Research Excellence and Intensity

CMAC’s leading advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing research programme will deliver manufacturing technologies that enable industry to deliver better products, quickly, economically and sustainably. This meets the industry demand for reduced time and costs for pharmaceutical development.

Research Programmes

  • Digital CMC CERSI

    Digital CMC CERSI

    The Digital CMC CERSI is a centre of excellence to accelerate the adoption of digital technologies in regulatory processes to ensure faster, more efficient delivery of medicines to patients with reduced environmental impact.

    Digital CMC CERSI
  • MediForge

    MediForge

    MediForge will research and develop new innovations to overcome the limitations of traditional Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Control (CMC) development processes which can be costly, time consuming and inflexible.

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    MediForge
  • Digital Medicines Manufacturing Research Centre (DM²)

    Digital Medicines Manufacturing Research Centre (DM²)

    DM² aims to transform medicines development and manufacturing productivity, and drive patient-centric supply.

    DM²
  • Cyber-Physical Systems for Medicines Manufacturing (CEDAR)

    Cyber-Physical Systems for Medicines Manufacturing (CEDAR)

    CEDAR aims to develop the way that cyber-physical systems can help make medicines manufacturing more sustainable, resilient and human-centric. 

    CEDAR
  • Future Manufacturing Research Hub

    Future Manufacturing Research Hub

    The Hubs goal is to address the Grand Challenge “Digitally Enabled MicroFactory Based Medicines Manufacture and Supply”.

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  • CMAC Data Lab

    CMAC Data Lab

    The CMAC Data Lab will be a world-first Industry 5.0 research facility that will support a critical mass of new research that will revolutionise the way we design, develop, manufacture, and regulate medicines through the digitalisation of CMC processes.

    CMAC Data Lab
  • Digital Design and Manufacture of Amorphous Pharmaceuticals (DDMAP)

    Digital Design and Manufacture of Amorphous Pharmaceuticals (DDMAP)

    DDMAP aims to address key research questions that underpin the selection, production, and application of amorphous molecular solids in medicines development and manufacture.

    DDMAP
  • GI Bio

    GI Bio

    GI Bio addresses a major challenge in understanding the gut's complex dynamic environment by offering a way to replicate it without the limitations of animal or human studies.

    GI Bio
  • MMIC Grand Challenge 1

    MMIC Grand Challenge 1

    The Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre is a collaboration between CPI, University of Strathclyde, UK Research & Innovation, Scottish Enterprise and founding industry partners, AstraZeneca and GSK.

    MMIC Grand Challenge 1
  • Hub Feasibility Studies

    Hub Feasibility Studies

    CMAC has supported 4 feasibility projects at different universities across the UK. The feasibility projects have been selected to align with the Hub goals and address specific areas of interest.

    Hub Feasibility Studies
  • CMAC Industry Core Projects

    CMAC Industry Core Projects

    Pre-Competitive Core Projects are funded jointly by the Tier 1 companies and are designed to develop translatable outputs to deliver impact in research areas aligned with CMAC.

    CMAC Industry Core Projects
  • ARTICULAR

    ARTICULAR

    The ambitious ARTICULAR Programme will develop novel AI approaches for pharmaceutical manufacturing. Machine learning from development and manufacturing data and models is used to address common pharmaceutical product development problems.

    ARTICULAR

Collaborative Projects

We work closely with Academic and Industrial partners in a range of collaboratively funded projects

Line drawing of a computer monitor displaying a person wearing a virtual reality headset, with graphs and data charts on the screen.

Digital

Line drawing of laboratory equipment including a flask, a microscope, and a slide.

Advanced Characterisation

Illustration of four people sitting around a round table, viewed from above.

Innovation & Engagement

Illustration of a medication storage unit with two compartments and scattered pills above it.

Scale-Up

Diagram showing the structure of a medicines manufacturing industry partnership, including government agencies, public sector funders, industry bodies, research institutions, innovation centers, regulatory agencies, and international groups, with connections to end users and research communities.

UK Pharmaceutical Manufacturing  Landscape

CMAC is a key part of the UK Medicines Manufacturing landscape.

CMAC’s focus will be to deliver novel manufacturing technology that will enable industry to deliver better products, quickly, economically and sustainably. This will meet the demand for reduced development time and costs and to exploit emerging opportunities driven by the urgent needs of patients and consumers for more personalised product performance.

As part of critical regulatory agenda CMAC and MIT organise a biennial conference with the FDA.

Research Portfolio

CMAC’s leading advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing research programme currently covers TRLs 1-6. The aligned portfolio of projects - supported by EPSRC, InnovateUK, and industry - gives a group of partners with complementary expertise to deliver research with impact.

The CMAC research portfolio comprises of around 75 projects that cover the CMAC research themes, including:

  • Quality by Digital Design,

  • Digital Twins,

  • Workflow and model development,

  • Advanced measurement techniques,

  • Crystallisation Classification System (CCS), Manufacturability Classification System (MCS), Biorelevance Performance Classification System (BPCS),

  • Primary and secondary MicroFactory processing, and supply chain mapping

Table outlining cross-cutting topics, timelines, and project descriptions for a research and development program in data and digital factories.

2021 CMAC Portfolio by Scope

In dialogue with our partners CMAC has defined industry problem statements that will be addressed by our research programme.

Diagram illustrating various aspects of particle crystallization processes, including workflows, technology miniaturization, continuous synthesis, particle formation techniques, and equipment development.