MilliporeSigma and Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management and automation, announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that aims to automate biopharmaceutical processes for China’s biopharmaceutical industry. The MoU outlines the companies plan to form a co-marketing relationship for the automation.

“We are living in a fast-paced, evolving life science environment in which more chronic diseases are prevalent,” said Andrew Bulpin, head of the Process Solutions business area, Life Science, at MilliporeSigma. “The global and local players are investing heavily in pharmaceutical research and biosimilars, racing against time to find therapeutic solutions and treat patients faster and more effectively. Schneider Electric’s automation solutions combined with our hardware, software and single-use consumables would enable an automated biopharmaceutical solution for our respective customers.”

Combining the technical expertise of MilliporeSigma and the technological capabilities of Schneider Electric, the collaboration aims to give customers greater flexibility and save them time.

In recent years, the Asia-Pacific region, especially China, has transitioned toward an automated “intelligent” industry. Shorter time-to-market for new drugs, flexible manufacturing and stricter compliance and data integrity requirements have driven the need for operational technology-based and intelligent manufacturing with an Internet of Things (IoT)-based architecture.

“Schneider Electric will continue to collaborate with industry leaders like MilliporeSigma to maximize the value of intelligent manufacturing in industries with our IoT-enabled EcoStruxure to help create an ecology of industrial digitalization by fusing all complementary and mutually beneficial forces,” said Yue Ma, senior vice president and head of Industrial Services, Schneider Electric China.