Why it's vital to minimize waste to make a more sustainable drug discovery industry a reality

According to industry estimates, approximately 85% of biomedical research is wasted due to inefficiencies, causing delays and overuse of precious resources. Chris Ovett, Head of Business Development & Open Innovation, discusses with Pharmaphorum why it’s vital to use structured statistical methods and robust digital tools to minimize waste and make drug discovery more efficient and sustainable.

Read more in this excerpt of the article, originally published by Pharmaphorum. Shared here by permission.

Incorporating environmentally friendly practices has become everyone’s responsibility. In recent years, policymakers and organizations have particularly intensified sustainability practices among pharma and biotech, the industries whose operations have significant environmental impacts.

While both industries are beginning to integrate sustainability practices, they still lag behind others.¹ This lag can be attributed to several factors, including the complexity of drug development or the need to adhere to regulatory standards, which prolong timelines and intensify resource consumption, ultimately impacting sustainability efforts.

Drug discovery and development are still frequently hindered by fragmented workflows, reliance on manual processes, and the existence of data silos. These issues make the process resource-intensive, consuming vast amounts of time, materials, human capital and energy. According to industry estimates, approximately 85% of biomedical research is wasted due to these inefficiencies, highlighting the urgent need to implement more sustainable solutions².

Read the full article on the Pharmaphorum website.

About the author

Chris Ovett heads open innovation and business development at IDBS. He is responsible for identifying and cultivating potential technology partners and fostering a culture of innovation within the organisation. A versatile leader with over twenty years of experience in solution architecture, product, engineering, and services, Ovett places customers at the core, leading them through all stages of their digital journey.