In an era where a major chunk of pharmaceutical manufacturing is being outsourced, there is increased pressure for CMOs to meet the demand for faster market delivery and 100% quality assurance.

Managing the manufacturing and packaging of multiple brands is no joke. You need a team you can rely on for faster market delivery. More importantly, digitizing processes to streamline operations, gaining full visibility of every project, and maintaining a central repository for all your labels are crucial to meeting these demands for speed and quality.

Here’s how a pharmaceutical contract manufacturing organization (CMO) can utilize Artwork Flow to manage artworks, streamline operations, and go to market faster.

Challenges CMOs face without a pharmaceutical artwork management system and how Artwork Flow helps

1. Unstructured workflows

Problem: Unstructured workflows lead to poor visibility into projects and tasks. You don’t know who is working on what task, how much progress has been made, or if there are any delays.

Solution: Configurable workflows 

A pharmaceutical CMO managing the packaging for different drugs can use configurable workflows to keep track of each project's progress and ensure timely approvals.

With Artwork Flow’s pharmaceutical artwork management system, you can build customized workflows based on your specific project needs without any dependency. 

• Tailor workflows from scratch or use custom templates for design, approval, or any other stage to get started quickly. 
• Ensure the right people are in the loop for each trigger action in your workflow to stay ahead of any delays. 
• Assign tasks, set due dates, and track each task from a single screen. 
• Use Gantt charts to balance workloads, meet deadlines, and identify delays effortlessly.

2. Inefficient process management

‍Problem: Without a streamlined artwork management process, identifying bottlenecks and improving efficiency becomes challenging. There is little to no insight into why certain projects are delayed, whether the deadlines for each task are realistic, or if specific stages are causing recurring issues.

‍Solution: Intuitive dashboard and reporting 

A pharmaceutical contract manufacturing organization working on a new drug launch can use the dashboard to monitor project timelines and ensure that all tasks are on schedule, leading to smoother project execution and better outcomes.

Artwork Flow’s intuitive dashboard and robust analytics and reporting tools make sure you have improved visibility and enable more informed decision-making. 

• Quickly identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement. For instance, which design approval stage consistently takes longer than planned, allowing you to allocate additional resources or adjust timelines accordingly. 
• Analytics can reveal patterns, such as frequent delays in a specific department, enabling you to address the root cause. 
• Understand how much time each project and task is taking and make necessary adjustments to optimize workflows.

3. Human errors in proofreading

Problem: Manual proofreading of pharma packaging can lead to human errors and post-approval rejections.

Solution: Online proofing tools and annotations

Eliminate human errors and make quick label corrections in one place with Artwork Flow’s online proofing tools. 

• Use intuitive comparison tools in three modes — side-by-side, difference, and flicker — to spot any errors or inconsistencies. 
• Annotate directly onto your pharma packaging design with various markup tools.
• Collaborate with others through tagging in feedback comments. 
• Other online proofing tools include a braille reader, barcode scanner, spell checker, measurement scale, font finder, and more.

4. Disorganized product specifications

‍Problem: Keeping track of all pharma product labels and managing product specifications such as label images, brand logos, industry certification logos, etc.

‍Solution: Product specification management 

Managing product specifications for different pharmaceutical products becomes effortless with a centralized digital library, ensuring all packaging requirements are met.

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A pharmaceutical artwork management system offers an easy-to-use approval workflow and digital library for all your labels and artwork designs. 

• Seamlessly manage product specifications such as product images and industry logos (e.g., FDA approved) in one place i.e. the DAM library.
• Create docs and spec sheets and easily integrate them into your workflow.
• Always access the latest version of your pharma artwork with version control and keep track of all your artwork versions in one place.
• Create checklist-oriented tasks to make sure all the pharma product specifications such as ingredients, keylines, dielines, etc, are accurate and compliant.

5. Slow approval processes

‍Problem: Lengthy approval processes waste time and effort, slowing down time to market.

‍Solution: Speed-up the approval process 

Reduce time and effort spent on tracking sign-off sheets, hunting down emails, searching for packaging labels, and interpreting clunky Excel-based trackers. 

• Set up approval workflows for quick, convenient artwork approvals backed by user audits.
• Speed up the artwork approval process with 100% visibility into approval workflows.
• Track tasks and due dates via Gantt charts.
• Enjoy the flexibility of a fully digital artwork approval process with online proofing tools and annotations.
• Automated reminders for when a file is approved or rejected to get moving quickly.

6. Unconsolidated data storage

‍Problem: Managing assets scattered across various platforms and locations can be inefficient and confusing.

‍Solution: Centralized digital assets library 

A pharmaceutical CMO can easily manage and retrieve different drug labels and packaging designs from a centralized digital library.

Control your assets from one central digital assets library. 

• Keep every product image, label design, logo, and more in one place. 
• Ensure artwork files are neatly categorized into folders and securely stored with granular access. 
• Intuitive drill-down filters, AI-led search functionality, and support for various file types help you find any pharma artwork with ease. 

7. Confidentiality concerns

Problem: In a world of cyber-attacks and information leaks, providing a secure environment is essential.

