In this issue of New Scientist, Dr Rory MacDonald, Senior Lead Chemical Engineer, and Dr Rowena Howie, Flow Chemist, discuss how the ETERNAL project is transforming pharmaceutical manufacturing through cleaner, more sustainable processes.
Across Europe, UK and Spanish researchers are joining forces to rethink how medicines are designed, manufactured, and disposed of. Supported by Horizon Europe’s major research and innovation funding programme, these collaborations are demonstrating how international partnerships can solve challenges too complex for any single organisation.
Advancing More Sustainable Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
At the centre of this effort is a Europe‑wide consortium led by IRIS Technology Solutions in Barcelona, working alongside UK partners including Quotient Sciences, Arcinova and AstraZeneca. The project was originally granted in 2022, when the Alnwick site operated under the Quotient Sciences name. Although the site has since been rebranded as Arcinova, all UK project work has continued to be carried out at the Alnwick facility.
Together, the partners are pioneering greener chemistry, smarter manufacturing, and data‑driven innovation through the €5.9 million ETERNAL project.
By combining expertise across disciplines and borders, the partnership is advancing breakthroughs in green chemistry, digital twins, and real‑time reaction monitoring — all aimed at reducing waste and creating cleaner, more efficient manufacturing processes.
These innovations will help shape a more sustainable pharmaceutical industry long after the project concludes.
Read the full article in New Scientist.