Sustainability in the biopharmaceutical industry: Seeking a holistic perspective

Biopharmaceuticals manufacturing is a critical component of the modern healthcare system, with emerging new treatments composed of increasingly complex biomolecules offering solutions to chronic and debilitating disorders. While this sector continues to grow, it strongly exhibits “boom-to-bust” performance which threatens its long-term viability. Future trends within the industry indicate a shift towards continuous production systems using single use technologies that raises sustainability issues, yet research in this area is sparse and lacks consideration of the complex interactions between environmental, social and economic concerns. The authors outline a sustainability-focused vision and propose opportunities for research to aid the development of a more integrated approach that would enhance the sustainability of the industry.