Printed electronics in medicines packaging will help patients and supply chain

A number of British drugs companies are to join a consortium with the Centre for Process Innovation, which is part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, and the Institute of Manufacturing at Cambridge University to investigate ways of introducing ‘smartness’ into pharmaceutical packaging.

Using technologies such as printed electronics, project REMEDIES aims to unlock advantages for patients and the supply chain.

REMEDIES is a project with a wide scope, looking at ways of using emerging technologies to address inefficiencies in the supply chain, from ingredient manufacturers all the way up to pharmacists.

The project is focusing on five technology areas: active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing, primary-to-secondary manufacturing, super-critical fluid technology, agile packaging, and printed electronics.

The consortium members - including the University of Strathclyde, GlaxoSmithKline, Astra Zeneca, Cambridge Reactor Design and Robinson Brothers - are hoping the results of the project will help to safeguard the UK’s leading position in the pharmaceutical sector, which is a high-earning part of the manufacturing industry.