The Next Phase of Bioprocessing: Trends Redefining Manufacturing

Sponsored by Ecolab Life Sciences

Meeta Gulyani, SVP & GM of bioprocessing and head of life sciences strategy at Ecolab Life Sciences, outlines the forces shaping the bioprocessing industry today. She points to continued growth in biologics, with monoclonal antibodies remaining a mainstay alongside newer modalities, as well as heightened attention to supply resilience, mounting pressure on cost of goods and productivity, and growing use of AI and digital tools across drug discovery and manufacturing.

Gulyani explains that the shift toward complex molecules, including antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and multispecific antibodies, offers the potential for more precise, effective treatments for difficult-to-treat diseases but makes purification considerably more complex, as the current toolbox can no longer address many of these molecules. For traditional mAb manufacturing, she notes that capacity gains upstream have not carried through to downstream processing, creating a bottleneck that calls for resin capacity, process intensification, and solutions that work within existing facility fit. She also describes supply resilience as a boardroom topic that now spans the entire value chain, with strategies including regional supply, business continuity planning, and dual sourcing of critical raw materials. Looking at cost pressures, Gulyani highlights a move toward holistic approaches such as second-generation manufacturing processes and platforms, continuous manufacturing, connected plants, and real-time testing.

Bioprocessing, manufacturing, and downstream processing professionals will gain perspective on how drug developers increasingly view suppliers as strategic partners, seeking early input on cost-of-goods modeling and impurity analysis through application lab networks and collaborating on beta testing of new manufacturing solutions. Gulyani closes by connecting lower cost of goods and improved productivity to broader patient access to therapies, drawing on her own experiences working in India.