’s much easier to look at its identifications and grade whether they are right or wrong than it is to start from scratch. With learning algorithms and neurological networks, the AI can also Adapting to AI While AI has its many downsides, companies are desperately trying to make use of it for a competitive edge, and those that fail to adapt could be left in the dust. 23 ÁSOFTWARE AND IT SYSTEMS 22 Pharma Business International www.pbiforum.net © stock.adobe.com/ monsitj Pharma Business International 23 www.pbiforum.net SOFTWARE AND IT SYSTEMS grow to learn from its mistakes and reduce the frequency with which it makes them. Microbiologists are also investigating how useful AI can be in genome sequencing analysis, however, and are looking into how accurate it can be at identifying the order of nucleotides in a DNA module. With enough data to work from, and some run-time, an AI can not only identify the order but automate tasks such as assembly of gene data and, in theory, even be used to model genome data to discover novel genes, pathways and DNA behaviours. So far, AI is being best used for analysis of data rather than innovation, and while there certainly are studies into AI’s ability to design and even research pharma material on its own, the concerns from a marketing perspective (in terms of how much the public would trust AI’s results to take a product) are holding the technology back to data analysis and ordering. Even in that limited spectrum, however, the potential uses for AI to free up time for microbiologists to focus on testing and research are quickly being recognised across the industry. Another area where AI is being used quite heavily is that of drug discovery. The cost of discovering and developing new drugs has been climbing over the years, especially as © stock.adobe.com/ mguido greater regulatory scrutiny and ongoing healthcare pricing issues means that new treatments can be kept from reaching patients. Here AI can help by dealing with the massive amounts of data involved in new drug development. The overwhelming amount of health records, genetics profiles, preclinical studies and clinical trial data can all be correlated and examined en masse, and patterns found. During development stages, new data is coming in daily and with AI all of this can be added to and compared with a huge pre-existing pool of data, providing a thorough foundation to build on. Issues and inconsistencies can be identified early and gaps in research found as well as conveying where research has been clustered and allowing researchers to see where better to focus their efforts. With machine learning, data isn’t only correlated, and patterns extrapolated, but outcomes can be generated, providing pathways for drug discovery. A research team simply couldn’t do this on their own but, guided by these same researchers, AI can use all the facts generated from this massive data pool to create hypotheses that can then be tested and speed up the development process. MATERIALS HANDLING 24 Pharma Business International www.pbiforum.net T he pharmaceutical world is high- pressure enough without materials handling problems causing drops in efficiency along a manufacturing chain. The method by which material is moved from one machine to another will differ greatly depending on whether it is liquid, solid or in any other state, and the risk of contamination (either with other product or with employees) will dictate containment facilities and procedures. At all places, the amount of risk must be assessed, and that is difficult to do when you’re looking to change up an existing system. It’s much easier when starting with scratch and planning out a manufacturing line considering available space, purpose and investment, but more often than not the need for changes will come later down the line, In hand Effective materials handling contributes to maintaining product quality throughout the supply chain. From the moment raw materials are received to the point of consumption, the careful handling of goods prevents physical damage and maintains a product’s viability. Pharma Business International 25 www.pbiforum.net MATERIALS HANDLING when it’s harder to make those adjustments. Careful planning can only get a company so far after all – technology changes and updates and staying on top of it all is important. While projects that are planned out in advance are obviously more likely to succeed, work undertaken later must still involve a degree of planning. How will the adjustment be made, what equipment will be used, and how best the work be undertaken so as not to risk both the wellbeing of workers but also the functionality of the line? Less disruption is better but rushed work might lead to more later. To avoid unnecessary waste, set up and be consistent with routine inspections and quality checks during stages such as raw material receiving, processing and packaging. Here too, machinery and robotics can be employed to ease the stress load on human workers, with automated sensors and quality control tools available to detect defects, and then remove these substandard products from the production line. Proper documentation and traceability are just as essential for demonstrating compliance in the unfortunate event of audits or recalls. Assigning batch numbers or lot codes to each product during handling enables fast and accurate traceability, while maintaining comprehensive records of the movement and processing of each batch will make it even easier to trace the origin of any quality issues and allow targeted recalls if needed. During the majority of occasions when quality checks catch every flaw, appropriate packaging and protection of products will ensure they survive transportation and storage to reach consumers in optimal condition. The question of automation is not so much a question in our industry as it is in many others. There are still many manufacturers in food and drink for instance that choose to limit automation to save costs, but the need for hygiene in pharma means that automation remains king and is likely to keep that crown for the foreseeable future. The automated materials handling market is expected to reach a value of over $51 billion by 2025, with the expansion of third party logistics (3PL) industries leading to mass adoption © stock.adobe.com/ gopixa 27 Á26 Pharma Business International www.pbiforum.net © stock.adobe.com/ copterandmomMATERIALS HANDLING Pharma Business International 27 www.pbiforum.net of the technology. With 3PL’s being more commonly used now than ever before, the businesses are updating and upgrading their materials handling systems to cope with the influx of new business and ensure they can meet the demand. This new investment will be a driving force for the industry, both enrichening it and leading to further development which may, in time, be efficient enough for those same 3PL’s to invest again, creating a symbiotic relationship. Speaking of materials handling in warehouses and distribution centres, there has been a rise in demand for Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGVs) to transport workers and products across the vast expanse of a depot. They remove the requirement for manually operated forklifts, lessening costs for hiring workers who are qualified to operate such machinery. AGV’s can also operate for 24 hours a day. They utilise Artificial Intelligence to drive across pre-determined routes, pick up material, and transport it to another pre-determined destination. This decreases time delays, and the risk of misplaced goods, as a tracking system is integrated, which can be reviewed on a cloud- based system. © stock.adobe.com/ zyabich© stock.adobe.com/Aleksei 28 Pharma Business International www.pbiforum.netMARKETING S ocial media and short-form video content are dominating the internet, with TikTok becoming one of the most recognised names in recent history off the back of its attraction to younger demographics. This offers companies a valuable insight into the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns, as well as gaining first-hand feedback. This was the kind of insight that marketers could only dream of before the advent of the internet. Marketers now are preoccupied with chasing ‘viral’ videos. It’s difficult – often impossible – to predict which videos are going to become viral hits. This may happen inadvertently, for reasons a company might be keen to avoid – i.e. bad production values, poor acting etc. But if all press is indeed good press, then this can only work in a company’s favour. Provided a video campaign does indeed go viral, it will likely be picked up by major media outlets, exposing it to an even greater audience than might have seen it without. For this reason, marketing companies might try to replicate popular videos, hoping to The consumption of video content is on the rise, with video sharing platforms forming the lion’s share of some companies’ marketing and digital strategy. 30 Á Pharma Business International 29 www.pbiforum.net Content consumption Next >