In the next few years, global demand and spending for medicines are predicted to increase to $1.9 trillion. This tendency requires pharma to increase production volumes and optimise operational efficiency. As a result, companies are turning to smart manufacturing, and the industry is steadily transitioning to Pharma 5.0, centred around the collaboration between humans and technologies.
However, despite rapid growth, recent studies show that 52% of the companies are just starting to implement digital solutions. To help the industry move forward in this field and succeed, pharmaceutical leaders, such as Belupo, Novo Nordisk and others, are going to share their insights on 14-15 April in Amsterdam during the PHARMAP Congress.
What hinders the full transition to Pharma 5.0?
According to the ABPI’s report, one of the greatest challenges is the shortage of digital, data and automation expertise. Job postings for data engineers and data scientists have increased by 69% and 16% respectively, numbers from Deloitte’s analysis of labour market data show. To respond to this demand, initiatives like the UK’s Life Sciences Resilience Programme are emerging as important models. By uniting regional training providers, it supports the workforce through the delivery of high-quality training and outreach, spanning the entire careers pipeline for industry, academia and the NHS.
Another barrier to Pharma 5.0 is outdated infrastructure. Many facilities still operate with legacy equipment, siloed databases and disconnected OT and IT systems. According to research, an estimated 55% of an organisation’s knowledge becomes “dark data” – lost in unstructured legacy sources, making search and retrieval challenging. Furthermore, a senior industry survey indicates that silos are highlighted by 36% of professionals as a major barrier, complicating efforts to integrate systems and data across departments.
Cultural resistance to change becomes an equally important question. More than half of life sciences consider it the number one reason hindering the integration, according to a 2025 survey by the Pistoia Alliance. Employees often resist adopting new technologies, preferring familiar workflows. This reluctance can lead to disengagement and slow the pace of innovation.
What makes Pharma 5.0 and digitalisation important for the industry?
Addressing these challenges is a key priority as it unlocks a new paradigm of efficiency and quality, ultimately allowing patients to receive medications faster. This imperative is underscored by data: in a survey conducted by the Deloitte Centre for Health Solutions, more than 45% of respondents reported organisational improvements after implementing smart manufacturing methods. They included risk-sensing (50%), enhanced yields (50%), warehouse efficiencies (48%) and cost-effective sourcing (47%).
Accelerated R&D and API development is another benefit the digitalisation brings. AI-powered systems can rapidly analyse vast datasets to optimise conditions for API synthesis, predict complex molecular interactions and identify optimal reaction parameters (e.g., temperature, pressure, solvent choice). This significantly shortens the time and resources traditionally consumed in research and development. One of the prime examples is how Generative AI allowed Insilico Medicine to go from novel-target discovery to a preclinical candidate in just 18 months, spending only $2.6 million.
Pharma 5.0 emphasises helping to reach a sustainable future through technology, as it offers the potential 20% cut in energy use. The results are evident already, with AstraZeneca reducing drug waste by 22%, using AI-powered digital twins. Johnson & Johnson is experiencing a positive impact, too, with their plant achieving 96% renewable operation.
Achieving the digital goals with collaboration
The benefits of implementing new technologies can’t be all enumerated at once, but one thing becomes clear – it is the imperative of today’s business environment. Consequently, more and more companies are looking for reliable service providers and partners to successfully implement smart manufacturing methods and exchange experience. This is why PHARMAP 2026 becomes a meeting point for industry stakeholders to examine current trends, assess technological solutions and discuss implementation strategies related to Pharma 5.0 and digitalisation.
The programme includes a presentation from StatSoft GmbH, where Bert von Garrel shares the company’s approach to next-generation process reliability using advanced analytics and AI. After that, Davendra Ridhurkar, CEO and Founder at RidNova Pharmaceutics, is going to delve into continuous manufacturing, placing a focus on innovation and future trends. Airton Miranda, Manufacturing Development & Innovation Senior Manager, at Novo Nordisk contributes to the conversation with the report on reducing equipment downtime on the shopfloor.
The agenda also includes a session dedicated to smart and agile manufacturing, where the audience can listen to strategies for flexibility and scalability, usage of digital twins and predictive maintenance, automation and learning systems, robotics, AI and analytics. As well as real-life insights from Belupo, MolAquaTech, John Crane and Bavarian Nordic.
By learning from cases, gaining new insights and networking with colleagues, companies can smoothly adapt to changing realities and transition to Pharma 5.0.
The next step for Pharma
The foundation for a new era of efficient digital future has been laid, but can the industry form it into a solid system, benefitting all – the companies and the patients? The answer lies in strategic planning and collaboration, not just creating more technologies. If pharma continues moving in that direction, we can successfully meet the global demand for medicines.