Jayakumar A V Reveals How Strategic Technology Implementation Cuts Costs While Advancing Environmental Goals
The second day of analytica India Lab 2025 opened with a compelling demonstration that environmental sustainability and operational efficiency are not competing priorities but complementary strategies. Jayakumar A V, President of Quality at Ajanta Pharma Limited, presented a comprehensive “Green Lab Roadmap” that revealed how pharmaceutical laboratories can simultaneously reduce environmental impact, cut costs, and accelerate product release times through strategic technology adoption.
The Hidden Scale of Laboratory Waste
Jayakumar’s presentation began with a stark revelation about pharmaceutical laboratory inefficiency that challenges common assumptions about resource utilization. Through a detailed analysis of solvent consumption patterns, he demonstrated how analysts were routinely using three times the required amount of solvents for routine testing procedures.
“A study has been conducted, what is the requirement of solvents in a day depending upon the analysis issued to the chemist,” Jayakumar explained, describing how unrestricted access to laboratory solvents led to systematic overconsumption. “They were using more than 3 times of the solvents which is actually required for the analysis.”
The case study revealed analysts preparing two liters of mobile phase when only one liter was required, driven by concern about potential out-of-specification results that occurred in less than 2% of cases. This precautionary approach, while well-intentioned, resulted in massive resource waste and environmental impact.
The solution proved remarkably straightforward: implementing controlled solvent dispensing based on standard testing procedures. The results were dramatic—acetonitrile consumption dropped from 100 bottles to 40 bottles per month, representing a 60% reduction with immediate cost and environmental benefits.
At current market rates of ₹3,000-4,000 per 2.5-liter bottle of HPLC-grade acetonitrile, this single intervention saves approximately ₹180,000-240,000 monthly while eliminating 150 liters of chemical waste from environmental treatment systems.
FT-NIR Technology: Beyond Conventional Testing Paradigms
The presentation’s most significant technological focus centered on Fourier Transform Near-Infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy as a transformative alternative to traditional HPLC testing methods. Jayakumar’s detailed comparison revealed fundamental advantages that extend far beyond simple efficiency improvements.
Traditional HPLC testing requires 10-12 hours for completion, involves extensive chemical consumption, generates significant glassware washing requirements, and produces potential analyst errors through complex sample preparation procedures. In contrast, FT-NIR testing completes analysis within 30 minutes, requires zero chemical consumption, eliminates sample preparation entirely, and provides non-destructive testing capabilities.
“We are one of the company, we are using very extensively FT-NIR technology for batch release. Final batch release into stringent regulated markets,” Jayakumar stated, directly addressing industry misconceptions about regulatory acceptance of advanced analytical technologies.
The implementation results proved compelling across multiple metrics:
- Time reduction: From hours to 30 minutes per batch
- Chemical elimination: Zero solvent consumption versus high HPLC usage
- Error reduction: Elimination of invalid out-of-specification results through removal of analyst preparation steps
- Regulatory acceptance: Full approval across stringent regulated markets including FDA oversight
Digital Transformation Through eLIMS Integration
Jayakumar’s discussion of electronic Laboratory Information Management Systems (eLIMS) revealed comprehensive digital transformation extending far beyond simple data management. The integration encompasses automatic equipment connectivity, real-time data capture, automated calculation processing, and seamless ERP system integration.
The environmental impact of digital transformation proved substantial. Laboratory paper consumption decreased from 10 reams to one ream daily—a 90% reduction representing 4,500 sheets saved per day. When scaled across multiple laboratory sites, this translates to significant forest conservation and storage space optimization.
“The storage areas have been converted to office,” Jayakumar noted, describing how reduced physical document requirements enabled facility repurposing and space optimization.
The digital infrastructure enables sophisticated capabilities including remote regulatory audits, real-time dashboard monitoring accessible via mobile devices, and comprehensive equipment utilization tracking. These capabilities proved particularly valuable during recent industry disruptions requiring remote collaboration and oversight.
Implementation Challenges and Strategic Solutions
The presentation acknowledged significant implementation barriers that explain why many organizations struggle with green laboratory initiatives despite clear benefits. Jayakumar systematically addressed seven critical challenge areas:
Technology and Infrastructure: High capital investment requirements and legacy equipment compatibility issues create substantial entry barriers. Ajanta’s approach involves phased adoption strategies and strategic vendor partnerships to distribute costs and manage technical integration complexity.
