Abstract

Eliminating the Dull, Dangerous and Dirty = Why a Global Automation Strategy is Critical for Successful Implementation

Julie Huxley-Jones, , GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals

Tactical implementation of automation adds some value, but it is rarely maximised. Automated point solutions don’t always fix the right problem; they rarely maximise investments in knowledge, skills, capability or capital. These reasons and more were why at GlaxoSmithKline we have embedded a global strategy for automation in our Research and Development organisation. Our mission is to create new medicines for patients. We need research and develop our medicines as efficiently as possible without sacrificing quality. To do this we have to maximise how we operate and turn the improbable into a reality. We see automation as a way to free up our hands, to release the minds of our researchers. Humans excel at creative and deductive tasks, such as designing experiments and interpreting results. Automation excels at reliable, precise repetition. Accelerating automation supports our staff and modernises how we develop medicines in an increasingly demanding climate. Significant increases in data volume and reliability creates comprehensive, quality knowledge that directly impacts how we meet regulatory expectations. Automation creates a greater informatics need for scientists’ data to gracefully flow into savvy judgment. To meet these needs, automation must be strategically considered, prioritised and connected into the bigger picture. At GlaxoSmithKline we created a ten year vision and strategy to translate the fast moving world of automation into practical implementation in our laboratories. We use a centre of excellence to seek and incubate technologies that are ready now, ready soon or ready in the future. Working with scientists we have analyzed workflows that are highly manual and resource-intensive, and developed ways to prioritize across the business how we solve them. We use test beds to create solutions through short- and long- term installations. Through this model we actively disseminate current best practice while inventing future best practice. We have yielded time and cost savings and have enhanced quality, safety, and confidence. We will discuss the common threads across R&D’s disciplines, our approach to seeking and incubating automation solutions, and how we are using automation to power sterling science as GSK develops breakthrough medicines for patients.