Peptides and oligonucleotides (TIDES) are transforming modern medicine by precisely targeting disease pathways, expanding treatment options for chronic, metabolic, and rare conditions. As more therapies gain approval, global demand is surging – and the industry must scale without compromising safety, quality, or ustainability.
For contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs), responding to demand requires more than simply upping capacity. Scaling production while maintaining quality, sustainability, and compliance requires a deliberate shift toward advanced manufacturing, embracing digitalization, and promoting continuous improvement.
Hans Van Hees, Chief Operations Officer at Bachem, discusses how the CDMO is adapting to these changes — providing stability, reliability, and leadership as the TIDES industry evolves.
Advanced manufacturing and scale-up: Looking beyond capacity
A defining feature of today’s TIDES market is the rise of GLP-1 and related peptides – a class of molecules driving demand and increasing manufacturing complexity. For Bachem, this has meant moving from a development-focused CDMO portfolio to a more production-driven Contract Manufacturing Organization (CMO).
“Our strength in building processes remains critical,” Van Hees explains. “But now, we must develop them for a future of consistent, high-volume, safe, and high quality delivery to ensure patients can access the medication they need.”
“With facilities running around the clock, we must use every lever in order to maximize the output,” he says. “Operational excellence, network optimization, and process innovation are key to keeping pace with growing demand and staying competitive.”
Recent advances include adopting spray drying as a more efficient alternative to freeze drying, helping to increase throughput and reduce bottlenecks.
Reliability is equally important: “In large-scale facilities, disruptions must be avoided – whether safety, quality, or equipment related,” Van Hees notes. “That reliability comes from close collaboration between R&D and manufacturing, strong shopfloor management and communication, and the measurement and structural removal of losses.”
For Bachem, scaling up means scaling smarter, combining technical innovation with disciplined execution.
Harnessing data and AI for precision manufacturing
Digital transformation will be central to Bachem’s strategy. The company will align its global sites under a single automation and data platform, facilitating interconnected and intelligent manufacturing.
“Having a standardized and connected automation framework is one of our biggest enablers,” Van Hees says. “It allows consistent process control, more efficient technology transfer, and cross-plant learning.”
The evolving use of electronic batch records (EBR) continues to reduce variability and human error, while accelerating documentation and batch release.
Bachem is also exploring AI-driven process control. “Our goal is adaptive process control,” Van Hees explains. “A system that learns from each batch and adjusts parameters in real time to stay within the ideal process window, or ‘perfect process space’.”
Further opportunities in the digital space are increasingly established, such as digitally connecting similar lines to establish so-called “digital twins”, which can create a feedback loop for continuous improvement. The same data-driven approach extends to predictive maintenance and model-based development in R&D — embedding intelligence and flexibility across operations.
Integrating sustainability: Innovation with responsibility
As manufacturing scales, sustainability has become both an operational and strategic priority. For Bachem, it is closely linked to innovation and efficiency.
“The same data-based improvement methods that drive performance also drive sustainability,” Van Hees notes. “They shape how we design installations, automate processes, and optimize unit operations.”
In R&D, Bachem is pursuing greener chemistries and alternative synthesis routes, from comparing solid and liquid-phase processes to moving towards fragment-based and enzymatic methods. These innovations reduce waste, energy use, and resource consumption without compromising quality or scalability.
Building a culture of continuous improvement
While automation and AI are reshaping operations, people remain central to Bachem’s success.
“AI can expedite learning, but human curiosity and creativity drive real improvement,” Van Hees emphasizes. The company promotes a shopfloor-oriented culture, where open dialogue between operations and management is encouraged and decisions are made close to the shopfloor.
Shifting from an approach highly driven by analytical, in-process controls to one guided by in-line process analytical technology, models and data also requires a mindset shift. “It takes willingness and courage to embrace new ways of working,” he adds. “Even in an AI-powered world, breakthrough change will still come from human inventiveness.”
Transforming TIDES manufacturing for tomorrow
Looking ahead, Van Hees reflects on major trends across the pharmaceutical industry, such as increasing need for agility, speed, sustainability and personalized medicine, ultimately converging to reshape TIDES manufacturing.
“From my prior experience in small molecule APIs, I have seen firsthand how technology has evolved to enable miniaturization and flow in API manufacturing. These technologies are intrinsically capable to run more selective chemistry, operate more sustainably and enable shorter cycle times and higher agility. Whether and how these technologies will make it into the TIDES space, remains a question.”
“The future of TIDES manufacturing will belong to those who can scale intelligently, operate sustainably, and prioritize innovation and continuous improvement.”
While many of these methods are still emerging in API manufacturing, Bachem’s commitment to innovation, digitalization, and sustainability positions it to lead TIDES production from the front.
Business Collaboration:
Bachem AG
Tel. +41 58 595 2020
Tel. +41 58 595 2020
sales.ch@bachem.com
