Workflow optimisation is a key priority for pharmaceutical labs in India, reveals Agilent survey

Agilent Technologies has unveiled the results of its most recent Pharma Lab Leaders Survey, conducted in association with the global research firm Frost & Sullivan. The survey gathers insights from pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical and contract research laboratories around the world.

Respondents included 650 laboratory managers, directors and supervisors from China, Germany, India, South Korea, Switzerland, Austria and the United States. The laboratories surveyed are involved in a range of activities from disease research to manufacturing.

Respondents highlighted their unique industry challenges, laboratory pain points and goals for the future. Globally, the primary focus was on achieving quicker results (55 per cent), superior quality (44 per cent), and data integrity (43 per cent). Over half of the respondents indicated that quality standards are getting more stringent in their laboratories, with over 80 per cent finding that their current workflow requires further optimisation.

In India, it was found that sustainability goals were a key priority for pharmaceutical and biotech companies, especially reducing carbon emissions (70 per cent). With regard to challenges, 85 per cent of lab managers felt that more reliable and accurate instrumentation would be crucial to further optimising workflows. More lab leaders in India are concerned about increased demands to get generic medicines to market quicker than any other region (third ranking in India’s regional survey).

“At Agilent, we endeavour to enhance our offerings in line with the evolving needs of the industry,” said Bharat Bhardwaj, India Country General Manager, Agilent Technologies. “This survey has helped us better understand key pharmaceutical objectives, requirements, challenges and operational pain points in a laboratory setting. Based on the new insights, we will continue to design and deliver solutions that help our customers drive efficiency across their labs.

The top strategies being deployed globally by lab leaders to more efficiently move drugs through the pipeline are:

• Buying more sophisticated instruments that deliver a greater degree of specificity (85 per cent)
• Improving documentation of the sample chain of custody (70 per cent)
• Employing better-qualified staff (56 per cent).

In comparison to other regions, 54 per cent of the surveyed lab leaders in India felt that increasing the existing number of instruments would improve and optimise workflow procedures. This is one of the top strategies being deployed to progress drugs through the pipeline and to market faster.