International Institute for Advanced Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

This International Institute brings together world-leading academic expertise to deliver new end-to-end continuous manufacturing capabilities that will transform the global supply chain for medicines. The joint programme leverages existing extensive investments in the UK, US and EU by creating a vibrant international manufacturing research community that will accelerate progress through excellence in research. Furthermore, by engaging with regulators the research will be targeted to maximise impact for end users.

Establishing the Collaboration

In April 2014 the Centre led a joint international workshop on behalf of the UK community with US colleagues from Purdue and Rutgers universities. The two day workshop, which was at the request of EPSRC and NSF, was held in Puerto Rico with the purpose of identifying opportunities for internationally leading research collaboration to advance current practices in continuous manufacturing of pharmaceuticals via new, sustained joint activity. The international collaborative team comprising membersof two major national manufacturing research centres (CMAC and C-SOPS, Centre for Structured Organic Particulate Systems) and global industry developed a shared vision to establish an International Institute for Advanced Pharmaceutical Manufacturing GSK, Pfizer, BMS, AZ - Industry representatives.

Key Steps in Forming the Collaboration

Established a team to form The International Institute for Advanced Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Met face to face for a 2 day workshop in Puerto Rico for academic engagement in April 2014

Interacted as a community of practice by conducting monthly web based meetings

Using the MIT-CMAC ISCMP symposium in Boston in May 2014 as a 2nd face-to-face meeting to secure wider industry participation

Obtained seed funding for initial support of activities and future exchanges as major funding proposals are developed

Seed Funding

The initial key steps identified to establish the collaboration have already been completed with the award of a circa $1m SAVI seed fund in September 2014. This award will fund an 18 month PDRA in the UK in addition to providing the resource for academics to increase face to face interactions for workshops and meetings. The SAVI Award was for the following team:

US investigators UK investigators
Prof Alberto Cuitino
Prof Fernando Muzzio		 Dr Blair Johnston
Prof Alastair Florence
Prof Jan Sefcik
Dr Andrea Johnston

This award has funded our International Collaboration Co-ordinator, Claire Ordoyno.