Creating Sustainable Operational Excellence in Pharma Manufacturing

Pharmaceutical companies are forging sustainability initiatives that include investments in renewables, refurbishing facilities to net zero, and committing to a greener industry.1 In addition, regulators and industry organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) are calling for more sustainable manufacturing practices in the pharma industry.2

“Addressing the environmental impact of healthcare products is no longer optional—it is imperative,” said Yukiko Nakatani, MD, PhD, assistant director-general for access to medicines and health products at WHO. “The transformation of regulatory practices will be pivotal in shaping a pharmaceutical industry that meets today’s health needs without compromising the planet’s future.”2

As the shift to sustainability becomes a core metric of success alongside speed and quality, companies are locking in environmental efficiencies during the early development phase, ensuring that program move to manufacturing with the smallest possible footprint.

PharmTech spoke with Andrew Moreo, head of process development and operations management at Andelyn Biosciences; Rahul Mittal, head of strategy & innovation at Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories; and Andrew Whitley, PhD, vice-president of global business development, life science field officer, at HORIBA; David Butler, chief technology officer, Hongene; and SreeKrishna Chopperla, senior vice president, HSE, Sai Life Sciences, about the strategies pharma companies are creating to move toward more sustainable manufacturing.

What specific changes has your company made in your drug manufacturing practices to improve sustainability?

Moreo: Sustainability in manufacturing is not an afterthought; it is a design choice made at the bench. At Andelyn, we recognize that the most significant environmental impact of a drug is locked in during the development phase. To address this, we utilize optimization-by-design. This methodology uses advanced data analytics and design of experiments to identify the most efficient process parameters before we ever step into a clean room. By refining the process early in process development, we ensure that when a program moves to good manufacturing practice, it does so with the smallest possible footprint of raw materials and energy.

Mittal: Dr. Reddy’s has made targeted, measurable changes in its manufacturing practices to strengthen sustainability. The company is transitioning its sites to 100% renewable power by 2030 and has already reached 60% progress toward carbon‑neutral Scope 1 and 2 operations. It has also become a water‑positive manufacturer, consistently replenishing more water than it consumes. Waste systems have been redesigned so that 99% of hazardous waste is co‑processed or recycled, significantly reducing landfill dependence. Cold chain packaging has been optimized, with over 90% of cold boxes reused across distribution points. These efforts align with global best practices, and the company’s recent earnings updates indicate that energy efficiency and operational discipline also support stronger margins.

Chopperla: Our focus has been on systematically redesigning processes using green chemistry principles and technology-driven innovation to minimize hazardous inputs, optimize solvent use, and improve water and energy efficiency. Across programs, we have strengthened solvent circularity, enhanced mass efficiency, and reduced waste through process innovation supported by digital monitoring. In parallel, we are deploying advanced manufacturing and green engineering solutions to structurally embed resource efficiency into our manufacturing platforms.

Butler: We’ve focused on two levers—process design and site operations— to improve stability. On the process side, we’re advancing chemoenzymatic ligation for oligonucleotides to improve yield and cut solvent and purification burden versus traditional solid phase synthesis. On the operations side, we’ve added renewable energy elements (e.g., solar-powered exterior lighting), electrified on-site logistics (electric vehicles), and invested in solvent recycling. We also track progress through third-party ESG assessment (EcoVadis).

Which area/process of drug manufacturing impacts sustainability efforts the most?

Mittal: The largest sustainability impact comes from API and chemical‑synthesis operations, which drive the bulk of energy consumption and emissions. This is why manufacturers prioritize decarbonization and report steady progress toward carbon‑neutral operations.

These steps also require significant water for purification and cleaning, making water‑stewardship programs essential, including recycling loops that support water‑positive outcomes. Hazardous waste generation is another major factor; companies now report over 99% diversion of such waste to co‑processing and recycling at scale. In contrast, packaging and logistics have lower environmental intensity, though cold chain reuse helps reduce secondary waste.

Chopperla: The greatest sustainability impact is determined at the process design stage. Reaction pathways and downstream isolation steps—particularly crystallization and filtration—largely define solvent intensity, energy consumption, water usage, and waste generation. When these elements are optimized early, companies can apply green chemistry principles and technology-enabled process enhancements to significantly reduce environmental burden and operational variability. In our view, sustainability is fundamentally a chemistry and engineering decision made at the core of process development.

Butler: In nucleic acid manufacturing, sustainability is often assessed using process mass intensity (PMI), which is mainly driven by solvent and reagent consumption in synthesis and purification. Traditional solid-phase oligonucleotide synthesis is highly solvent-intensive and generates substantial chemical waste which drives PMI higher. We’re prioritizing next-generation technologies that employ biocatalysis to improve yields and reduce PMI and energy consumption while also lowering cost.

Moreo: In viral vector manufacturing, inefficiency is the primary driver of waste. The area where we can create the greatest impact is within the underlying power of a manufacturing platform, which is why we focus so heavily on our AAV Curator Platform. This allows us to leverage standardization of materials, equipment, and systems, with flexibility to enable us to achieve higher yields and better full-to-empty capsid ratios from the start. By significantly increasing the usable product per batch, we effectively reduce the number of manufacturing runs required to meet the clinical goal. In the world of advanced therapies, yield is the ultimate sustainability lever because higher productivity directly translates to fewer consumables and a smaller carbon footprint per dose.

How can pharma manufacturers improve their manufacturing process to ensure better sustainability?

Chopperla: As I have already emphasizsed improvement begins with designing processes differently—not merely operating them more efficiently. This involves prioritizing green chemistry, improved atom economy, circular resource use, and technology-enabled optimization from the outset. Transitioning from traditional batch manufacturing to continuous processing, and adopting process intensification and green manufacturing technologies, can significantly reduce variability, waste, and energy consumption. Most importantly, sustainability must be embedded during early development, where decisions have the greatest long-term environmental and economic impact.

