Cytiva

Biopharmaceutical development is one of the most time-intensive processes in manufacturing — from initial research to a commercially approved drug typically spans seven years. For manufacturers of vaccines, biologics, and cell and gene therapies, that timeline translates directly into delayed patient access and deferred revenue. Cytiva, a global life sciences leader operating across 40 sites with over 7,000 associates, recognized that fragmented automation infrastructure — so-called "islands of automation" — was a core contributor to this bottleneck. Disconnected control systems meant data could not flow freely between upstream and downstream bioprocessing steps, preventing the kind of continuous process insight required to compress development cycles.

Cytiva addressed the integration challenge by developing its Figurate automation platform in partnership with Rockwell Automation. The platform is built on Rockwell's PlantPAx distributed control system and paired with Cytiva's own Unicorn chromatography and bioprocessing software. Together, these components form a unified architecture that consolidates control, communication, and process data across upstream and downstream operations. Data captured at the equipment level flows through a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) layer, making it accessible for analysis and continuous process verification. This connected infrastructure functions as a digital twin of the bioprocess environment — enabling engineers to model, monitor, and optimize runs without the manual handoffs that previously added months to development timelines. The result is a standardized automation framework that Cytiva's customers can deploy consistently across sites.

The Figurate platform's most significant measured outcome is a reduction in pharmaceutical development timelines from approximately seven years down to three or four years — a compression of more than 40%. This improvement stems from eliminating data silos across the bioprocess workflow, enabling faster iteration during process development and scale-up.

• Development timeline: 7 years → 3–4 years (>40% reduction)
• Operational scope: Benefits realized across Cytiva's 40 global manufacturing sites
• Workforce impact: Over 7,000 associates operate within the connected digital enterprise

Beyond headline timeline metrics, the platform improves internal operational efficiency and gives Cytiva's end customers — drug manufacturers — a faster, more predictable path from lab-scale development to commercial production.

• Standardizing on a unified bioprocess automation platform eliminates the data gaps between equipment that most extend development timelines.
• Digital twin capability is most effective when it spans both upstream and downstream operations — partial integration limits the visibility needed for meaningful process optimization.
• MES integration is the critical bridge between equipment-level data and the process insights that reduce development cycles.
• Life sciences manufacturers should prioritize automation infrastructure that supports both economies of scale and the flexibility required for multi-product facilities.
• Vendor partnerships that align hardware (DCS) with process software (chromatography control) reduce integration risk compared to assembling point solutions.