The Glasgow School of Art will have a major technological role to play with one of UKRI’s newly established Manufacturing Research Hubs. This critical mass investment will support a ground-breaking Industry 5.0 Medicines Manufacturing Research programme delivered by the new EPSRC MediForge Hub. This £11million, 7-year award will be led by the University of Strathclyde in collaboration with The Glasgow School of Art, University of Leeds, Imperial College London and The University of Sheffield.
Co-created with industry, the EPSRC MediForge Hub will transform the development and manufacturing of medicines.
Prof. Paul Chapman, GSA’s Director of Emerging Technology said “GSA continue to be on the cutting edge of XR in the pharma industry and I look forward to continuing our collaboration with Strathclyde University and colleagues to help transform the sustainable development and manufacturing of medicines.”
for further information please contact press@gsa.ac.uk
Notes For Editors
Full press announcement from CMAC.
CMAC’s New EPSRC MediForge Hub to Build Industry 5.0 Solutions to Transform the Sustainable Development and Manufacturing of Medicines
CMAC, a world-leading medicines manufacturing research centre, is to lead one of UKRI’s newly announced Manufacturing Research Hubs. This critical mass investment will deliver a groundbreaking Industry 5.0 Medicines Manufacturing Research programme delivered by the new EPSRC MediForge Hub. This £11M, 7-year award will be led by the University of Strathclyde in collaboration with our partners at University of Leeds, Imperial College London, University of Sheffield and Glasgow School of Art.
Co-created with industry, the EPSRC MediForge Hub will transform the development and manufacturing of medicines through pioneering an Industry 5.0 manufacturing system for sustainable, resilient, and human-centric medicine production. The programme brings together an array of advanced manufacturing and digital technologies to create a unique cyberphysical research infrastructure to drive the digital transformation of Chemistry, Manufacture and Control (CMC) approaches.
CMC is a key element in ensuring medicines are safe and of consistent high quality but traditional approaches can be inefficient and costly. By developing digital solutions to transform CMC MediForge will assist in tackling contemporary challenges faced by the pharmaceutical manufacturers. By accelerating the development of new, sustainable products and processes the sector will be better able to respond to the needs of patients by producing medicines faster while addressing rising healthcare costs, medicines shortages from fragile global supply chains, and the impacts of the climate crisis.
The Hub will leverage technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, digital twins, and collaborative robotics together with state-of-the-art process technologies supporting all stages of medicine production. MediForge will create a dynamic environment that promotes co-creation, open innovation, and interdisciplinary collaboration within a MediForge Living Lab environment to empower our research teams and drive the digital transformation of CMC underpinned by a world-first medicine development and manufacturing data fabric and innovative manufacturing research test bed. The Living Lab will foster creative, interdisciplinary, and entrepreneurial skills to develop future Industry 5.0 leaders who are versatile, multi-skilled, confident, and empowered.
“This award highlights the importance of research and innovation across medicines manufacturing to the UK. MediForge represents a significant step towards creating the technologies, know-how and future leaders to deliver access to affordable, safe, and sustainable
medicines.
“The team are committed to develop innovative solutions that can accelerate patient access to cost-effective new treatments, that can allow more agile responses to medicines shortages or pandemics and, though addressing sustainability at each stage, we can ensure that making medicines does not cost the Earth. With its commitment to excellence and innovation, CMAC’S MediForge initiative will transform the landscape of medicine manufacturing, paving the way for a healthier, sustainable, and more resilient future.”
Alastair Florence, MediForge Project Lead and CMAC Director
“Scotland has always been at the forefront of science, innovation and technology and this new £11 million funding from the UK Government, through UKRI, will help maintain this. This is an exciting time for this sector as we look to harness Al in helping the sustainable production of medicines and reducing waste.”
Donald Cameron, UK Government Minister for Scotland
“Thanks to our Advanced Manufacturing Plan, we’re helping businesses take advantage of the twin transitions of digitalisation and net zero, along with tax cuts, faster grid connections and
more, helping grow the green industries of the future. “This investment will help keep the UK at the cutting edge of research in key sectors like semiconductors and medicine and help secure a sustainable future for our innovative manufacturing industry.”
Alan Mak, Minister for Industry and Economic Security
“Today’s announcement is testimony to the close collaboration of CMAC and industry. Pfizer is proud of our long history in supporting the UK’s world-leading life sciences sector and remains committed to investing in projects like this, which are part of our global leadership in research
and manufacturing as part of our mission to deliver breakthroughs that change patients’ lives.”
Olivier Drap, R&D Business Development at Pfizer
ENDS