Solution: Secure environment 

Protect confidential information related to new pharmaceutical formulations and packaging designs with secure access controls and audit trails.

Artwork Flow is a fully secure system that holds information on artwork for each client and provides a full audit trail of everyone who has accessed it. 

• User profiles are defined to allow access only to the system functionality and information required. 
• Information and artworks can be segregated depending on the vendor or supplier, with access controlled for the duration of their employment. 
• Share files with granular access for secure file sharing.

8. Lack of clarity

Problem: Manual and paper-based systems create silos, leading to miscommunication and errors.

Solution: Clear communication and collaboration 

Ensure clear communication and collaboration among teams working on the labeling of new pharmaceutical products, avoiding miscommunication and errors.

Artwork Flow eliminates silos by ensuring artwork-specific information—such as metadata, supporting documents, pharma codes, approved PDFs, or the status of any task—is available to any user who needs it. It provides full audit trails for every workflow, helping you create detailed reports and track every job from beginning to end. 

9. Global operations

Problem: Operating on a global scale means managing different labeling requirements, languages, and cultural considerations.

Solution: Centralized artwork management 

Manage different labeling requirements for a pharmaceutical product distributed in multiple countries, ensuring consistency and compliance with local regulations.

A centralized artwork management system with easily accessible brand guidelines ensures that all variations meet the necessary standards while maintaining brand consistency across different regions.

A centralized artwork management system with easily accessible brand guidelines ensures that all variations meet the necessary standards while maintaining brand consistency across different regions. 

10. Collaboration and communication

Problem: Multiple teams involved in artwork creation can lead to redundant processes and label errors.

Solution: Enhanced collaboration 

Facilitate clear communication and collaboration among marketing, project, procurement, and design teams, reducing the chances of misinterpretation and errors. Share files easily, chat with project members, stay in the loop with automated reminders, and more.

11. Version control

Problem: Maintaining proper version control is essential with various stakeholders involved in artwork creation and modification.

Solution: Robust version control 

As a pharmaceutical CMO, easily keep track of all versions of a drug’s packaging to ensure compliance and avoid confusion among team members.

Track changes, approvals, and iterations, preventing confusion and ensuring everyone works with the latest approved version. Artwork Flow’s version control features ensure that all stakeholders are always on the same page, working with the most up-to-date and accurate information.

12. Regulatory compliance

Problem: Strict regulations regarding pharmaceutical labeling and packaging can be challenging to meet.

Solution: AI-led regulatory compliance

Use the ComplyAI tool to ensure that all pharmaceutical packaging complies with FDA regulations, reducing the risk of recalls or legal issues.

Artwork Flow’s ComplyAI tool allows you to create custom rulesets to find any label errors and make quick corrections to stay compliant with regulations. Ensure all necessary regulatory information, warnings, and instructions are accurately displayed, reducing the risk of legal issues or product recalls.

Wrapping up

Here’s a breakdown of everything we’ve covered so far:

• Improved workflow and faster approvals: Artwork Flow's configurable workflows help you tailor processes to your specific needs. For instance, a pharmaceutical CMO can set up customized workflows for drug packaging projects to ensure timely approvals and avoid delays, reducing time to market.
• Enhanced process efficiency: The intuitive dashboard and analytics tools help you quickly identify bottlenecks and make informed decisions. For instance, tracking the progress of labeling updates for a new medication becomes seamless, ensuring all tasks are completed on time.
• Error-free proofreading: With online proofing tools and annotations, human errors are significantly reduced. A pharmaceutical contract manufacturing team working on packaging for a new vaccine can use side-by-side comparisons and annotations to ensure all information is accurate before final approval.
• Organized product specifications: Manage all product labels and specifications in one place. A pharmaceutical CMO handling various pharmaceutical products can easily access the latest versions of artwork and build spec sheets using docs for each label.
• Centralized data storage and security: Artwork Flow provides a secure, centralized library for all assets, making it efficient to manage packaging designs for global distribution. With granular access controls, you can protect confidential information, ensuring the privacy of proprietary drug formulas and packaging designs.
• Clear communication for global operations management: Artwork Flow eliminates silos with collaboration tools, enabling pharmaceutical manufacturing teams to seamlessly handle international labeling requirements. Centralized artwork management ensures brand consistency and compliance across regions, making it easier to manage diverse labeling standards efficiently.
• Version control: Keep track of changes and ensure everyone works with the latest approved version. Updating labels with new regulatory information is straightforward, avoiding confusion and errors.
• Regulatory compliance: Use the ComplyAI tool to create custom rulesets and ensure all labels meet regulatory standards. Ensuring compliance with FDA regulations becomes less cumbersome, reducing the risk of legal issues or product recalls.

By addressing these common challenges, pharmaceutical CMOs can streamline their operations, enhance collaboration, and work smarter.

Artwork Flow is a pharmaceutical artwork management system designed to address the specific needs of the industry, helping you manage complex pharma manufacturing projects with ease and confidence. Book a demo today to see how to ensure faster time to market with high-quality products and 100% client satisfaction.

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