Prefab pharma

But with some of the world’s most dynamic emerging economies keen to become less reliant on imports and the uncertain global economic climate driving “big-pharma” to eye-up new markets, many believe that the shape of the industry could change significantly in the years ahead.

Against this backdrop, the emerging field of “modular pharmaceutical manufacturing”, which enables the rapid and relatively low-cost off-site construction of pharmaceutical plants, is thought to be particularly promising.

A number of companies are exploring the concept. In US, Biologics Modular and Modular Partners both design bespoke modular facilities, whilst Swedish company Pharmadule has already developed biomanufacturing suites for a range of life science companies.

However, the latest entrant to this emerging field, GE Healthcare, claims that its recently launched Kubio concept, takes the technology to a whole new level.

Jointly developed with German engineering and construction firm M&W Group, and launched late last year, Kubio is a modular biopharmaceutical plant chiefly aimed at the production of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies; targeted drugs which are increasingly being used to treat a range of conditions including cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and crohns disease.