Two teams from the University of Nottingham have been awarded funding for research that will drive transformation in sustainable medicines manufacturing.
Researchers from the School of Chemistry and Faculty Engineering, alongside industry collaborators have received over £17m through Innovate UK's Sustainable Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Programme (SMMIP).
Innovate UK is rethinking the way medicines are manufactured, improving sustainability, increasing productivity, and reducing environmental impact. They have invested £54 million in eight Grand Challenge projects that will develop and demonstrate novel technologies for greener, more efficient medicines manufacturing.
This programme is not just about greener practices; it's about unlocking productivity, reducing costs, and strengthening the UK's life sciences supply chain. By adopting cutting-edge technologies, businesses can future-proof operations, meet sustainability targets, and gain a competitive edge in global markets.
Scientists from the School of Chemistry are collaborating with the National Physical Laboratory on a project titled: SusPack – Smart sustainable pharmaceutical packing. This project will focus on advancing innovative, circular and sustainable solutions to meet low-carbon recycling and waste-reduction targets in primary and secondary pharmaceutical packaging.
They will develop a new method using carbon dioxide for recycling currently 'non recyclable' laminate materials used in the pharmaceutical sector. A key example of these are blister packs used for a range of everyday medicines.
Professor Steve Howdle from the School of Chemistry at the University of Nottingham is co-leading this research project, he said: "It's vital we find new ways to recycle the plastic packaging used in pharmaceutical products like those in blister packs that are so widely used. This research will allow us to bring together academic expertise and industry experience to find innovative new solutions that are commercially viable."
Dr Daniel Keddie also from the School of Chemistry added "It's really exciting that we have the opportunity to use our science to tackle this big societal problem of packaging that currently cannot be recycled"
A team from the School of Chemistry and Faculty of Engineering are collaborating on a project led by AstraZeneca called: A Sustainable Future Factory – Robotics and automation for next-gen manufacturing. This will see the integration of robotics, automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and data-driven approaches into the next generation of medicines manufacturing technologies, to create sustainable, future-ready factories.
Professor Mike George from the School of Chemistry commented: "We are thrilled to be involved in such exciting project exploiting new reactor and advanced analytical techniques to reduce waste and increase the productivity of medicine manufacture, whilst ensuring the focus on sustainability in process development."
Connor Taylor, Assistant Professor in Chemical Engineering added: "We are excited to explore how improving reaction understanding using machine learning and automation can improve medicines manufacturing. The impact from such a large consortium, working towards a shared goal in creating 'labs of the future', will be truly groundbreaking."
These projects mark a pivotal shift in how medicines are made in the UK, aligning with the government's Modern Industrial Strategy. By investing in sustainable innovation, we're accelerating progress towards new zero, boosting sector resilience, and driving long-term economic growth.
