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THE HEALTH | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER , 2021
Cover Story | 2022 Prospects | be more precise tools / devices to predict hence prevent an illness , as well as a more targeted treatment to patients to increase the chance of complete cure and reduce the adverse reactions to the treatment .
“ As the proverb goes ‘ change is the only constant ’, innovation always leads to new ideas and changes . Innovation is the key to the future ; it is important to ensure that we stay afloat and be competitive in the market .”
Leonard Ariff said technological advancement in the pharmaceutical sector was a key area as the world is focusing on ‘ Industrial Revolution 4.0 ’ and ‘ telehealth ’. For instance , the use of ‘ My Sejahtera ’ application during the pandemic helped healthcare workers evaluate patients ’ health remotely or without visiting .
“ Technology is an essential enabler in the pharmaceutical sector , with the inclination of the country as a whole towards Industrial Revolution 4.0 . The pharmaceutical industry is moving towards Pharma 4.0 .”
With that said , the elements of a smart factory have been identified and being rolled out in phases in Duopharma Biotech . With Pharma 4.0 , the industry will see some tremendous disruption , which will steer the pharmaceutical industry towards a better growth avenue , becoming more self-sustaining and lean in operation and management .
“ The company is also constantly looking at integrating innovation and new technologies not only into the manufacturing line but throughout the entire company ’ s ecosystem . We strongly believe that new technology , for example , digitalisation , automation and Artificial Intelligence ( AI ), when used correctly , are key to bringing the company to the next level .”
Going by this vision , a total investment of more than RM300 million is allocated and expected to be spent over five years . All the investments will have the elements of digitalisation , automation and AI ,
As the proverb goes ‘ change is the only constant ’, innovation always leads to new ideas and changes . Innovation is the key to the future ; it is important to ensure that we stay afloat and be competitive in the market .” which are fundamentally essential in spurring innovation .
A clear vision
“ Ultimately , the technology that we invested in shall drive towards making our product safer and higher in quality . Thus , it should be beneficial to our customers and society .”
He said technology and innovation disruptions were here to stay , and Duopharma Biotech had identified this as the core focus area relevant for now and in the future . Particularly in the pharmaceutical industry , the technology and innovation landscape has constantly evolved rapidly , and thanks to the pandemic for accelerating it further .
On Duopharma Biotech ’ s technological capabilities , Leonard Ariff said it could develop and manufacture various dosage forms to cater to market needs .
“ We have the full suite of in-house abilities from R & D to manufacturing , and cold-chain distribution can cater to such special medical needs .
“ Duopharma Biotech as a company has a clear vision where we constantly strive to be better and ‘ be the benchmark ’ when it comes to quality , new technological capabilities and innovation . We rolled out Manufacturing Optimisation Strategy back in 2015 . We looked at a comprehensive short and middle-term investment strategy , focusing on enhancing technical capabilities and spur innovations .”
Duopharma Biotech has the first high technology biosimilar plant in Malaysia ; this plant can produce pre-filled syringe products used for patients with renal issues . It also has the first oncology manufacturing plant and leads the country to manufacture oncology products . It is expanding with new molecules to ensure it can cater for affordable medications to the public .
Covid-19 ’ s impact on digital transformation
Leonard Ariff said Duopharma Biotech has always focused on digitalisation even before the pre-pandemic era , but certainly , during the pandemic , the transformation rate has spiked 10-fold .
“ We recently came up with a short and long-term strategy to map the digital transformation based on the horizon scanning and other relevant indicators .
“ There is an increased need to digitise and automate many processes , including manufacturing-related processes . With talks of big data , the internet of things ( IoT ) and data mining , the Covid-19 era has made the team work more closely in preparation for the digital transformation plan and the usage of digital avenues to increase efficiency and productivity .”
On the rising healthcare costs in the country , Leonard Ariff said Duopharma Biotech has embarked on several initiatives related to operational excellence to improve manufacturing efficiency and productivity .
The company recently initiated a new source evaluation programme to ensure sustainable and uninterrupted product supply by securing more potential inventory suppliers . It is thus able to procure the inventories with much better commercial packages .
“ All in all , through these exercises , we believe that Duopharma Biotech would be able to contribute towards containing the rising cost of healthcare in the country .” KHIRTINI K KUMARAN — The Health