Modular cleanrooms to democratise biopharma development and healthcare access
Cleanrooms are classified enclosed spaces within which controlled environmental conditions are maintained to minimise the presence of airborne and other contaminants. Air handling and other environmental control systems are used to maintain the required temperature, pressure, humidity, air filtration, etc. Given the stringent demand for controlled hygienic environments while making drugs, vaccines and other health products, cleanrooms are an indispensable element of the biopharma industry.
Modular cleanrooms meet all the above specifications. They only differ from traditional cleanrooms in the way they are constructed. Conventional cleanrooms are manufactured as conventional buildings are – with bricks and cement, and flooring, air handling, HVAC, fire suppression, equipment, plumbing, electrical connections and the like being fitted during the process or afterwards.
Modular cleanrooms, on the other hand, are manufactured off-site, in a factory. They are fabricated in the form of two-dimensional panels or three-dimensional volumetric units, with these components then being shipped to the desired location, where they are assembled on-site. In all other ways, modular cleanrooms are just as (if not more) effective and high-quality as conventional cleanrooms.
The implications of using modular cleanrooms
Why is the modularisation of cleanrooms so important?
Well, because setting up modular cleanrooms takes significantly less time, money and resources compared to traditional cleanrooms. Cleanrooms are used in multiple industries like biotechnology, electronics production and aircraft manufacturing – the benefits of modular cleanrooms can result in significant savings for companies in these industries.
When it comes to biopharmaceuticals manufacturing, however, the impact of modular cleanrooms can be so much greater. The resource efficiency and speed with which biopharma cleanrooms can be set up not only reduce the time to market and production costs of pharma products but also help us tackle disease outbreaks, humanitarian crises and unaddressed public health concerns. As such, modular cleanrooms are an important tool in the fight for global health equity.
How do modular cleanrooms transform health product manufacturing?
Modular cleanrooms comply with all industry standards and regulations like ISO and cGMP. They also follow all the other regulatory and documentation processes like commissioning, validation, site acceptance testing and the like. So in terms of compliance, safety and sanitary standards, they are no different than regular high-quality cleanrooms.
However, there are some differences which lend modular cleanrooms the upper hand.
First, given the way they are designed and fabricated, modular cleanrooms with the same operational capacity tend to take up less space. Moreover, this space can be more ergonomically designed, making working in even a limited area much more efficient.
Second, since the components of modular cleanrooms are manufactured off-site in a factory, they are produced with much greater precision and efficiency than if those same panels or elements were constructed on-site. This pre-fabrication and pre-engineering make modular cleanrooms a class apart.
Third, some modular cleanrooms, like the ones we make at PodTech™, have a plug-and-play design. This means that the prefabricated structures are shipped to the project location in shipping containers. Here, individual modules or pods are connected to one another and to utilities. That’s all. These simple installation steps make modular cleanrooms the superior choice for time-sensitive projects.
This isn’t just a hypothesis. When pharma companies developed new vaccines against Covid-19, they also had to manufacture them at scale very quickly to control the spread of the disease. Modular facilities played a big role in getting mRNA vaccines to several corners of the world.
Fourth, an aspect that ensures you meet the rigorous cleanliness standards of the biopharma industry. Modular cleanrooms like the ones we make at our manufacturing facility in the UAE are fully self-contained. They give you autonomous control over humidity, temperature, particle levels, and various other environmental factors. They come pre-fitted with a fire suppression system, air handling and HVAC system, double insulation, plumbing, lighting, monitoring, and more. This fully-equipped factory system means that you don’t have to run from pillar to post to procure each of these systems and ensure that they operate as per your expected standards. Such cleanrooms operate independently.
Finally, modular cleanrooms are also flexible, bespoke and scalable. While there are standardised components, every project can and should be tailored to meet your specific needs. If you need to scale up production, you can simply add modular extensions to your facility. If you want to begin producing a new type of product, adaptations for that are also relatively easy to make.
Better for the planet, better for communities
Almost no industry can avoid thinking about its impacts on the planet anymore. As the climate crisis rages on, sustainability is the need of the hour. From an ESG perspective as well, modular cleanrooms are the clear winner over traditional construction.
Modular cleanrooms are self-supporting; they don’t need any structural support from existing buildings. Installation and disassembly are also quick, simple and much cleaner than traditional construction and demolition which throw up large amounts of dust, create noise pollution, and generate a substantial amount of waste.
Modular or prefabricated cleanrooms are more eco-conscious because they circumvent some of the problems thrown up at conventional construction sites. Additionally, prefabrication brings a high level of precision to the production of building components, which means that much less material is wasted.
Importantly, if a factory needs or chooses to wrap up operations, dismantling modular cleanrooms is as easy as assembling them. The disassembled panels can be relocated and reassembled elsewhere, substantially reducing the overall footprint of modular construction.
All in all, the benefits of modular cleanrooms dramatically outweigh those of conventional cleanrooms. Given the priorities of the global health sector, it only makes sense that more and more biopharma and health sector players adopt this revolution in construction delivery.
Modular cleanrooms are cost-effective and quick solutions for governments looking to control public health crises like epidemics or the fallout of conflict. They should be the go-to solution for developmental and humanitarian agencies looking to set up camp in disaster-struck areas that desperately need vaccines, diagnostics and medicines. They are a smart investment for pharmaceutical companies that want to quickly release new product lines or rapidly scale up production to meet market demand.
We, at PodTech™, are on a mission to future-proof the world against health crises. We want to make nations self-sufficient so that they can better respond to public health emergencies. Modular cleanrooms are an important part of transforming this vision into reality.