Pfizer Asia Pacific, GlaxoSmithKline and Siemens are founding members of the A*STAR R&D consortium program Innovative Processing of Specialties and Pharmaceuticals (iPSP). Launched by A*STAR's Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences (ICES), the consortium is a platform for pharmaceutical and specialty chemicals industry companies to address costs, regulatory compliance and responsiveness in production and processes to bring drugs to markets.

The program addresses the need to access emerging "next generation manufacturing" technologies that provide quantum change improvements in cost, quality, environmental impact and process robustness in pharmaceutical manufacturing processes. The advancement in technologies and adoption of best practices in processing technologies will help companies increase productivity and manpower development.

The program also offers a platform for members to interact, develop and grow the industry processing technology knowledge base by facilitating the technology transfer and manpower development in advanced chemical processing technologies. The program draws on established resources and capabilities at ICES. These include the Kilo Scale Laboratory, pilot scale multipurpose continuous plant and a development laboratory. The Institute's core skill areas, including chemistry, chemical engineering, analytics, control, formulation science and catalysis, form a basis for the development of innovative manufacturing approaches.

The program will see research activities undertaken in industrially relevant areas like process analytics (PAT), Quality by Design (Qbd) as well as continuous manufacturing systems.

In Singapore, the chemicals and energy industries accounted for around $78 billion or 34% of total manufacturing output in 2012. The consortium presents opportunities for companies to extend a presence in Singapore and leverage on its position into Asia.

"For Singapore manufacturing business to sustain global competitiveness, employing technological advancements in the areas of energy management and manufacturing operations is essential. The iPSP program provides a platform to move ideas in technology to real world solutions," said Mr. George Routhier, managing director, Pfizer Asia Pacific.