A research partnership between the University of Leeds and the University of Nottingham has secured £1.8 million in funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to advance pharmaceutical manufacturing in the UK.
The project, known as R4PID (Reconfigurable, Robotic & Responsive Reactors for Processes through Intensified Development), will focus on developing smart manufacturing technologies that accelerate drug production, cut environmental impact, and lower operational costs. The initiative is designed to align with the UK’s net zero goals and the sector’s shift toward automation and digitalisation.
R4PID will integrate AI-controlled reactors, machine learning, and advanced process monitoring to create more responsive and efficient production systems. Industrial collaborators AstraZeneca and ChemAI co-developed the project, which aims to reduce waste and improve materials efficiency in the pharmaceutical supply chain.
This initiative is one of six EPSRC-backed projects that together received nearly £7.5 million in funding. Each project was developed in collaboration with industry and centres on sustainable, high-tech approaches to manufacturing, reinforcing the UK’s growing reputation in research-driven industrial innovation.
