Pfizer, AWS Collaborate To Improve Drug Development, Manufacturing

Pfizer and Amazon Web Services (AWS) recently collaborated to create innovative, cloud-based solutions to improve drug development, manufacturing, and distribution for clinical trials. 

The companies will leverage the Pfizer Amazon Collaboration Team (PACT) initiative, which applies AWS capabilities in analytics, machine learning, compute, storage, security, and cloud data warehousing to Pfizer laboratory, clinical manufacturing, and supply chain efforts. 

AWS will work with Pfizer to develop a prototype solution to detect abnormal data points in its drug product continuous clinical manufacturing platform for solid oral-dose medicines. 

The solution is created using Amazon SageMaker, Amazon Lookout for Equipment, Amazon Lookout for Metrics, and Amazon QuickSight. 

Pfizer can process data from the equipment and sensors involved in Portable Continuous Miniature and Modular (PCMM) manufacturing to uncover anomalies as they occur, predict maintenance needs, and reduce potential equipment downtime, a Pfizer spokesperson said. 

“The past two years have reinforced for the world just how much speed and agility matter at every step of the research, development, and clinical manufacturing cycle when lives are on the line,” Kathrin Buvac, vice president of business development and industries at AWS, said in the announcement.

“We’re proud to work with Pfizer and lend our deep domain expertise to assist in developing solutions that could significantly improve the lives of patients globally,” Buvac continued. 

As part of the collaboration, Pfizer will maximize uptime for equipment, including centrifuges, agitators, pulverizers, coaters, and air handlers used in clinical drug manufacturing. 

Pfizer scientists will collaborate with AWS life sciences professionals to explore how researchers in Pfizer’s pharmaceutical sciences small molecule teams can retrieve information from legacy documents by leveraging AWS analytics and machine learning services. 

Additionally, Pfizer’s teams are working with AWS to develop a prototype system that can extract, ingest, and process data from Pfizer’s drug development processes documentation to help design lab experiments.

Overall, the collaboration will support Pfizer in more rapidly and reliably producing new drugs and evaluating their potential health benefits for patients. 

Andrew McKillop, vice president of pharmaceutical sciences, worldwide research, development, and medical at Pfizer, said that the company’s goal with AWS is to expedite the processes for drug discovery to enhance patient experiences and deliver new therapies to market.