2022 predictions on the advances in life sciences innovation
9 Dec 2021
Innovation experts recently hired specifically to study emerging tech and drive collaboration predict a focus on the fight against antimicrobial resistance and a surge in quantum computing research for 2022. Linda Kasim, Imran Haq and Anca Ciobanu share predictions for innovation in life sciences for the year ahead...
Three experts from The Pistoia Alliance have outlined predictions for the life sciences industry in 2022.
These predictions cover:
- The potential of quantum computing to help pharma companies meet net zero supply chain targets
- The role pharma will play in commercial space travel
- The importance of the fight against antimicrobial resistance and why it needs to be incentivised by philanthropic organisations and governments
- Autonomous labs, utilising AI and robotics
- The rise of cross-discipline collaborations to tackle areas including immune system disorders and neurodegenerative diseases
The predictions are from three innovation experts recently hired by the Alliance, specifically to study emerging tech and drive collaboration in these areas – Linda Kasim, Imran Haq and Anca Ciobanu. Appointed to drive collaboration efforts across its three key themes, their insights span the urgent fights against antimicrobial resistance, the potential of quantum computing and commercial space travel, and autonomous laboratories. Throughout 2021, digital transformation has continued to accelerate and the pharmaceutical industry has further embraced collaboration, both of which will underpin success in emerging areas in the next 12 months.
Linda Kasim, Empowering the Patient theme lead, Pistoia Alliance: “In 2022, there will be renewed focus on the fight against super bugs and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This will be primarily driven by public-private partnerships, funding from philanthropic organizations, governments and international bodies to incentivize research. The public sector must quickly increase investment into AMR research, or the cost to national economies and public health could be devastating.”
“We will also see more advances from cross-discipline collaborations. Genomic profiling, advanced diagnostics, and personalised medicine will come together to tackle immune system disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. Digital health platforms will also be more integrated and will offer harmonised data generation. For these breakthroughs to happen, regulatory authorities must catch-up with the pace of research and innovation in health systems in 2022 by updating legal frameworks.”
Imran Haq, Emerging Science and Technology theme lead, Pistoia Alliance: “Deal making in the quantum space will continue to grow at pace in 2022. Driven by macro geopolitical trends and Big Tech, as they focus on how emerging technologies are being developed rapidly. The buzz around the sector will match this, and it will be the year we finally start to see a translation of this buzz into early versions of applications and use cases in the pharma industry. A likely quantum use case could be to improve supply chain efficiency. Big promises have been made during COP26, and large organizations, including pharma companies, must have net zero strategies. Quantum algorithms could be applied to material sciences to reduce and replace wasteful processes. This is also an area we would like to explore with the Pistoia Alliance’s Quantum Computing Community of Interest.”
“Pharma is also going to play an increasingly critical role in space exploration. As plans to launch a commercial space station from companies like Blue Origin accelerate, pharma will be engaged to ensure humans are healthy and have access to healthcare in extreme environments. 2022 is the time to think how we could be molding and driving forward this space safely and positively.”
Anca Ciobanu, Improving the Efficiency and Effectiveness of R&D theme lead, Pistoia Alliance: “Efficiency in R&D is on an exponential growth path as more pharma and biotech organizations partner with AI and robotics companies, enabling a more automated drug discovery process. In 2022, the major tech players will increase their focus on the life sciences and will play an important role in developing new products and initiatives. The application of new technologies will not only empower scientists to conduct experiments more efficiently, but it will also help them make more breakthrough discoveries. As companies continue to invest resources in launching or improving their autonomous labs, researchers will need upskilling in data science, to be able to program and interact with the machines.”
To find out more about the Alliance and its portfolio of projects, click here: https://www.pistoiaalliance.org/category/projects/.
