Over the past few decades, the biopharmaceutical industry has been constantly advancing. From initially relying on traditional mass production processes to now exploring more intelligent and efficient continuous flow processes, the entire industry is undergoing a profound transformation. This transformation is not only expected to improve the efficiency and quality of drug supply, but also directly related to the accessibility of patient medication and the sustainable development of the healthcare system. For the general public, these seemingly professional terms are actually closely related to our daily health.

Recently, the life science group Sartorius teamed up with the Shanghai Biopharmaceutical Industry Association to hold the 2025 Enhanced Process Summit. The summit gathered industry experts, scholars, and business representatives from around the world, focusing on the cutting-edge trends and development paths of biopharmaceutical continuous flow strengthening processes, and re emphasizing the release of the "White Paper on Biopharmaceutical Continuous Flow Strengthening Processes".

Simply put, biopharmaceutical technology is the process of turning scientific research achievements into real drugs. It includes the entire process of cell culture, protein production, purification, and finally the production of drugs. For example, monoclonal antibody drugs for cancer treatment and vaccines against COVID-19 are produced in batches through such processes.

For a long time, drug production has mainly adopted the "batch production" model: it is completed one pot at a time, just like cooking. Although this is reliable, it is not efficient, has a long time cycle, and once a problem occurs at a certain step, it may lead to the entire batch of drugs being scrapped. For biopharmaceuticals that are often worth millions, this risk is significant. To overcome this bottleneck, the pharmaceutical industry is accelerating the promotion of the "continuous flow process". Compared with traditional modes, continuous flow production can achieve full process connection and real-time operation of the production process, just like an uninterrupted assembly line. This process can shorten production time, improve output efficiency, and achieve stable quality through real-time monitoring, reducing raw material waste.

Reducing costs, increasing efficiency, and accelerating innovation have become the core propositions for the development of the biopharmaceutical industry. Sartoris has continuously accumulated experience in key areas such as disposable products, membrane filtration, and chromatography technology, and through continuous innovation, has gradually formed a solution covering the entire value chain of biopharmaceuticals. These technological paths help R&D teams accelerate new drug development, simplify production processes, effectively respond to market competition and price pressures while ensuring high quality, and promote the creation of sustainable value in the industry. Ms. Wang Xuyu, General Manager of Sartoris China, stated that this year marks the 30th year of Sartoris' entry into China, especially in the past decade where China's innovation ecosystem has become increasingly perfect and has become an important source of global medical innovation. Among them, biopharmaceuticals are the most active force in this wave. Here, the world's cutting-edge products, technologies, and services are deeply integrated with local demand, empowering the discovery and production of biopharmaceuticals in China. The ambition of "Chinese new drugs" is transformed into the reality of "global good drugs", promoting more breakthrough therapies to benefit patients as soon as possible and improving the health of more people.

The core topic of this summit - the continuous flow strengthening process of biopharmaceuticals, is a concentrated embodiment of this innovative concept. As a cutting-edge process mode, continuous flow enhanced technology is profoundly changing the production mode of traditional biopharmaceuticals. Compared with traditional batch processes that use disposable technology, continuous flow processes achieve significant improvements in cost reduction, efficiency improvement, and energy conservation through efficient continuous production modes. At the same time, with the help of advanced real-time monitoring systems and automation and intelligent control technologies, the stability and consistency of product quality are also ensured.

The White Paper on the Continuous Flow Enhancement Process of Biopharmaceuticals, released at the meeting, systematically explains the technical path and application value of this process, providing a clear and feasible action guide for the industry's process upgrading. This achievement not only points out the direction for the future development of China's biopharmaceutical industry, but also lays a solid foundation for promoting the industry towards a more efficient, green, and sustainable future.

In the future, the development of continuous flow technology will present three major trends. Firstly, there is an increase in automation and intelligence, reducing manual operations and improving accuracy. Secondly, it is more in line with the concept of green environmental protection and can effectively reduce energy consumption and waste emissions. Finally, the rise of flexible small-scale production models has enabled pharmaceutical companies to quickly switch drug varieties based on clinical needs, meeting the growing demand for personalized medicine.

The progress of biopharmaceutical technology may seem like something happening in laboratories and factories, but it is actually closely related to each and every one of us. From improving the speed of drug supply, to reducing treatment costs, to promoting the green development of the health industry, they are all laying a solid foundation for the future medical system.
 

By editor