Blockchain and pharmaceutical compliance company ServBlock and Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) have been awarded funding to build a data exchange system, or data space, for outsourced pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Disparate systems and data sources have been cited as a key challenge by executives in pharmaceutical manufacturing in addressing top manufacturing objectives for life sciences companies.
Data spaces bring together data from different sources and make it accessible for a variety of purposes such as research, analysis, or decision-making.
The manufacturing data space will bring together data from different factories, production lines, and supply chains, to gain insights into the efficiency and competitiveness of the manufacturing process.
Wicklow-based company ServBlock leads a consortium including NEXA | EAM, Ingeniero Solutions, Unison Process Solutions, and Plan Quest as a test case for trusted data transfer in pharma supply chains.
In Association with
The project is supported by the EU's i4Trust programme, which offers funding for innovative research and development projects, and the funds will allow the consortium to bring together experts in data science, manufacturing, and engineering.
“We are excited to be a part of this important project and look forward to working with our partners to bring the manufacturing data space to life," said John Ward, CEO and founder of ServBlock.
"Coming on the back of our recent collaboration with Microsoft, this opportunity will allow ServBlock to continue to accelerate growth while being at the forefront of the data space movement.”
ServBlock was established last year, and its patent-pending blockchain compliance management tool is used in the pharma and healthcare sectors for compliance purposes.
Welcoming the funding announcement, Adrian Hovenden, industrial solutions architect at IMR, said: “Irish Manufacturing Research is delighted to have worked with IMR Member, ServBlock, to successfully secure the i4Trust funding for MANU SPACE.
"Collaborating with IMR members to create impactful solutions for the Irish manufacturing industry such as this data space, is key to ensuring the continued growth and development of the sector.
"IMR are excited to participate in this consortium and facilitate improvements in patient outcomes through improvements to pharmaceutical manufacturing and supply chain.”
Image: John Ward, CEO and founder of ServBlock
