Abstract
The political and economic climate that exists today is a challenging one for the pharmaceutical industry. To effectively compete in today's marketplace, companies must discover and develop truly innovative medicines. The R&D organizations within these companies are under increasing pressure to hold down costs while accomplishing this mission. In this environment of level head count and operating budgets, it is imperative that laboratory management uses resources in the most effective, efficient ways possible. Investment in laboratory automation is a proven tool for doing just that. This paper looks at the strategy and tactics behind the formation and evolution of a central automation/laboratory technology support function at the Glaxo Research Institute. Staffing of the function is explained, along with operating strategy and alignment with the scientific client base. Using the S-curve model of technological progress, both the realized and potential impact on successful R&D automation and laboratory technology development are assessed.
Highlights
These are challenging times in the pharmaceutical industry
Glaxo has maintained a highly proactive strategy to discover and develop innovative medicines, while realizing that the value of such medicines must be demonstrated in a concrete manner
The customer base is rapidly changing from the individual physician to a managed care environment where price must be justified
Summary
These are challenging times in the pharmaceutical industry. The current debate over the rising cost of health care taking place in Washington, D.C. and around the globe has made the industry a key target for cost reduction initiatives. Performance may be measured in terms such as reduction in testing costs, laboratory throughput, or re-deployment of staff, depending on the particular area of interest Using this model, it is possible to graphically represent important segments of the automation development process such as learning, the point of diminishing returns, and the emergence of discontinuities. Proactive decisions in the automation/ laboratory technology arena give the laboratory the ability to maintain the productivity afforded by existing systems while allocating a reasonable portion of its resources to developing new ones. It is obvious from the shape of the S-curve that the goal of the laboratory should be to minimize the length of the lower and upper flat portions of the curve and to maximize both the slope and length of the middle portion. A fully effective automation/laboratory technology support function such as GR! Bioengineering is key to achieving this overall goal
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