Companies need to be proactive in addressing environmental issues surrounding bioprocessing. In a recent preprint, Andrew Sinclair, president and founder of BioPharm Services, a UK-based consultancy for biopharmaceutical manufacturers, and his colleagues wrote, “Through actionable strategies in biopharmaceuticals, “The urgent need to mitigate the climate crisis.” As these experts pointed out, the production of biologics emits enough carbon to have a “significant impact on the environment.”
However, the most effective way to reduce the environmental impact of bioprocesses depends on prioritizing them from the beginning. Using bioprocess ecodesign metrics, such as process mass intensity (PMI) and other methods, manufacturers can predict the carbon footprint of their processes.
To take an approach based on ecodesign metrics, Sinclair’s team applied his company’s BioSolve Process software application. The research team said it can be used to compare techno-economic evaluations and bioprocesses to “existing industry benchmarks to critically assess the ability of PMI to inform green design choices in the manufacture of monoclonal antibody drug substances.” he pointed out.
However, as these scientists explained, PMI alone cannot meet all the needs for assessing the environmental impacts of bioprocesses. For example, they noted that PMI does not take into account energy usage, which Sinclair’s team called “a significant oversight given the energy-intensive nature of cleanroom work.”
Based on several studies and comparisons described in the report, Sinclair et al. demonstrated that PMI is effective in predicting water and plastic usage during biologics manufacturing. However, for a complete lifecycle assessment of the environmental impact of biologics manufacturing, PMI must be combined with carbon usage measurements.
“The role of surrogate metrics and commercial software such as the BioSolve Process is critical in promoting environmental sustainability in biologics manufacturing,” Sinclair et al. concluded. “By adopting these tools and methodologies, the biopharmaceutical industry can make significant strides in minimizing its carbon footprint and contributing to global sustainability goals.”
