To date, we’ve experienced a year of mega-mergers with six of the top pharmaceutical players combining forces to become three major contenders. What does this mean for the affected employees and managers alike? Well, believe it or not, it can lead to employment opportunities and personal successes that otherwise may not have been considered.

As more therapeutic proteins enter the market, an even larger number accumulate in biopharmaceutical drug pipelines. In order to improve assay quality and manage the growing workload, automated systems are needed to provide qualitative and quantitative information.

Getting a new drug into the hands of patients is no easy feat. Pharmaceutical companies have to go through a myriad of tests in cell cultures, animals and humans before discovering and developing treatments for illnesses.

Like other new tools in the drug discovery process, automation, implemented properly, can generate the insight necessary to drive the pharmaceutical business forward.

The FDA has increased its focus on modernizing the regulation of pharmaceutical manufacturing and drug product quality. As a result, innovative pharmaceutical companies are re-examining whether traditional drug development and commercialization processes are sufficient.

If a vendor claims to provide a COTS solution, what should a buyer expect? Better still, what should a buyer demand?