Grants and Contributions:

Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2020-2021).

Even if remarkable progress has been recently achieved, the manufacturing efficiency of the pharmaceutical industry still lags behind that of most other industries. Automation and continuous processing is a way to become more competitive, to reduce production time, energy consumption and the amount of waste produced. Indeed, better sensors and closed-loop feedback control system enable the transition toward a more desirable quality by design-based, rather than quality by testing-based, manufacturing of the next generation of pharmaceutical products. They also reduce process variability and operator errors and lead to a better understanding of the process.x000D
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The objective is to increase the automation of three processes that present mass and heat exchanges:x000D
- Coating of the tablets: development of a in-line vision sensor providing film-coating properties (coating level, distribution across tablets esthetical defects, etc.).x000D
- Drying of the granules (before they are compressed into tablets): safe and robust in-line minimization of the drying time and/or energy consumption.x000D
- Freeze-drying of vials: safe and robust in-line minimization of the drying time and/or energy consumption.x000D
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The algorithms will be developped using first principles modelling and simulations, experimental data and in-line tests on pilot plants. x000D
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The tools and knowledge of flexible manufacturing developed during this project will help Pfizer Montreal to position itself as a global research and development centre for new and innovative manufacturing technologies for the entire Pfizer manufacturing network.x000D
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