Pune: CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) in Pune, in partnership with the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) from the UK, has launched a state-of-the-art ‘Living Lab’ to drive the decarbonization of the Indian pharmaceutical industry.

Part of the UK-India Net Zero Innovation Centre, this initiative aims to reduce emissions by up to 80% by leveraging advanced manufacturing technologies.

The Indian pharmaceutical industry, which fulfills over 20% of the global pharma supply chain and contributes to approximately 60% of the worldwide demand for vaccines, will benefit from this facility.

The industry also provides 40% of generic drug demand in the US and 25% of all medicines in the UK. The ‘Living Lab’ will function as a testbed for companies to develop, explore, and validate continuous and solvent-free manufacturing technologies, ensuring a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

As part of the Centre for Sustainable Continuous Manufacturing at CSIR-NCL, the lab has already welcomed its initial set of industry partners, including Aarti Industries, Glenmark Life Sciences, USV, Anthem Biosciences, Corning, and GMM-Pfaudler.

These companies, along with forthcoming partners like Sun Pharma, will work with CSIR-NCL and CPI to innovate and implement sustainable production practices.

Dr. Ashish Lele, Director of CSIR-NCL, highlighted the critical role of advanced technologies in achieving emission reductions, emphasizing the transition from batch to continuous manufacturing.

Dr. Arun Harish from CPI underscored the global significance of this collaboration in meeting net zero targets while maintaining the production of essential treatments and vaccines.

The Centre will soon announce an Industry Consortium, inviting mid-sized Indian chemical companies to access flow synthesis facilities, expanding the reach and impact of sustainable manufacturing practices.