3. Flexible manufacturing platforms
Increased competition and a wider range of therapeutic modalities is forcing biopharmaceutical companies to be more flexible and resilient with their manufacturing, said Gupta and Boulais. "While this may seem daunting, the industry’s performance during the COVID-19 pandemic showed us that it can be done by prioritizing flexibility in production."
On January 10, 2020, the genome for the novel coronavirus was made publicly available online. By December of that year, multiple vaccines were rolling out to inoculate people against SARS-CoV-2. "This incredible feat showcases the incredible agility of leading companies in the biopharma industry. Manufacturers were able to transition from established workflows to a new workflow that enabled the swift development of an effective vaccine. One reason the industry was able to adapt so quickly was because of the method by which they chose to develop these vaccines: an mRNA vaccine platform."
The mRNA vaccine platform is a true platform technology: A single process can be used to produce vaccines for a myriad of indications by switching out one reagent in the workflow – the genetic sequence of the target antigen, said Gupta and Boulais. "The ease by which a manufacturer can switch from one sequence to another means they have the capability to address health threats quickly. At the same time, the technology transfer for this type of vaccine is simpler and can allow easier transfer to CDMOs around the globe."