A data transfer connection between GE Healthcare’s raw material manufacturing sites and Amgen’s process development center in Massachusetts will be installed to help improve product efficiencies, performance, and quality.

He said GE Healthcare and Amgen mutually decided to come together to form this collaboration, – financials of which have not been divulged. According to Olivier Loeillot, general manager for Bioprocess at GE Healthcare Life Sciences, it will allow GE Healthcare to “digitally track and monitor raw materials in real-time on their journey to becoming high-performing biopharmaceuticals.”

He told Bioprocess Insider: “This is the next step in optimizing digital capabilities to help manufacturers gain a better understanding of the impact the process used to manufacture raw materials can have on the overall biomanufacturing process performance.”

Image; iStock/metamorworks

The specific raw materials being monitored have not been revealed, but data insights from the digital tracking will be used to drive process and product improvements and reduce the potential for supply disruptions.

“[This collaboration] aims to use data analytics created through sharing data and insights to improve efficiencies, performance, and quality of our products and processes,” said Loeillot.

While this particular collaboration is directly with Amgen, “GE Healthcare is on a digital transformation journey,” he continued, adding “digital capabilities and partnerships will be pivotal for securing the supply chain for the biomanufacturing industry.”

Such collaboration opportunities are an important part of GE Healthcare’s partnership strategy with the biopharma industry. “We are always interested in exploring opportunities that will allow us to optimize capabilities and improve biomanufacturing process performance.”