We surveyed our readers last year to learn what they were doing in process control. We included a question on "open control" only to learn that most readers had not even heard of S-88 and S-95, key elements in more progressive automation platforms at companies that include Novartis, Genentech and Pfizer. And most of those who recognized the terms didn't want to hear about them. Only a minority swore by them.
There is a perception that these standards are too difficult to implement. However, the extra work that they may require on the front end results in a significant savings in costs later on, reduces errors and prevents people from having to "recreate the wheel" (more on this pharma phenomenon in the next post).
Dr. Paul McKenzie, vice president and general manager of LSCC, technical ops, for BMS' Worldwide Medicines Group delivered a keynote address at the World Batch Forum this week that outlined how his teams are using these and other concepts, as well as simulation and PAT, and linking to SAP for materials management.
Dr. McKenzie had applied these concepts in the past to technology transfer and is now using them in BMS' new biologics facility in Devens, Mass.
Oh, and by the way, they're hiring, and looking for :
-Associate Director for Quality Assurance
-Facility and Equipment engineers
- Manufacturing Systems Engineers
Notice that first title, which suggests that subjects like open control and service-oriented architecture are not only for the control and IT cognoscenti, and that pharma professionals of all types should read up a bit on the concepts, because they will drive pharma facilities in the future.
I'm hoping to convince Dr. McKenzie to write for our magazine. But in the meantime, the other WBF keynote speaker, my Putman colleague Walt Boyes, editor in chief of Control magazine, discussed McKenzie's presentation on his blog, Sound Off. To read more about it, click here.
To listen to a complimentary educational webcast from Entegreat, featuring life science case histories applying S-88, click here