Moreo: A major opportunity for improvement lies in harmonizing global regulations. Having a single source of regulatory standards across regions would enable smoother logistical transitions for vendor-supplied materials, manufacturing, and final product shipment. When requirements are aligned globally, manufacturers can avoid redundant systems, duplicate testing, and unnecessary supply chain workarounds that add cost, complexity, and waste.

At the same time, facility design plays a critical role. Purpose-built manufacturing facilities, designed with efficiency from the outset, offer a significant sustainability advantage over retrofitted sites. This is why many organizations find that partnering with a CDMO [contract development and manufacturing organization] is a more sustainable path than building or managing in-house production in less optimized environments. An intentionally built-for-purpose facility allows manufacturers to right-size utilities, optimize material flows, and incorporate energy-efficient systems to reduce waste throughout the facility’s life cycle. Sustainability is not just about scale but about intentional design decisions that enable large, complex operations to run more efficiently and consistently.

Mittal: Manufacturers can improve sustainability by expanding renewable‑energy sourcing and carbon‑neutral direct operations. Demand forecasting methodologies help in batch processing. AI tools are assisting companies with a shorter path to drug development and reducing wastage of chemical solvents [and] intermediaries and saving electricity.

Water efficiency must improve through advanced recycling, membrane filtration, and real‑time monitoring so plants achieve water‑positive performance. Waste reduction requires stronger solvent‑recovery systems and partnerships that route nearly all hazardous waste to co‑processing, a benchmark some companies already meet. Digital tools such as predictive maintenance and automated analytics improve yield and reduce batch failures, contributing to better margins.Reusable cold chain packaging and lighter materials further reduce environmental load. Sustainability and efficiency become mutually reinforcing when these measures scale.

Whitley: Replacing or complementing chromatography with optical spectroscopy will allow for less reliance on solvents. Spectroscopy generally does not require solvents, and therefore, there are no chemical waste products. The added upside here is that this also means significantly less cost of ownership. Everybody wins. As spectroscopy is typically much faster than chromatography and uses less energy, there is also a significant reduction in power required to obtain the required information.

Butler: It’s important to measure consistently and set clear targets. Track PMI, energy usage, waste recycling rates, and Scope 1–3 emissions, then prioritize work based on the biggest drivers. Practical steps include reducing solvent-intensive unit operations, adding solvent recovery, and choosing higher-yield routes that use biocatalysis to reduce rework and purification burden. Stronger quality systems can also help by reducing deviations and repeat batches. Finally, simplify supply chains where possible because fewer handoffs and less transportation generally mean a lower footprint and better control.

How do you see sustainability impacting the industry in the future?

Whitley: In many European countries, a reduction in carbon footprint, minimal waste, and environmentally safe elimination of any waste are already mandated and regulated. The push for improvements will only increase. Meeting these sustainability requirements will be challenging and could be very expensive. The use of optical spectroscopy, as discussed, will help pharma support these requirements.

Butler: Our interactions with pharma indicate that sustainability is increasingly a partner-selection criterion, not just a reporting topic. Developers are asking for quantified metrics such as PMI, emissions, and waste, and they expect credible improvement plans aligned with recognized standards. Over time, processes and technologies will shift toward platforms that scale with lower PMI and stronger supply reliability. We believe the winners will be manufacturers that can prove sustainability while maintaining or improving supply reliability and cost.

Moreo: There is no one-size-fits-all solution to the sustainability challenges of drug manufacturing. Instead, we must approach this challenge from all sides simultaneously by integrating better science through optimization-by-design, more efficient platforms, and smarter facility management. As the industry matures, sustainability will become a core metric of success, alongside speed and quality. We will not find a single silver bullet for sustainability. Rather, we will find success through the silver buck-shot of a thousand small, intentional efficiencies across the entire manufacturing lifecycle.

Mittal: Sustainability, while being critical in conversations right now, is expected to be a core competitive requirement and be featured within strategy discussions and earnings reports.

Companies already commit to carbon neutrality, full renewable‑energy transitions, and water‑positive operations, signaling that environmental performance will shape investment, procurement, and regulatory expectations.

Annual sustainability disclosures supported by independent assurance will become standard, reinforcing transparency. Operational efficiency and sustainability will converge, since earnings commentary increasingly connects energy management and manufacturing discipline with improved margins. Supply chains will be redesigned around resilience, renewable inputs, and lower Scope 3 emissions. Regulations will tighten, and customers will prefer manufacturers with verifiable sustainability records. Over time, sustainability will define how medicines are made, how risks are managed, and how companies differentiate in global markets.

Chopperla: Sustainability is evolving into both a strategic differentiator and an industry baseline. Customers are increasingly evaluating environmental performance alongside cost and timelines, including process efficiency, resource circularity, and alignment with green chemistry principles. In the coming years, manufacturing platforms will be designed for resilience, efficiency, and a reduced environmental footprint from the ground up. Organizations that integrate green chemistry with resource-conscious engineering, supported by innovation and digitalization, will be best positioned to meet emerging regulatory expectations and market demand.

References

1. Sustainability in the pharmaceutical industry. Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry. Accessed February 17, 2026. https://www.abpi.org.uk/reputation/sustainability-in-the-pharmaceutical-industry/
2. WHO calls for transformative action towards a greener future in pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution. World Health Organization. December 23, 2024. Accessed February 17, 2026https://www.who.int/news/item/23-12-2024-who-calls-for-transformative-action-towards-a-greener-future-in-pharmaceutical-manufacturing-and-distribution

About the author

Susan Haigney is lead editor of PharmTech.