The Innovation Awards 2024

Another year of innovation in pharma draws to a close. As is customary at The Medicine Maker, we’ve taken the time to dig deep into drug development and manufacturing technologies released over the past 12 months.

This showcase has been compiled based on nominations received via The Medicine Maker website – but it’s up to you to decide which technology should be crowned the overall winner. Summarized below you will find a shortlist of the standout innovations of 2024. Once you’ve read them all, head online and complete the voting form

Voting will close on January 28, 2025, with the winner having the opportunity to share the story behind their innovation in a future article. Last year, Lonza’s Enprotect capsule technology took the grand prize. Who stands out this year? Check out the showcase below!

Atlas

Nirrin Technologies

Atlas leverages tunable laser technology for chemical spectral analysis, utilizing advanced signal processing and analytical algorithms to characterize complex mixtures within one minute in applications ranging from bioreactors to final therapeutic formulations. In downstream bioprocessing applications, Atlas provides accurate and rapid at-line quantitation of excipients such as sugars, amino acids, and surfactants, and product titers such as antibodies, peptides, and vaccines, all from a single, 15 microliter drop. Taking advantage of the near-infrared spectrum for mathematical separation of biomolecular signals, combined with the exquisite signal-to-noise ratio of the tunable laser technology, the platform yields the specificity of Raman spectroscopy and accuracy of high-performance liquid chromatography in a single instrument. Find out more

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ATOM-1

Atomic AI

RNA structure prediction has been historically hindered by limited data and inadequate computational models. Atomic AI researchers have created a platform that leverages large-scale, chemical mapping data (including millions of RNA sequences with over a billion nucleotide-level measurements) collected using custom wet-lab assays. The technology can predict structural and functional aspects of RNA, including key characteristics of RNA modalities, such as RNA-targeted small molecules, mRNA vaccines, siRNAs, and circular RNA. Atomic AI is using these unique insights to overcome key challenges in the development of RNA-targeted medicines.  Find out more

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Constellation with cryoFIL

Automated vial filling with full robotic automation of CGT processes

Cellular Origins and 3P innovation

3P innovation’s cryoFIL platform is designed to automate and streamline filling processes in cell and gene therapy workflows, delivering closed-loop filling with 100 percent weight verification, and reducing waste and contamination risks. It is combined with Cellular Origins' Constellation – a modular, robotic platform designed to automate existing end-to-end cell therapy processes at an industrial scale. Constellation’s physical and digital Industry 4.0 framework incorporates proven cell therapy technologies, including cryoFIL, to eliminate manual steps, reduce labour, maintain sterility, and enhance quality monitoring and control. Both companies believe that full automation is essential for reducing the costs of cell and gene therapies and to reach the scale that the success of these therapies now urgently requires.  Find out more

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FDmiX

Mixing device suitable for nucleic acid encapsulation

Lonza, FDX Fluid Dynamix, and Fraunhofer IPK

For mRNA-based products, the active ingredient is encapsulated in a protective coating generated by mixing the active ingredient with a lipid or polymer solution. Efficient mixing of these solutions across various scales, especially for commercialization, is challenging. FDmiX was developed in a collaboration of different companies to optimize the encapsulation process by using an oscillating flow to achieve faster, more homogenous mixing, resulting in higher yields, higher quality, and fewer filtration losses. The technology is now GMP-ready and can encapsulate mRNA, RNA, and DNA, with the potential to expand to peptides or small-molecule APIs. Find out more

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GlueSEEKER

Drug discovery platform for novel molecular glue degraders

PhoreMost

A drug discovery platform for the development of novel molecular glue degraders, GlueSEEKER exploits a cell’s proteostasis mechanisms by inducing close proximity between a target protein and an effector protein, such as an E3 ligase, and gluing them together. The technology uses computationally designed insertional libraries to create surface-edited E3 ligase variants, and introduces researchers to knowing – rather than estimating – relevant disease mechanisms, improving target hypotheses. The combination of computational approaches and molecular biology enables identification of induced degradation events for almost any nominated neosubstrate and ligase pair. Find out more

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mPredict Co-Crystal Prediction Service

Service to enhance API solubility by identifying best drug and co-former combination

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt

Many drugs in the development pipeline are poorly soluble but co-crystallization is one way to address the challenge. A combination of a promising API and a co-former results in co-crystals with properties that improve drug solubility and stability. Choosing the right co-former, however, is difficult – especially when the selection is API-specific and needs to be comprehensive. mPredict is an AI-based tool that predicts optimal co-formers for an API. According to Merck, the process is 96 percent faster than traditional experimental screening and uses fewer resources. Find out more

