GE Healthcare (Chicago; www.gehealthcare.com) and Rockwell Automation (Milwaukee, Wis.; www.rockwellautomation.com) are combining their automation, IT and single-use solution expertise to create new digital bioprocessing operations capabilities. The two companies will help biopharmaceutical manufacturers create flexible and scalable facilities, focused on rapid response to market demands, streamlined production technologies and adaptable manufacturing environments.
Kevin Seaver, executive general manager, Bioprocess Automation and Digital, GE Healthcare, said: “As GE Healthcare and the healthcare ecosystem move toward precision health, flexible and scalable solutions are critical for companies to efficiently manufacture smaller batches of tailored medicines. Our collaboration with Rockwell Automation is an integral part of our strategy to confirm we deliver innovative solutions that meet the needs of the biopharma 4.0 era.”
Fran Wlodarczyk, senior vice president, Architecture and Software, Rockwell Automation said: “Our collaboration with GE Healthcare will help make bioprocessing operations more agile. The facility of the future reimagines what’s possible in production of biopharmaceuticals. It uses connectivity, information, and modular equipment to create smaller-scale, more efficient operations. As GE Healthcare becomes a member of our PartnerNetwork program, our joint work will help GE Healthcare bring the Connected Enterprise to life, so they can meet demands for more targeted drugs and get products to market faster.”
The new collaboration will enable companies to gain greater efficiency with single-use equipment integrated with bioprocess automation that improves reproducibility, repeatability and compliance; and digitize batch files and processes to reduce review times by weeks and even achieve realtime reviews. Users can also deliver instructions to workers with augmented reality to improve batch execution, operations, equipment setup and training.