Artificial intelligence in pharma: utilising a valuable resource

Artificial intelligence (AI) can be applied to nearly every aspect of the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry, to enhance data processing. Adopting the technology will reveal the astonishing potential of the healthcare sector, with success rates flying higher than ever before – especially in the research and development of crucial, life-changing drugs. 

AI works as a machine learning system, continuously responding and analysing data, which allows researchers to collect information effectively. Additionally, the more data AI responds too, the smarter it will become, continuously advancing the pharmaceutical industry.

Not only can AI benefit the treatment of patients and offer care solutions, it can optimise the industry. This article will discuss how AI can be used to improve pharma and how it can augment itself in the industry.

Drug design and trialling

AI can optimise the pharmaceutical industry through its ability to enhance R&D, from designing and identifying new molecules to target-based drug validation and discoveries.

Not only can it reduce the amount of time it takes for a trial to be conducted, but also to get approval, meaning a drug can be placed on the market as quickly as possible. This can result in cost savings, more treatment options and more affordable therapies¹ for those who need access to the medicine in question. 

Manufacturing improvements

By being involved with the pharmaceutical manufacturing process,² AI can present many opportunities to improve production processes that have already been put into place. These various management options in manufacturing procedures include:

• Quality control
• Reduced design time
• Predictive maintenance
• Reduction of waste
• Improvement of production reuse.

By allowing manufacturing to be optimised, become faster and more efficient, the pharmaceutical industry could benefit massively. AI would remove any older processes that would typically rely on the need of human intervention or input, eliminating any room for human error.

AI in marketing

The pharmaceutical industry is a sales-driven sector, with AI becoming more useful in refining the style of marketing and strategies that businesses use. Companies know that exploring and discovering the most reputable form of marketing is the best way for them to boost their revenues and guide them to the most profitable avenue. 

Using AI, a company can chart the common customer journey. This can allow the company to identify the direct marketing technique the customer was subject to and ultimately persuaded them make a purchase. Obtaining this information is vital to ensuring the same marketing techniques are continued, to only promote profitable success. 

Having AI analyse past campaigns is imperative to enable companies to devise the most lucrative marketing strategies³ and will decrease the chances of time or money being wasted, as its predictions can be trusted. Then, before long, the pharmaceutical industry will have a fully optimised marketing strategy that works every time. 

Summary

While there are many ways in which AI can be used within the pharmaceutical industry to better the ways in which doctors can work, it can also optimise the sector, in order to promote a far better health experience for those who need it. 

AI has the capability to optimise marketing strategies, benefit manufacturing processes and drug trialling, so will be adopted for further use in the future.

References

1. Touw K. The Trending Role Of Artificial Intelligence In The Pharmaceutical Industry [Internet] Umetrics. 2019 [cited 13 January 2020]. Available from: https://blog.umetrics.com/the-trending-role-of-artificial-intelligence-in-the-pharmaceutical-industry
2. AI Is Being Prescribed Across The Pharmaceutical Industry [Internet]. Novatech. 2018 [cited 13 January 2020 ] Available from: https://www.novatech.co.uk/deeplearning/articles/ai-pharmaceutical-industry/ 
3. Rees V. Optimising Artificial Intelligence In The Pharmaceutical Industry [Internet]. European Pharmaceutical Review. 2019 [cited 13 January 2020] Available from: https://www.europeanpharmaceuticalreview.com/article/107772/optimising-artificial-intelligence-in-the-pharmaceutical-industry/