Applying emerging and digital technologies can lead to more robust and flexible manufacturing processes. This can help the pharmaceutical industry respond to drug shortages, reduce interruptions in the production and delivery of medicines, and ensure consistent clinical performance of products.

With the influx of new technologies on the plant floor and in the flow of work, the industry must think progressively about how organizations will work in the future. Organizations seeking to transform will embrace new technologies, move to a true end-to-end focus for their products and processes, and engage and utilize their people in new ways. Such an approach requires a systematic, systemic, and holistic transformation of the organization and its people.

However, implementing digital technologies and initiating successful digitalization projects is a challenging process. Research indicates that most organizations do not achieve their transformation objectives, and those who do have difficulty sustaining their successes.1 The ISPE Baseline® Guide: Pharma 4.0™ provides the structural capabilities framework needed for realizing successful and lasting transformations. It contains tools and advice for companies in achieving their digitization and financial goals while maintaining/improving product quality and meeting regulatory requirements and expectations. In addition, this Guide outlines various starting points, prerequisites, governance structures, and strategies for achieving transformational success tailored to an organization’s size, risk tolerance, flexibility, and maturity level.

The Industrial Digital Transformation is more than just an approach to implement digital technologies; it is a shift in mindset and a fundamental shift in the way companies operate their business to deliver value for patients and customers. Smart organizations will not only have capabilities but will also be highly adaptable.

The Guide covers all areas of transformation including the benefits of a holistic control strategy, opportunities opened by digital transformation in quality management, and the foundational processes and principles for interconnected plant architecture. It includes organizational change management practices to help workers adapt to confounding challenges from new technologies and acquire the necessary skills to thrive in a changing culture. Readers will discover strategies that are revolutionizing facility design including simulation and virtualization are presented.

The Guide is a repository of technology definitions and technical principles, containing 35 real-world case studies to guide organizations exploring similar digital transformation opportunities.

And to help organizations monitor their transformation journey progress, the Guide presents the Pharma 4.0 Maturity Model and Assessment Tool.

The ISPE Baseline® Guide: Pharma 4.0™ is a valuable resource for any size company to begin, reinvigorate, or advance their transformation journey.