(81b) Building Resilient Supply Chains through the Manufacturing USA Institute Network

Over the last few decades, optimization for cost reductions in production across industry segments has been prioritized over maintaining flexible and resilient supply chains. Off-shoring of pharmaceutical production is an important example of this evolution, and the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the U.S. population and economy to vulnerabilities created by limited domestic control over strategically important supply chains. The Manufacturing USA institutes are working collectively to craft a different future for critical U.S. supply chains by (1) mapping existing supply chains to understand critical gaps in U.S. manufacturing capabilities and infrastructure, (2) identifying critical feed stock limitations, materials and process development needs, and opportunities to refine current and design new technologies for the optimized system design, and (3) coordinating and managing the work to build a more resilient and flexible manufacturing infrastructure in the U.S. In particular, the RAPID Manufacturing Institute is partnering with its members to understand the current supply chains for several critical medicines and develop flexible, modular process options for cost competitive domestic production of these therapeutics.