The Indian pharmaceutical industry is in the midst of a green revolution with usage of solar panels and energy-efficient machinery. A new era of innovation is pushing the pharma industry towards Green Pharma 2.0, where artificial intelligence, digital twins, and sustainable molecule design are some of the aspects for constructing a greener, smarter future for pharma.
According to Hari Kiran Chereddi, managing director, HRV Global Life Sciences & CEO, New Horizon Global Pharma, conventional drug production depends on multi-step synthesis routes, frequently with toxic solvents and high-energy reactions. Now, AI programs are being employed to re-engineer these chemical routes, forecasting the best reaction pathways with fewer byproducts and lower energy requirements. Machine learning algorithms can now model millions of synthetic routes and pick the most efficient, environmentally friendly ones, cutting trial-and-error experimentation by orders of magnitude.
Many AI start-ups are creating tools that integrate predictive chemistry with sustainability enabling formulators to make cost-effective, climate-friendly choices, he added.
One of the rapidly emerging innovations in Indian pharma is the application of digital twins, which is real-time, AI-driven virtual copies of physical manufacturing systems. The digital twins enable operators to test changes in reaction parameters, energy inputs, and material flows in a virtual environment before implementing them on the factory floor. This minimizes wastage, enhances yields, and reduces environmental hazards, Chereddi told Pharmabiz in an email.
For instance, changing a drying cycle or crystallization step in-silico can conserve thousands of litres of solvent per year. With real-time data analytics, digital twins are facilitating predictive maintenance and dynamic optimization reducing energy consumption by as much as 20%, he said.,
AI is not only enhancing the way drugs are produced It is also revolutionizing what drugs are produced from. By applying generative algorithms, scientists can now create molecules that break down more readily in the environment and thus minimize pharmaceutical pollution. In segments such as veterinary APIs (active pharmaceutical ingredients) where runoff into water and soil is an issue, green-by-design molecules could be a game-changer, he said.
As international regulations increase, pharmaceutical procurers and regulators insist on total disclosure of a product’s green footprint. Indian exporters have begun to incorporate blockchain-based ESG monitoring to assure clean practices through the supply chain from sustainable solvents and energy sources to packaging and transport, said Chereddi.
Even as Indian pharma is implementing tech-driven sustainability revolution, HRV Global Life Sciences too is adopting AI-based drug design for greener APIs, eco-friendly logistics through our AI enabled supply chain optimization strategies, he noted.
Indian pharma is not just incorporating green practices, it is at the intersection of AI, biotech, and digital infrastructure to be virtual, efficient, and environmentally efficient. As India transitions from the ‘Pharmacy of the World’ to the ‘Green Pharmacy of the Future,’ the international industry would to take notice, said Chereddi.
source : Pharmabiz