Data Integration: Diverse instrument data formats and CFR Part 11 compliance requirements demand sophisticated middleware solutions and enhanced IT capabilities. The company invested in IT personnel with both technical expertise and regulatory knowledge rather than relying on conventional IT support.
Regulatory Acceptance: Despite evidence of regulatory approval, industry misconceptions persist about advanced technology acceptance. Jayakumar emphasized that regulators actively encourage environmental sustainability initiatives when properly validated.
Analytical Complexity: FT-NIR implementation requires extensive calibration model development and may not suit all formulation types. Complex formulations demand significant method development investment before achieving reliable results.
Cybersecurity Risks: Cloud-based systems create vulnerability to data breaches and ransomware attacks, as demonstrated by recent pharmaceutical industry incidents. Robust GxP-compliant security frameworks become essential infrastructure requirements.
Cost and ROI Pressure: Management demands for immediate return on investment conflict with sustainability project timelines. Jayakumar advocates repositioning green laboratory initiatives as compliance investments rather than profit-driven projects.
Change Management: Staff resistance to digital transformation requires comprehensive training programs and gradual transition strategies to ensure successful adoption.
Business Case for Green Lab Transformation
Jayakumar’s presentation revealed that green laboratory initiatives deliver value across multiple dimensions beyond environmental stewardship. The comprehensive benefits include operational improvements through faster testing and reduced deviations, sustainability gains through lower chemical consumption and energy savings, enhanced regulatory compliance through improved data integrity, and business growth acceleration through reduced turnaround times.
The regulatory perception advantage proved particularly significant. “When they see that your lab is end-to-end integrated, the perception itself is different,” Jayakumar observed, describing how digital integration creates immediate credibility with regulatory auditors compared to paper-based systems requiring extensive manual review.
The competitive implications extend to market responsiveness and product development timelines. Laboratory turnaround time reduction becomes crucial for pharmaceutical companies seeking faster market entry and improved customer satisfaction.
Strategic Implementation Framework
The presentation outlined a systematic transformation approach beginning with current state assessment and high-chemical process identification. The recommended progression involves initial eLIMS implementation with key instrument integration, staff training programs, and pilot implementation beginning with raw material testing before expanding to in-process and finished product applications.
Success measurement focuses on quantifiable sustainability metrics including solvent reduction, paper savings, and energy consumption decreases alongside operational improvements in testing speed and deviation reduction.
Jayakumar emphasized avoiding comprehensive transformation attempts in favor of incremental progress that allows for technical problem resolution and staff adaptation while demonstrating value to organizational leadership.
Broader Industry Implications
The presentation revealed that green laboratory transformation represents more than environmental compliance—it constitutes strategic repositioning for competitive advantage in increasingly sustainability-conscious pharmaceutical markets. Companies implementing comprehensive green laboratory programs achieve operational efficiency improvements that translate directly to improved profitability and market responsiveness.
The regulatory trend toward encouraging environmental sustainability initiatives suggests that early adopters of green laboratory technologies may gain competitive advantages in regulatory approval timelines and global market access.
However, the technical complexity and capital investment requirements create barriers that may advantage larger pharmaceutical companies with resources for comprehensive implementation over smaller organizations lacking technical infrastructure and financial capacity.
Looking Forward
Jayakumar’s comprehensive exposition positioned green laboratory transformation as inevitable evolution rather than optional enhancement for pharmaceutical manufacturers seeking sustained competitiveness. The convergence of environmental regulation, cost pressure, and technological advancement creates compelling drivers for systematic laboratory modernization.
The successful implementation at Ajanta Pharma demonstrates that green laboratory transformation delivers measurable benefits across environmental, operational, and financial dimensions when supported by strategic planning, appropriate technology selection, and comprehensive change management.
The presentation suggested that pharmaceutical companies delaying green laboratory investment may face increasing competitive disadvantages as industry standards evolve toward sustainability requirements and advanced analytical capabilities become market expectations rather than technological differentiators.
As Jayakumar concluded, “Sustainable labs, green labs, and real-time testing enable sustainability. This creates efficient and compliant labs.” The transformation from traditional laboratory operations to digitally integrated, environmentally sustainable facilities represents fundamental evolution in pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities.
- Naresh Nunna
