A new manufacturing hub for the sustainable production of medicines which will pioneer the use of advanced technologies, such as robotics and AI, is being led by the University of Strathclyde.

The MediForge Hub aims to transform the development and manufacturing process by achieving a 60% reduction in raw material use and the reduction of waste.

Strathclyde is also a partner in the new Manufacturing Research Hub in Resource-Enabled Sustainable Circular Automation Manufacturing (RESCu-M).

Led by the University of Birmingham, the hub aims to use advances in AI, robotics, and automation to create a new sustainable circular manufacturing ecosystem across sectors such as batteries, energy, and medical devices.

The hubs are among five supported by the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) “Manufacturing research hubs for a sustainable future” programme, with each receiving £11 million.

Partner contributions, cash, and in-kind bring the total support committed to the new hubs to just short of £100m.

Working with industry partners, the researchers will also explore different products’ pathways to manufacture, including production scale-up and integration within the wider industrial system.

Co-designed with industry, the MediForge programme looks to create a cyber-physical research infrastructure to drive the digital transformation of chemistry, manufacture, and control (CMC) approaches.

Artificial intelligence, machine learning, digital twins, and collaborative robotics—together with state-of-the-art process technologies—will support all stages of medicine production.

UK government minister for Scotland, Donald Cameron, said: “Scotland has always been at the forefront of science, innovation and technology and this new £11 million funding from the UK government, through UKRI, will help maintain this.

“This is an exciting time for this sector as we look to harness AI in helping the sustainable production of medicines and reducing waste.”

Recommended reading

• Strathclyde Uni Launches ESG Scale-up Programme
• Scots Spinout to Make Climate Law Accessible via Digital Platform
• Heriot-Watt Laser Tech Boosts Net-Zero Manufacturing Hub

Accelerating the development of new, sustainable products and processes could mean the sector can better respond to the needs of patients by producing medicine faster, while addressing rising healthcare costs and the impacts of the climate crisis.

On this, Professor Alastair Florence, MediForge project lead, said: “The team is committed to developing innovative solutions that can accelerate patient access to cost-effective new treatments, that can allow more agile responses to medicines shortages or pandemics and, through addressing sustainability at each stage, we can ensure that making medicines does not cost the Earth.