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Particle Formulation Technology

A solution to create high-concentration suspensions for injection

Nanoform

Subcutaneous formulations are a challenge to develop. Conventional strategies use hyaluronidase enzyme, which is co-administered with the active ingredient to degrade the cellular structure, creating a cavity. However, this approach is limited by the requirement for on-body auto-injectors and time spent in hospital. Nanoform’s technology removes these limitations through particle formulations that enable high drug suspensions in non-aqueous vehicles at levels greater than 400 mg/ml. It also opens up the opportunity for IV to subcutaneous switches, and reduction of the number of injections required to deliver the daily dose. Being spherical, the particles are morphologically unique versus other approaches, meaning high concentration formulations have low injection forces and can be used in low volume formulations that can be administered subcutaneously without hyaluronidase and on-body auto-injectors. Find out more

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Sapio ELaiN

AI-powered virtual lab assistant

Sapio Sciences

Sapio ELaiN (Electronic Laboratory Artificially Intelligent Notebook) is an AI-powered lab assistant, integrated into Sapio’s Lab Informatics Platform. ELaiN understands context-specific scientific queries, and helps researchers automate repetitive tasks, streamline workflows, and reduce the time spent navigating software. Researchers can ask the Sapio electronic lab notebook (ELN), LIMS or scientific data cloud to conduct various tasks, such as create experiments, analyze data, or manage inventory. The interface is driven by simple voice or text commands, minimizing the need for specialized training and eliminating coding requirements. The goal of ELaiN is to make researchers more productive and sophisticated lab informatics more accessible. Find out more

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The SCIEX 7500+ system

A triple quadrupole mass spectrometer for ultrasensitive levels of quantitation

SCIEX

SCIEX reports that this system is the fastest mass spectrometer in its nominal mass portfolio. The system can be used for ultrasensitive levels of quantitation across drug development, emerging contaminants, and life science research. It is capable of monitoring up to 800 multiple reaction monitoring transitions per second and includes Mass Guard technology to reduce the risk and frequency of instrument contamination by novel ion filtering, maintaining a high sensitivity for up to two times longer in complex matrices. With sustainability in mind, this system was designed by SCIEX to use up to 24 percent less energy, relative to oil-sealed pumps. Find out more

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Spectrum

Software for optimizing clinical trials, and controlling timelines and costs

Lokavant

Spectrum is an AI-based clinical trial feasibility software solution that can predict, optimize, and control trial timelines and costs in real-time, enabling iterative feasibility analysis and mid-study course correction. Key features include high-throughput scenario planning, rapid enrollment projections and related probability of success, site startup sequencing, and a "causal AI" algorithm that recommends country and site configurations based on user-defined constraints. The platform is powered by proprietary historical data from over 2,000 studies, encompassing more than 14,000 investigators, 12,000 healthcare institutions, 3rd-party site performance data sources, and more than 500,000 third-party trials. Find out more

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VALIANT

AI and robotics-driven platform for drug formulation design and optimization

Intrepid Labs

VALIANT uses AI and a data-driven approach to explore formulation design space and can refine multiple parameters simultaneously. The technology can be used to support the development of various formulations, including injectables, solid dosage forms, and nanoparticles for parenteral drug administration. The process begins with an API and target product profile. Using semi-autonomous or autonomous workflows, the platform selects, prepares and characterizes a starting formulation. With oversight from experts, the formulation is then refined and optimized. Intrepid Labs claims that the platform can help address failure from efficacy or toxicity issues by identifying optimized formulations earlier on. Find out more

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Vericheck ddPCR Empty-Full Capsid Kit

High-precision assessment tool for capsid characterization in AAV production

Bio-Rad Laboratories

Empty/full capsid analysis is critical in gene therapy because the ratio of empty (non-therapeutic) to full (therapeutic) AAV capsids directly impacts the safety, efficacy, and dosage of the treatment. Vericheck ddPCR Empty-Full Capsid Kit is a high-precision solution to quantify empty and full AAV capsids with minimal amounts of either crude lysate or purified samples for reliable quality assessment. The kit provides simultaneous viral titer and capsid content measurements throughout the AAV production process, with multi-sample type compatibility, low-sample input, fast turnaround time, and easy data analysis. Find out more