expressed opinion entrepreneur Contributors are themselves.
As managing climate change becomes an increasingly pressing issue, the need for sustainable business practices has gone from a buzzword to a benchmark. Managing carbon footprint and reducing waste are just two of the metrics by which a company is measured. So far, the pharmaceutical industry has avoided the spotlight on this front. With COP27 underway, it’s time to look at the status quo and assess what green pharma pioneers are doing to heal patients while protecting the planet.
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The Environmental Impact of Big American Pharmaceutical Companies
american pharmaceutical company Dominate the global market For prescription and other medicines. While some emerging markets are catching up and expanding their influence, the US still dominates global sales. In the past few years, sales of pharmaceutical products in the United States accounted for nearly 50% of global pharmaceutical sales.
also, statistics show By 2021, five of the world’s top ten pharmaceutical companies will be located in the United States. Pfizer has become a leader in the field thanks to the development of a leading Covid-19 vaccine. A second company, AbbVie, is catching up fast, however, as the launch of its drug Humira helps the company generate an unrivaled $55 billion in sales in 2021 alone.
Given its impact on the economy, it may come as a surprise that the pharmaceutical industry receives little scrutiny for its environmental impact. Other manufacturers, such as the automotive industry, have drawn more attention. That doesn’t mean pharmaceutical companies can relax when it comes to their carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions.
recent analysis The industry’s emissions show that pharmaceuticals can hardly be considered a green industry. However, while research shows that several leading manufacturers are working hard to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, others have exceeded the government’s 2025 target.
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How Pharmaceutical Companies Are Adopting Greener Practices
Research into greener business practices has gained momentum across the pharmaceutical and chemical industries for more than 20 years.Reducing the environmental impact of chemical development and production is at the heart of the program 12 principles of green chemistryPublished in 1998. These principles still apply today.
Companies that make an impact through the use of green chemistry principles adopt specific principles of environmental safety protocols, including waste reduction, energy conservation, and the elimination and reduction of hazardous waste as a by-product of their work.
However, according to American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute, mainstream businesses have yet to fully embrace technologies that will help them become greener. According to ACS, too many manufacturers continue to rely on petroleum derivatives in their manufacturing processes.
However, there are notable exceptions. AstraZeneca is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies embracing green chemistry. Like Pfizer, AstraZeneca has cemented its status as a household name by developing a Covid-19 vaccine.
the company’s zero carbon target The plan aims to reduce its carbon footprint by 90% by 2045 from a 2019 baseline. Key milestones include a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from global operations by 98% by 2026. Another goal is to reduce the carbon footprint of the company’s entire value chain by 50% by 2030.
AstraZeneca scientists have identified the synthesis of active ingredients in its products as the main source of the company’s emissions. These active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are critical to curing patients, but cannot be replaced. Scientists need to find new ways to make them.
The company works with universities and research institutions to drive innovation in its field, making it a leader in green chemistry.
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The role of artificial intelligence and digital transformation in green pharma
Minimizing the carbon footprint of the pharmaceutical industry is not only a top priority for big-name companies. Some leading companies may find it difficult to complete digital transformation simply because of existing legacy technologies and entrenched approaches to drug development and manufacturing.
Relative newcomers to the field have the advantage of not needing to replace legacy systems. They can build processes around greener principles from the start. These principles include developing carbon-neutral treatments rather than reducing the environmental footprint of existing treatments.
Some of the most promising approaches begin in the development phase before clinical trials begin and extend to commercialization. This new approach benefits from advances in digital technology, including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.
A relatively new company in the pharmaceutical space, Anavex Life Sciences, has been using machine learning to reduce the carbon footprint of its clinical trials.The company is in the final stages of trials Dementia Drugs, promising to help people with diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s dementia. Its development was supported in part by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
Ann Vickers®2-73 Dementia and its various forms of pathology are studied by increasing the activity of the Sigma-1 receptor. Increasing Sigma-1 activity reduces debilitating symptoms and restores normal genetic function.
Anavex conducted a Phase 2a trial in 32 patients and use machine learning technology enhance its Evaluation of Clinical Trial Results. The researchers also took advantage of genome-wide analysis. Their clinical trials are conducted using a decentralized approach, which the company adopted at the start of the pandemic and plans to continue to do so. The goal is to minimize its carbon footprint by limiting non-essential travel and using smaller trials.
For the same reason, most meetings are conducted using video conferencing and other technologies. Decentralizing clinical trials has another advantage, as it can make them more accessible to participants across the country.
Most pharmaceutical companies own and maintain large wet laboratories, although few of them are fully utilized at all times. The team behind Anavex decided give up owning a laboratory This would sit idle for weeks, rather than relying on the project-based toxicology studies required by industry regulators. They believe this approach helps reduce environmental waste and save costs.
The potential of the pharmaceutical industry to become a green industry is outstanding. Applying the 12 principles and taking full advantage of emerging digital technologies will help transform the industry. The key to a successful transformation is to consider the entire value chain, including supplier selection, facility selection, and R&D process, which will lead to final product commercialization.
