Digital transformation of the pharmaceutical industry is moving beyond buzzwords to real-world impact. At the Pharmaceutical Automation & Digitalisation Congress AUTOMA+ 2025 (24-25 November, Vösendorf, Austria), pharma leaders, including ZETA GmbH, Takeda and Sapio Sciences, are going to showcase how cutting-edge technologies, from digital twins and predictive analytics to minimal code platforms and AI-driven process innovation, are reshaping operations across the whole value chain. Their insights are going to highlight practical solutions for overcoming complexity, enhancing efficiency and building a future-ready pharmaceutical ecosystem.
From Smart Engineering to AI-Driven Pharma: ZETA’s Digital Edge
While many digital tools are already available, their full potential remains largely untapped. ZETA GmbH, a global end-to-end solution provider and AUTOMA+ 2025 Session Sponsor, is applying digital technologies to optimise operations and unlock new efficiencies.
One of the company’s key innovations is the use of digital twins (virtual replicas of physical systems) to simulate and fine-tune production processes. At a major pharmaceutical manufacturing site, ZETA’s digital twin implementation led to a 15% increase in production efficiency and a 10% reduction in energy consumption, by enabling real-time process optimisation and proactive decision-making.
More than that, ZETA GmbH has advanced the use of predictive analytics to streamline production logistics. By analysing historical and real-time data, the system forecasts potential bottlenecks and adjusts schedules dynamically. This approach has improved scheduling accuracy and reduced production delays by 25%, ensuring smoother operations and better resource utilisation.
These advancements raise important questions: what does the future of pharma look like? Can companies remain competitive without embracing digital twins, rethinking plant processes and working more intelligently with AI?
“Innovations like digital twins, predictive analytics, augmented reality and others are parts of a broader shift toward the industrial metaverse, where digital and physical systems converge to drive innovation and operational excellence”, – comments Martin Mayer, Business Line Director for Digital Solutions at ZETA GmbH, who is joining AUTOMA+ 2025 as a Speaker.
In his presentation, Martin Mayer is going to introduce WingMan, an AI-powered assistant that integrates vast engineering documentation, including manuals, specifications, SOPs and trend data, to support operators in real time. By enabling natural language interaction, WingMan empowers teams to access critical information instantly, enhancing decision-making and efficiency on the shop floor.
Takeda’s Digital Innovation in Plasma Fractionation
Takeda, a patient-focused, values-based, R&D-driven global biopharmaceutical company, is integrating Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) to optimise production processes and set new benchmarks for innovation.
Ruth Madlener (Director Tech. Sciences and Material Management at Takeda) and Iago-Doel Perez (Data Scientist at Takeda) are going to continue the discussion on AI-powered pharma at AUTOMA+ 2025 and talk about the company’s impact on the future of plasma fractionation and beyond.
“To keep up with growing patient need, we aim to reimagine plasma and go beyond incremental improvements to find a wide range of innovative and sustainable solutions to better serve patients. Our expertise, capabilities and scale uniquely position us to transform plasma across our entire end-to-end operations and make a positive impact on people’s lives”, – is stated on the company’s website. (Source: https://www.takeda.com/science/areas-of-focus/pdt/?queryID=477da456596b10a8df13a573f50054ab)
IgG plasma fractionation, where the combination of real-time data acquisition, advanced analytics and automation enhances both efficiency and quality, is one of the key Takeda’s focuses. By enabling continuous assessment and adaptive interaction between machines, this integration strengthens predictive capabilities for process control and product quality. The result is improved yield, purity and consistency of IgG products while ensuring compliance with the strict regulatory standards governing plasma-derived therapies.
Moreover, Takeda’s approach goes even further: predictive analytics and machine learning reduce risks of batch failures and product recalls, while IoT-enabled real-time monitoring fosters operational agility and data-driven decision-making. The collaboration between IT and OT creates a unified “language” for both humans and machines, unlocking opportunities for safer, more efficient and more sustainable production.
Sapio Sciences: Minimal Code, Maximum Impact
Sapio Sciences, the provider of the leading AI-powered lab informatics platform, is redefining how biopharma companies approach digital transformation. By uniting LIMS, ELN and Scientific Data Cloud advanced SDMS on a shared foundation, Sapio Sciences delivers purpose-built solutions that empower research, discovery, manufacturing and clinical diagnostics.
At AUTOMA+ 2025, Jim Sulzberger (Director of CMC at Sapio Sciences) is going to share how minimal code technologies are serving as a practical, scalable gateway to Biopharma 4.0 and helping companies overcome the challenges of fragmented systems, heavy IT dependencies and regulatory complexity.
Biopharma 4.0 integrates a suite of transformative technologies – AI, automation, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), advanced analytics and seamless data integration – each aimed at boosting quality, compliance and operational efficiency. Still, many companies hesitate, viewing implementation as overly complex. Sapio Sciences addresses this gap by offering configurable low- and no-code tools that empower scientists and engineers to digitalise workflows, automate data capture and break down silos without relying on heavy IT infrastructure.
Case examples to be discussed at AUTOMA+ 2025 highlight how these platforms support GMP readiness, real-time decision-making and continuous improvement across R&D, process development and manufacturing. From enabling real-time data insights to reducing risks associated with biased datasets and regulatory hurdles, Sapio Sciences demonstrates how AI-driven lab informatics can be effectively and compliantly integrated into validated processes.
“AUTOMA+ 2025 delegates gain a practical roadmap to kickstart or scale their Biopharma 4.0 initiatives, using user-driven tools that deliver immediate value without disrupting operations”, – comments Jim Sulzberger.
The company’s approach ensures that innovation is not only technologically advanced but also operationally sustainable.
AUTOMA+ 2025: Where Pharma’s Future Takes Shape
With 145+ industry innovators and pioneers like ZETA GmbH, Takeda and Sapio Sciences as well as Merck, ESTEVE, Octapharma, GSK and others joining the Congress and presenting their ideas, AUTOMA+ 2025 stands out as a hub for knowledge exchange and strategic collaboration where science, technology and innovation converge driving smarter, more connected and more resilient ecosystems of the future.
Join AUTOMA+ 2025 and be part of the community shaping the next wave of digital transformation in pharma!
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Related Post: Pharmaceutical Automation and Digitalisation Congress (AUTOMA+) 2025
